I set out on a mission to capture some of the most captivating wildlife in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Accompanied by my good friend Mia McPherson, who was serving as my guide and driver for the day, I was determined to come back with some truly remarkable shots.
As we navigated through the rugged terrain, I was in awe of the stunning scenery that surrounded me. I had my Canon EOS R5 camera at the ready, equipped with the powerful Canon RF 100-500 mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens. I was eager to put my gear to the test and see what I could capture.
It wasn’t long before Mia spotted something and pulled the vehicle over, and I finally saw them. The Baby Uinta Ground Squirrels. I quickly went into action, switching my camera to manual exposure mode and adjusting my settings to get the shot I wanted. I dialed in an aperture of f8, a shutter speed of 1/3200, and an ISO of 800 (Auto), with a slight exposure compensation of 0.3 to give the image some extra oomph.
Watching them play and scurry around, I felt a rush of adrenaline. I was hunting these squirrels with my lens, and I was determined to bring back the trophy shot. And that’s exactly what I did.
The photo was taken on June 2, 2022, at 09:46 A.M., and it’s a testament to the thrill of the hunt and the beauty of nature.
I came away from this trip with more than just a photo. I gained a newfound appreciation for the Wasatch Mountains and the incredible wildlife that call it home. It was a reminder that sometimes, the greatest adventures are the ones we undertake with a friend. And I couldn’t have asked for a better photography buddy than Mia.
I did get a bunch of photos of different Uinta Ground Squirrels and here are a couple: Uinta Ground Squirrel Standing and Uinta Ground Squirrel Feeding