Sometimes the best shots aren’t planned — they’re stumbled upon. This image came about during a casual bike ride through the woods, camera slung over my shoulder more out of habit than expectation. Then, I spotted it: a red squirrel midway down a tree trunk, frozen in a moment of curiosity. Its ears stood tall, tail arched like a plume, and it looked directly toward the lens. It was a quick shot — barely time to think, let alone prepare — but something about that posture, that alert stillness, demanded to be captured.

The composition practically formed itself. The squirrel’s diagonal descent created a natural leading line along the bark, while the warm morning light bathed its fur without casting harsh shadows. The tail, caught from behind, glowed softly in the backlight — one of those small, serendipitous bonuses you couldn’t plan if you tried.

Photographic Approach

What I wanted was a vibrant, sharp image full of personality — a portrait of wild curiosity. The squirrel’s alert pose gave the photo a narrative, a moment that felt intimate and alive. Capturing fast-moving wildlife always tests your reflexes and camera settings. I saw this as a small challenge: could I nail focus on a twitchy subject in unpredictable light? That was the goal, even if the situation left no room for do-overs.

Despite the slight motion blur from the quick shutter and unsteady hand — remember, I was still catching my breath from biking — Topaz PhotoAI helped bring the subject back to life in post, rescuing enough sharpness to make the shot viable.

Photography Details

• Camera Settings: ISO 400, f/8.0, 1/200 s
• Focal Length: Shot at 300 mm (my 55-300 mm’s longest reach), where sharpness dips slightly at the far end
• Composition: I positioned myself at a low angle, parallel to the trunk, allowing the squirrel to emerge into the frame diagonally from the top left. This not only leads the eye naturally through the image but also accentuates the graceful arc of the tail and the squirrel’s poised form.
  I chose an angle parallel to the tree to create depth, waiting until the squirrel paused mid-movement. Focus was onto the eye using single-point autofocus — essential when every detail counts. The light was especially cooperative: soft, diffused by the forest canopy, and just bright enough to make the fur glow.
• Post-Processing: The edit was subtle but intentional — a balance between enhancing and preserving the natural moment. I started in Camera Raw, warming the white balance slightly to bring out that soft, golden-hour glow. A gentle contrast boost gave the bark and fur more texture, while pulling down the highlights helped recover details in the squirrel’s backlit tail. Since the shot was taken quickly, still catching my breath from biking, there was a bit of motion blur — Topaz PhotoAI stepped in to rescue the fine details, especially in the fur and whiskers.
  Back in Camera Raw, I used a soft mask to brighten the squirrel’s face just a touch, making the eyes more engaging. A radial filter added a subtle vignette, keeping the viewer’s focus where it belonged. Final cleanup and refinements happened in Photoshop, where I removed minor distractions and added light dodging around the eyes and ears for emphasis. The result keeps the moment’s spontaneity intact, while gently guiding the eye through the frame.

Final Thoughts

This photo reminds me that great images aren’t always about having the perfect setup — they’re about noticing. Wildlife photography is 90% observation and patience, and sometimes, just showing up with a camera is enough. I didn’t plan this shot, but I was ready for it. That readiness, paired with a bit of luck, created a moment worth preserving.

Even though the original focus wasn’t perfect, the story it tells — the stillness, the curiosity, the way the morning sun caught every strand of fur — makes it a keeper.

Your Turn

Have you ever photographed wildlife? What’s your biggest challenge — timing, focus, light? Next time you spot an animal, try this: slow down, watch its behavior, and wait for that one moment that tells a story. Focus on the eyes, and let the rest follow.