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14 minute read
Into Sharp Focus
Whether in a blind or out in the open trying to rattle up a buck, sitting still is essential. These two photography students hone their skills behind the camera at one of the Richards family photography schools on the Hindes Ranch.
A Richards Outdoor Photography Workshop Hosted on the Hindes Ranch Near Charlotte Brings Generations of Hands-On Experience in Nature Photography, Land Stewardship and Wildlife Management Into Sharp Focus.
Article by LORIE A. WOODWARD
"I've bagged a lot of magazine covers and chased a lot of light in a lot of places, and while I still have a passion for those things, I also have to ask, 'What's next?'" said Dave Richards, a manufacturer's representative in the sporting goods industry and noted outdoor photographer based in Boerne. "Quite simply, I want to help people experience what I've experienced in the outdoors and hopefully light a fire in them that inspires them to help take care of it."
An outdoor photography workshop seemed to be the logical next step. It was something that he, wife Beth, and their sons, Joe and James, themselves talented photographers, had discussed extensively. The Hindes Ranch, with its diverse, well-managed Brush Country habitat and reputation for outstanding native white-tailed deer, offered the ideal setting.
Dave and the Hindes family have enjoyed a long and rewarding relationship. So Dave approached them with the idea. Collectively, they decided to "give it a try and see where it would go." "We agreed because we'd be able to share the fruits of 50 years of management with a new group of people," said Roy "Cuatro" Hindes IV, who co-manages the Hindes Ranch along with his father "Little" Roy Hindes III and his brother-in-law John Schulte.
Recognizing the value of well-managed whitetails, the Hindes family under the leadership of "Big" Roy Hindes installed a high fence around their about 9,000-acre property in 1972. Knowing that information was key to managing the wildlife resource, they wanted to familiarize themselves with the deer on their property. In the days before trail cameras were widely available and affordable, a long-term photography project could provide
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a "reference catalog" of bucks and their growth over time. "Big" Roy and "Little" Roy, early adopters of deer management who pioneered aging deer on the hoof, invited Dave to photograph "every buck on the ranch." Dave and his photo blinds have been fixtures on the ranch for almost 30 years. The opportunity to photograph the resident bucks year after year was the genesis for “Observing & Evaluating Whitetails,” the definitive guide to aging deer on the hoof, coauthored by Dave and legendary wildlife biologist Al Brothers. "The Richards and Hindes families have a long working relationship that is built on trust and mutual respect," Dave said. "Each family brings different skills and assets to the table, but all of them are important in creating a complete outdoor experience for the workshop participants."
The Richards family provides photography expertise, sets out pop-up photo blinds, and handles all the workshop logistics, including marketing, registration, securing cooks and food, and serving as the full-time event hosts. The Hindes family manages the habitat and the wildlife, keeps feeders filled, delivers boots-on-the-ground information about wildlife movement, and supplies lodging. Members of both families help transport photographers to and from blinds on the ranch.
Together, the families have hosted three workshops since 2021, two dedicated to white-tailed deer and one targeted to both waterfowl and whitetails. Eventually, Dave would like to host four workshops per year on the ranch. To provide the best overall experience, maximum capacity is seven photographers per workshop.
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HUNTING WITH A CAMERA
Outdoor photography is a natural fit for people who enjoy nature, whether they are hunters looking for a new challenge, non-hunters seeking the adrenaline of the chase, artists exploring new creative avenues, or youngsters becoming aware of the intricate world around them. "Outdoor photography is a form of hunting with its own unique skill set," Dave said.
Photo courtesy of Mack Boyd
Wildlife is all around when you’re outdoors. If you have a camera along, you can enjoy it forever. This wall hanger occurred while waiting for a white-tailed buck to drop by.
Photo courtesy of JP Nyland
Lights, camera…composition. There are basic elements that make any photo a good photo, and they’re especially relevant in outdoor photography. Combining those elements with sharp focus and making sure the eyes are clearly seen does the trick.
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Photo courtesy of the Richards family
Just as in a hunting camp, it’s the friendships and relationships made and renewed that make the trip satisfying. Seeing wildlife and harvesting with a camera or gun is certainly the objective, but it’s the time sharing a laugh back in camp that are the warmest memories.
Hunting is hunting, whether you do it with a camera or a bow or a gun. Wildlife photographers need the same skills as any others who pursue wildlife, whether it be the smallest bird or a Muy Grande whitetail buck.
At the end of each day, James and Joe Richards put together a slide show of each photography student’s best photos. Then, in the comfort of the lodge, participants watch, enjoy, and learn from their work as well as the other student’s photos.
