Braving The Cold...With Stephen Oachs

When Stephen Oachs contacted me late 2009 to ask about owl photography in Ontario....I jumped at the chance to show him around and shoot with a photographer that I have admired for years.

It was an interesting week with lots of challenges. I learned many things during his trip:

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1) I've got the worst sense of direction....ever!

2) My GPS unit hates me. For that story...you can read Stephen's story http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenoachs/4312196233/

3) Don't ever tell a coffee-drinker that there's not enough time to stop for his morning coffee. (unless you want him to turn into someone you've seen in a horror flick.)

4) Setting up a bird blind, by the lake, on a windy day, in the worst part of the winter....is NOT a good idea. But it DOES make for some funny memories.

5) Be Flexible. When you get slammed with rain and the Owls are in hiding....go somewhere else. Sometimes when things aren't planned, the best things happen.

6) When someone tells you they don't snore, verify with the person's "better half".

7) When YOU tell someone you don't snore, make sure you take away their iphone or other recording device. It's easy for them to get out of bed, stand over you in the dark and gather "evidence".

8) Keep yourself organized. It's embarrassing when you try to break into your own car to retrieve your keys....and then you find them in a coat pocket.

9) When you're enjoying a nice meal and getting to know your new partner, make sure that you don't leave your headlights on.

10) Make sure you're up to date on your tetanus shot. Photography can be a bloody business ;)