Photographing animals is no easy task, even when they’re domesticated. Most tend to flee, or at the very least, show little interest in cooperating. When I try to photograph a horse, more often than not it bolts, or starts protesting with gestures and snorts that range from wary to outright hostile. With a few honorable exceptions, most of my attempts to capture horses have ended in complete failure.
With sheep, it’s more or less the same. True, they’re not as hostile, and some will even stare at you with curiosity for a moment, but their patience is limited. If you don’t move quickly, they’ll eventually drift away and the shot will vanish. They’re endearing, but highly unpredictable.
Cows, on the other hand, tend to mind their own business and rarely interact with the photographer. They usually ignore you, or if they feel uneasy about your presence, they quietly shuffle away. They’re not as unpredictable as sheep, but timing is still important, if the composition is right, you have to be quick or risk losing the photo. They’re not aggressive like horses, but they’re not exactly friendly either.
And then, there’s the great exception, my dear friend the donkey, also known as an ass or burro (though they’re anything but foolish). Their behavior is completely different from the others. Not only are they friendly, but they’ll often walk right up to you when called and treat you to their best poses. It’s a real pleasure to see how they watch you and try to interact, even if to them you must seem like some strange character with a contraption hanging from your neck. I’ve always had wonderful experiences with donkeys, and I never tire of photographing them. They’re absolutely adorable.