Photo courtesy of the Richards family
Photo courtesy of James Richards
In addition to learning traditional hunting skills such as recognizing wildlife travel patterns, placing blinds, managing human scent and moving stealthily, outdoor photographers must master the technical aspects of photography, come to understand light, and develop an eye for composition, perspective, color and texture. "With photography, though, the hunt isn't over when you snap the shutter," Dave said.
It was the unique combination of challenging skills, creativity, and the opportunity to be outdoors that first attracted workshop participant Mack Boyd to a photo blind. "I'm enthusiastic about the art and science of photography," said the veterinarian and lifelong hunter who lives in Ennis and operates his family's farm in Corsicana. "On the technical side, there is always something new to learn. On the creative side, there is always something new to try."
And Boyd, who caught the shutter bug in high school and has since photographed scenes from around the world including Alaska's famed Iditarod, knows first-hand a photo expedition is never truly over. "There's a saying among hunters, 'The fun stops once you pull the trigger,' and in a sense it does because the thrill of that hunt is over and you start the work of processing the meat," Boyd said. "In photography, you have the opportunity to photograph dozens of different animals of a variety of species, so the 'trophies' are limitless."
Because a trophy can appear at any time and in any form, ranging from a massive whitetail to a bird in flight or a backlit spider on a dew-covered web, outdoor photographers must remain alert to the world unfolding around them. Case in point, two of the most talked about pictures at the Richards' workshops have been of birds, even though the primary photo targets have been whitetails.
One, taken by Boyd, captures a fast-moving Green Jay in midflight with all its feathers splayed and fully visible. Another, taken by Katy Garren Hoskins, catches a Cormorant in midswallow just as the catfish's head disappears into its gullet. "The exciting part is that you never know what is going to pop out in front of you or when it is going to happen," Boyd said. "The anticipation is never done—and taking an image that captures the spirit of an animal and tells the story of a time and place never gets old."
In the hunting world, outdoor photography is the equivalent of catch and release fishing. The fact that valuable wildlife assets like mature white-tailed bucks can satisfy one group
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KEEP UP
To keep abreast of upcoming workshops, follow Richards Outdoor Photography and Hindes Ranch on Facebook or see www.richardsoutdoorphotography.com or www. thehindesranch.com. The Richards family is also exploring photo workshop opportunities in Alaska in 2022 and Africa in the not-so-distant future.
of clients and remain in the ranch's inventory as potential additional income producers is a positive.
Cuatro recounted a conversation with Rick Stovall, one of the photographers at the most recent whitetail workshop. Stovall, a long-time hunter and wellrespected manufacturer's representative who enjoyed a 40-year career in the hunting and fishing industry prior to his retirement, came back from an afternoon in a photo blind and said, "I have just had the best sit of my life." He then proceeded to rhapsodize about the size and number of mature bucks as well as all the other wildlife he saw. "He had that phenomenal experience— and we still have those deer walking around for other people to enjoy or harvest," Cuatro said. "And it really means a lot to have someone appreciate what we've worked so hard to produce on the ranch."
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THE NUTS AND BOLTS
Hosting a successful outdoor photography workshop requires more than opening the ranch gate, inviting photographers inside, and going to the bank. "I've read a lot of articles that might lead landowners to believe that developing an income stream from outdoor photography is as simple as opening the gate," Dave said. "The implication is that photographers will pay for the privilege of doing all the work themselves in the hope of seeing something worth shooting."
In his experience, that's not case. Well, at least, not for anyone who hopes to charge a fee substantial enough to make hosting the endeavor worthwhile.
Attendees of the Richards Outdoor Photography Workshops, which start late morning on Friday and end early afternoon on Sunday, pay $2,500 for the weekend. The fee includes lodging, food, transportation on the ranch, and instruction which often includes in-blind mentors, as well as access to photo blinds that have been positioned at least two weeks in advance and baited with feed to maximize wildlife traffic.
To keep this price point in perspective, deer hunters generally pay a minimum of
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You’re sitting in a duck blind trying to take a picture of a duck and the ducks aren’t cooperating. It still pays to pay attention. Catching this cormorant in the process of obtaining dinner is a once-in-alifetime opportunity.
Was it the click of the shutter? Was it the movement of the hand on the camera? Whatever it was, it caught this buck’s attention. Just as when hunting white-tailed deer with a gun, hunting with a camera entails many of the same skills. However, outdoor photography is a form of hunting with its own unique skill set.
“Seeing our sons grow up loving the outdoors and getting to share that passion together as a family through these workshops with others has truly been a blessing!” said Dave Richards, third from left. The rest of the Richards crew are, from left, Joe, Beth and James.
