Spirit of The Hare – Photographing Brown Hares in Hertfordshire By Andy Fisher I have known the Brown hares in my local area for many years. Our paths have crossed, quite literally, many times when I have been walking in the Hertfordshire countryside and they have been going about their business. My interest in them grew as I saw them more often and I found that, by sitting quietly in a good spot, hares would often pass close by. When I began to try my hand at wildlife photography these close encounters gave me my first pictures. It is possible to stalk hares but I have found that the best way to get close to them is to let them get close to you! In this way you are not imposing yourself on the animals and disturbing them unnecessarily. Of course, you need to be patient, and it doesn't always work because the hares decide where thy go, but it often produces good results for me. I have also found that by sitting down and not presenting an upright human shape, it is often possible to take long sequences of pictures, even when very close, without disturbing the animal. The important thing is to ensure that you don't move and you stay downwind of that very sensitive nose! I have photographed wildlife all over the UK and in other parts of the world but I had always had the idea of spending more time with my local hares and trying to photograph their lives but it was 2003 before I really got around to this project and the photographs that you see here are some of the many that I have taken since then. All of my pictures are taken from public footpaths (hares use them as well) within a few miles of my home. Hares are most active at night so evening and early morning are the best times to see them. I take my pictures in the early morning because it is my favourite time of day and because the low early light can provide wonderful conditions for photography but this is a personal preference and I am sure that evenings would work just as well. I don't pretend to be an expert on hares, and my project is photographic rather than scientific, but I have found myself learning more about them and their ways and I enjoy the experience, in spite of all of the very early mornings! To many people hares lack the charisma of some of our other species and are considered to be fairly "ordinary" in comparison with, say, otters, badgers or foxes. Many photographers consider hares to be "too difficult" a subject but Brown hares are great characters and I think they deserve more of our attention. I hope that my pictures have captured the spirit of the fascinating animals in some small way. maxthehare@btinternet.com