Bunny Ears

There is a special place in my heart inside Rocky Mountain National Park. It's where I photographed - first saw, actually - a steller's jay. The rocks have been a goal for me for years, trying to get shots of them that actually show their depth and colors, and above all, shoot them  without people climbing all over them! That has been almost impossible, until last weekend. Sure, there were people, but not gaggles of children (of any age) climbing all over them non-stop just because they can and must, regardless of how steeply down the other side of the rock formation is. Besides, everybody posing on top of them gets so backlit by the sky when shot at that upward angle, how on earth can they have gotten more than a silhouette of the people photographed? It's not like fill flash works from that distance.

While there, a couple was trying to take their couple-selfie showing the scenery beyond, a different angle, the valley between a pair of mountains behind them, an even taller snow capped one rising yet higher  behind. A second couple walked up and offered to take a shot for them instead - better framed, slightly farther away, just better everything. Once the shot was taken, the first couple simply walked away. So Steve walked up to the second couple and asked if they would like him to take a shot of them. A favor for strangers who'd done other strangers a favor, unthanked. They enthusiastically agreed.

Seeing their posing was just a little stiff, I walked over to Steve while he was shooting and made bunny ears behind his head. That broke the couple up and he got some nice relaxed shots of them. I explained in jest that most people simply got the concept of bunny ears wrong. It's not the posers who should get them, it's the photographer. The surprise of the change-up is what gets your shot.

In return, the couple took several pictures of us. In the process, the man walked behind his partner and made his own bunny ears, relaxing us as well, getting some nice shots of genuine humor. I commented to them after that they'd likely never think of bunny ears the same way again.

After we parted, I got my rocks shots in before another group of people started climbing them. They turned out pretty good this time. But I noticed something during the editing process last night. There in the several shots of Steve and myself together, one somehow slipped in with Steve making - you guessed it - bunny ears behind my head. No wonder out photographers were having so much fun!