Turkey Hunting Video

This is a short video I threw together of my buddy Tom's turkey hunt on opening day of the 2010 Indiana spring turkey season last week. This hunt takes place in northeast Indiana at the Fawn River Deer Camp where there is an abundance of wild turkeys. I've counted as many as 50 birds together at a time on the property on several occasions.

Now, I should mention that when Tom and I hunt together things don't get too serious. I usually send most of my time in the blind laughing too hard to get anything done. This here isn't your TV style of hunting video. Since this is our first attempt Tom didn't get too crazy, and I didn't have to cut out too much in the editing room. I originally had some more creative titles to put in this clip, but opted for something a little more conservative.

Due to my wife being on the verge of going into labor at any time, Tom and I only had one day to get a hunt on film, so he settled on shooting a jake early that morning. The next morning another hunter took a tom with a 10.5-inch beard and 1.25-inch spurs out of the exact same spot.

From my car

Ok, well, I have to say that being stuck at home for most of the last six weeks about drove me batty, so I went out last week and drove around town looking for spots to shoot something, anything just to get a camera back in my hands. So I took pictures of birds, some common, some not so common, and even the first bald eagle to reside in our part of Indiana for 90 years. The point is I got out shooting again.

Here are a few photos that I shot from the front seat of my car, well, my 4x4. But due to my limited mobility after surgery, I had to let the car do the walking for me.

Changes are Coming

During the last several weeks I've been out of commission after having hip replacement surgery in February. For a good portion of that time my mobility was, well, non-existent. Except for my trips to physical therapy appointments there was little else I could do other than watch movies and surf the internet. So it goes without saying that I spent a lot of time on the web.

During that time a few things became clear to me. I came to the conclusion that my days working for a newspaper are numbered. The industry as a whole is falling apart, I work for an afternoon paper, which are nearly extinct, and corporate policies dictate that when profit margins don't meet double digit expectations, content producers - not managers - lose their jobs. I've worked hard to increase my personal value by taking on writing duties and producing multimedia projects to boost my story-telling skills. I leaned when the last round of job cuts came along, my boss tossed my name in the ring. His boss, recognizing all that I do for our newspaper, overrode that decision. So, my extra efforts saved my job, but for how long, really? I will be prepared for the inevitability that next time, I won't be so lucky.

In light of the previous revelation the next thing that became clear to me is that I really need to work on my footprint on the world wide web. I purchased a flash-based website template and put together a website PickChad.com that was functional, but nothing special. The purpose was to get my name out there with the hopes of landing the occasional freelance job. I had some assignments roll in, but I learned that other people in my area were getting jobs that I was never considered for. Problem is, editors couldn't find me, and if they can't find me they can't at least consider hiring me. This blog has helped seriously in that regard, but only for those searching me by name. It became time for a new plan.

I have begun work on a new website that will be a total solution that comprises the main site, the ability to search and purchase images from my entire archive and the blog all rolled into one comprehensive package. Though the site is not yet live, it's home will be RyanVisuals.com.

So, now the quest is to prepare myself for the transition from staff photographer to independent contractor, offering services producing still photographs, audio slideshows and video productions for both editorial and commercial clients. I look forward to and embrace these new challenges.

One other thing that became clear is that I can't wait to get back to shooting, because I just can't handle sitting around.

More to come ...