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$4,000, plus a trophy fee based on inches, for a similar length guided hunt on a high-quality ranch, Dave said. "At this price, none of us is getting rich—and that's not our goal—but it's profitable for both families, and it ensures that the people who come really want to be part of the experience," he said.
The professional reputation of the hosting photographer and the location of the hosting ranch are equally important. Photographers whose work is well-known often have a following of people interested in learning from them. To date, Dave has marketed the workshops through direct emails to his personal network and Facebook. "We have a limited a number of openings, so we've been able to market the opportunities on a small scale," said Dave, noting the workshop is open to photographers at all levels.
The ranch location as well as its management dictates how diverse the photographic bounty might be. Prime photo quarry runs the gamut from landscapes and water courses to big game species, migratory birds, reptiles, and insects.
According to Boyd, the name and work of Dave Richards resonated with him as did the Hindes Ranch and its reputation for native white-tailed deer. "When I go to a workshop I obviously hope to come away with some great images as well as some insight into the techniques that lead to those images," Boyd said. "And the location is big. I want it to have the species I'm interested, which in this case is whitetails, but it's an added bonus if the place has other species to photograph as well."
From a hosting standpoint, diversity is important because it provides a built-in Plan B. In November 2021, the ranch was site of a waterfowl photography workshop. A wet summer had completely re-filled a 72-acre lake that had historically been a stopover for thousands of ducks and geese making their way to
coastal wintering grounds. Last year was the first time the lake had held water in almost 10 years.
The hosts bet on the come—and the waterfowl didn't, at least in large numbers. Those that arrived stayed in the middle of the lake, out of range of even the longest lens. When it became clear that the ducks and geese might be MIA, Dave offered the photographers a full refund or the chance for a hybrid workshop that included whitetails as well as waterfowl.
All the photographers opted for the "best of both worlds" workshop. When they returned home, their trophies included photos of several quality bucks including one scoring over 200 Boone and Crockett, landscapes shrouded in fog, mallards on the rise, a javelina family, a tiny spider on its web, and the fish-eating cormorant. "We can make all these plans, but we can't control the weather, the light, or the wildlife," Cuatro said. "What we can do is offer as many set-ups as possible, so we all have options. After that, it's a matter of someone sitting still, grinding it out and waiting to see what shows up."
At a certain price point, American consumers have expectations that must come into the planning. For instance, most people who are expending several thousand dollars for a weekend prefer a private bedroom and plentiful bathrooms. Lodging can be a limiting factor when it comes to the number of participants. Guests also anticipate high-quality food in adequate quantities.
As outdoor photographers, the schedule is predicated by the light. Photographers need to be out and settled into their blinds well in advance of the "golden hours," the hour or so surrounding sunrise and sunset. Shadows are almost non-existent, the light bathes everything in a warm, soft glow and the wildlife are most active. "One of the biggest challenges, especially on a big place, is getting everyone delivered to the blinds on time," Dave said. "Having enough transportation and a plan is crucial."
During the winter months, workshop participants are situated in their blinds scattered across the Hindes Ranch by 6:30 a.m. and they stay until 10:00 a.m. or so. Then it's back to camp for lunch and an afternoon seminar. Everyone is back in the blinds by 3:30 p.m. where they stay until dark.
Upon arriving back at camp in the evening, participants enjoy some light appetizers in anticipation of dinner and hand over their camera cards in anticipation of one of the day's highlights: the slide show. One of the Richards, usually Joe, downloads all the photographers' images taken that day and selects the top five from each participant. Then, the images are compiled into a digital slide show and the storytelling begins.
It's the equivalent of a campfire. In the afterglow of a day in the field, laughter and compliments flow freely. Gratitude abounds. Friendships are forged. And often, deeply personal subjects like faith are explored. "When you attend an outdoor photography workshop, you automatically have something in common," Boyd said. "Everyone has a shared love of wildlife and the natural world—and you just build from there."
For the hosts, the landowners and the participants, these moments of connection are even more precious than a photo of a lifetime. "I've gotten some great photos on these workshops," said Boyd, who has participated in all three of the workshops on the Hindes Ranch. "But the personal connection that I now enjoy with Dave, his family and the rest of the photographers is the best part of the whole affair."
Cuatro concurred. "We've hosted three workshops and three times Dave has put together an outstanding group of people. It makes for a great weekend when you've got good people in camp— and our family keeps being blessed by the lasting relationships."
Dave agreed. "For me, it's about the relationships that have been formed and cultivated. There is a contagious joy that comes from being in God's creation with people who appreciate the experience and the grandeur of the outdoors. Hopefully, that joy inspires people to share it—and take care of it."
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