Indispensible to nature photography: the hide

I have no doubt that many of our readers have watched Planet Earth and possibly the newer Life, perhaps the two grandest nature documentaries ever made. If so, you probably caught yourself wondering “How the hell did they get that shot?” — perhaps during the mating dance of the birds of paradise. The “diaries” which accompanied the show revealed a few of the secrets, one of which was the immense amount of time spent by the camera guys in what they call hides: camouflaged shelters from which they can shoot without worrying about being spotted, and in which they may often stay for hours, days, or even weeks at a time.

This English Russia article shows a few interesting ones — for more information I’d check the nearest National Geographic or bird photography website. Hides can be as simple as a few sticks and a tarp with duff on it, or a semi-permanent shelter with stove and cot overlooking a seasonal breeding spot. There are some great pictures at the article, though unfortunately no credit, so you’ll have to investigate using TinEye or Google-fu.

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