Gazing at the clarity of the rocks under water and the clarity of the reflection on the lake, I’m not sure what would happen if I stepped into this lake… Would my sneakers get wet as I balanced and slid on those round rocks? Or is the lake surface really reflective glass that would allow me to walk across?
Jasper Park Lodge sits unnoticed on the far side of this mirror lake in Alberta, Canada.
I have to give my husband Charlie all the credit for suggesting that we walk a few miles back from the town of Jasper to the Jasper Park Lodge. We approached the Lodge along the lake and golf course on a perfect September afternoon.
Evening light was low, and the moose was in motion. With an ISO of 4000 on the Sony mirrorless camera, I was able to capture this image of a powerful male moose with a well developed rack.
This time of year, it’s mating season for moose. Male moose that have grown a big rack, let the younger, less developed males know they are superior. They attract a “harem” of females with which to mate. They may sow their seed and impregnate several females. Female moose, I’m told by Derek of Sundog Wildlife Excursions, are attracted to the males with big antlers, by instinct. Perhaps they project that their offspring will be alpha males as well some day.
Along the roadside near Jasper, Alberta, Canada, we spotted 5 moose — a female, a calf and 3 males. It was tough to get a clear photograph of the male with the fully developed rack since he walked behind the brush. When he did come out to walk by the road where we had a clear view of him, the Parks Canada truck cut in front of us, blocking our view and presumably shielding the animal from spectators in cars. Personally I think the alpha males working for Parks Canada wanted the best view to themselves, as we stayed respectfully inside our vehicles. Anyway, I got one exposure of Mighty Moose in the dwindling light through an open window, and here it is.
Just to show you a comparison, here is my photo of a younger male moose with newly developing horns. Hopefully one day, he will attract a harem of females and enjoy his mating season as the Big Cheese.
This bull moose is large, heavy and dangerous, but no match for the bull moose with the larger horns.
For me the American photographer, I was pleased to have five chances to photograph these enormous wild animals on a random evening in September. Word on the street is that most visitors aren’t as lucky. Derek’s record as a regular guide is six.
Our current trip to the Canadian Rockies has afforded little time to process photos and write blogs, but I wanted to take a hot second in Banff to process and share one of my fun wildlife photos.
We caught this young bull moose foraging along the roadside in Jasper National Park. Had to stay in the vehicle as moose (as well as elk and bear) can be quite dangerous.
Stay tuned for many more photos of the amazing landscape of the Canadian Rockies. I recommend this trip to Lake Louise, Jasper and Banff to everyone I know, especially in the Fall.
Blog: Cathy Kelly Photography 