The Process of Taking Photos
Some animals are much harder to capture in an image than others. Working with shy animals, such as jackals, can be incredibly difficult. In the case of the jackals, Eszterhas said it took her 17 days of getting the jackals used to her presence before she took her first photo.
To get there, she moved her jeep a little closer to the animals’ den every day, a process known as habituating. She was getting to the area in the morning and leaving at night because even starting the vehicle could be disruptive. It meant staying in a hot, cramped car for 14 hours and peeing in water bottles since going out to use the bathroom meant the jackals would smell her.
There are also other considerations, such as choosing the right location and choosing animals that already trust humans, if possible. Eszterhas said grizzly bears are a good example of this, as there are many stories of sows being potentially dangerous when they’re protecting their cubs. Because of this, it’s important to choose a location where the bears have never been hunted and never had a conflict with people.
Choosing the right mothers is also an important part of the job. This means identifying a mom that’s relaxed around people and who’s safe from poachers and other threats.
