John’s Favourite Images from 2014

Following up on Josiah’s Favourite Images of 2014 we thought we’d share ten of John’s favourites from the year.

Here’s a statement from John about why these particular ten stood out for him…

It’s always hard to pick just a handful of images from a year’s worth of incredible experiences. I chose these as much for the memories they bring back for me as their aesthetic quality or photographic merit. In fact, it occurred to me as I finished my short-list that every one of these images was taken with either Jenaya or Josiah, or both, photographing beside me. I’m pretty sure that factors heavily into why these are amongst my favourites.

As far as my VERY favourite goes, it’s a no-brainer, and again because of the experience I had capturing it: the first image in the gallery here, the resting fox vixen.

After several years of keeping careful tabs on this vixen, her mate (one of the best-looking male red foxes I’ve seen), and their new families each spring, we have slowly won this beautiful girl’s trust.

This year, she and her mate decided to den in a much more accessible location, and one that FINALLY provided decent camera angles. While we had managed some decent pictures earlier in the season, it all came together this day, which just so happened to be Father’s Day.

So here I was laying in the grass on a small knoll below the Canadian Rockies, with my photographer-daughter (Jenaya) and photographer-in-the-making son (Josiah) on either side of me, on Father’s Day, when this vixen returned to the den with a meal. After leaving her catch with her kits, she promptly trotted almost straight to us, then a little ways past and sat down for some much-needed (and much-deserved) rest. Before long, we realized this fox mom was actually using us as a shield from the incessant demands of her kits! While we did not interfere in any way, I can’t say we didn’t take advantage of the incredible photo opps she gave us!

While I have dozens of captures showing her beautiful eyes, this one really connects for me, as it’s always a pleasure when a wild animal is comfortable enough in your presence to rest, even if for only a moment or two before her kits demanded her attention again.

I hope you enjoy this even a fraction as much as I treasure the memory of a breezy Father’s Day spent with my kids enjoying and connecting with God’s creation in our favourite corner of the world.

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