An exquisite profile, if there ever was one…
There’s a reason people can make a career out of being lighting experts. If you’re in any 
kind of film industry, whether it’s Hollywood, TV, or even a still photographer… the light projected onto your subject is so important to bring out the right ambiance, mood and of course, look of whatever you’re shooting. Too much light can sometimes accentuate flaws that can be concealed better in low light or shadows…. though as the photos I’m about to show you prove, that’s not always the case.
Take a good look at the squirrel in the picture up there. He looks like a fine, upstanding sciurine specimen… hale and hearty and looking up a tree maybe for some of those delicious green walnut balls. Looking good in the sunlight, right?
Now here’s the same squirrel moved slightly back into the shadows….
ACK!!!!! The serial ear notcher strikes again!!!!!!!
That’s a pretty big chunk the Wilson Park Squirrel Ear Mutilator took out of this poor guy’s ear! And you can hardly notice it at all in the sunny photo, while it sticks out like a sore thumb in the shadows! This week’s Saturday Squirrel definitely needs to stay in the light…
Have a great weekend everyone!
Evil Squirrel's Nest 
The Gloria Swanson of squirrels. Ready for their close up…
😉
I come across a lot of squirrels who are ready for their close up…… yet when I try to get close up…… ZOOM!
Another effect with/without the light is his coat looks smooth and grey in the shadowy version and a little bit rough and scruffy in the sun – and he’s grinning.
Pam
Yeah, it almost looks like two different squirrels! I even checked the scenery to make sure those shots were actually taken in the same place. But you can just make out his ear gash in the sunny photo…
Thank heavens we’re coming into the golden light season in about a month. There is something just extra special about light in autumn. Have a great weekend and stay away and safe from that ear notcher! Yikes!! Who knew there was so much violence in the ‘sciurinean’ world. 🐿
If I lose part of my ear at the park, I’ll sue and own the park so I can get all the pictures I want…
Good luck suing the park service. ☘️
Have a great weekend yourself, Bill! The photos? AWESOME, but I expected nothing less.
Awwww, what a cutie! How sad that he was a victim of the Ear Notcher, although he still looks pretty happy. The ear notcher and tail shredder around here must have either died or moved away because all the squirrels are staying healthy and whole. Now I can’t tell them apart and don’t have names for them.
Any neighbors move out or die recently? That’s kind of weird. But now you’re squirrels are just like mine… they all look alike unless they have a fox or raccoon tail.
My theory was always that other squirrels were notching ears and skinning tails. But we have had a lot of neighbors move away in the past couple of years, all to be replaced with families with screaming kids. So, now that you’ve made me think about that, my new theory is that the older, grumpier, more violent squirrels got annoyed by all the screaming and moved away. Because that’s exactly what I want to do. I envy the squirrels! It’s so easy for them to pick up and move to a new nest.
Whatever the lighting, he’s adorable!
He looks good, and he knows it too!
You do get better detail in shade than full sunlight, though. You can always brighten a photo that’s too dark, but you can’t always darken a shot that is too bright. I like the squirrel in sunlight and in shadow. Is his name Danny Boy?
Given the state of his ear, it may be Vincent…
Wow! That is quite a chunk! Have a good weekend. 🙂
A Van Gogh sized portion. Our park cutter is a meanie…
My pictures never come out the way I wanted.
Is he getting my good side? Is he? No, wait, the ear! Darn!
He picked a bad day to forgot to put in his prosthetic…
Good One.