Wildlife
Photography
Interested
in wildlife photography?
Whether
you sell your photos as a living, or simply want to take your
own postcard shots as keepsakes,Maryland's eastern shore is
a wildlife photographer's dream. And there, in a beautiful
corner of Dorchester County, sits Ransome's Chesapeake Retreats,
just waiting for you and your itching shutter finger.
The
county's abundant wildlife, wide marshes, and pine-topped
forests draw many people, from fishermen to birdwatchers to
kayakers, to the area. Add both amateur and professional photographers
to that list. Both Fishing Bay and Taylor's Island Wildlife
Management Areas sit within twenty-five minutes of the Retreat,
but, just nine miles up the road, Blackwater National Wildlife
Refuge may offer the best in wildlife viewing - making it
a dream for wildlife photography. The Wildlife Drive skirts
mudflats and grassy marshes, and is home to many wading birds,
shorebirds, one the largest populations of bald eagles on
the east coast, and an assortment of waterfowl. In fact, the
Refuge was created in 1933 for waterfowl protection. The usual
cast of foxes, raccoons, and other mammals are common, as
well as, are the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel and the
sika deer - an Asiatic species that has long been established
in the region. Ransome's Chesapeake Retreat is THE spot for
wildlife photography.
If
you bring your macro lens, along with your telephoto, you
can find plenty of flowers, like the swamp hibiscus, to enjoy.
A few short hiking trails and a recently created canoe trail
also allow for activity as you explore and shoot. I even found
a dreary overcast day this September to offer great shots
of paddlers approaching mist-laden islands of loblolly pines.
The Refuge has photo contests for teens, so bringing the kids
on a photographic venture there might prove fun. Wildlife
photography never had it so good!
Be
sure to bring plenty of film for subjects other than scenery
and wildlife, as well. The Chesapeake is home to historic
buildings and fishing villages tailor made for the play of
light and color. For instance, you can check out old barns,
boats and fishermen or crabbers arriving with the day's catch
by following Hooper's Island Road as it traces a path through
the towns and marinas of Fishing Creek and Hoopersville.
Many
of the towns in Dorchester County have a rich history, like
High Street in Cambridge, where you can see and photograph
buildings, like Dorchester County Court House, and Waugh United
Methodist Church (1826). A little west of Cambridge sits Spocott
Windmill, and the nearby town of Church Creek boasts the Old
Trinity Church, an active Episcopal church since the late
1600's. There is also a driving tour for many of the buildings,
like the Bucktown Village Store, important in the life of
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.
Ransome's
Retreat, which sleeps 17 plus people, is within twenty minutes
of all of these places and even has two small graveyards on
its property - the stones worn smooth with age. The Retreat
sits on the edge of a meandering marsh of green and golden
grass, accented with the curving shapes of great blue herons
and snowy egrets, so photographers can step outside the door
into a texture of natural color and shapes. From their boat
ramp, you can paddle just over 100 yards to the Bay and photographers
will find themselves on the Ransome's secret beach - a still-life
photographer's outdoor studio, thanks to the collection of
water-carved driftwood and other assorted gifts of the tides.
There,
too, lies the open horizon of the Chesapeake Bay and its nightly
sunset, as colors reflect upon the lapping waves, even as
bald eagles and ospreys roost in nearby loblolly pines. Or,
you can just relax at the Retreat and watch the sun set over
the Bay from the hot-tub, knowing the next day will bring
more opportunities for you and your camera.
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