“Leap of Faith”
Park City, Utah

Leap of Faith: The Story

"Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity." This quote, attributed to Roman philosopher Seneca. 

For several weeks I spent my evenings watching a beautiful red fox hunting in a field along "Old Ranch Road" in Park City, Utah. I hoped to photograph her, but the sly fox always took care to keep a safe distance away from humans beyond camera range. Given her intense hunting habits, I believed she was probably feeding a den of hungry pups. Whenever I stopped my truck, she bolted, despite being hundreds of yards away. Even If I could get within camera range, a compelling and unusual composition capturing the "decisive moment" at the "peak of action" and under "beautiful light" might be a once-in-a-lifetime event. This evening was extraordinary as the setting sun provided warm light during the “golden hour” of sunset, and a "rim-lighting" on her fur. The busy fox suddenly leaped high into the air and dove headfirst into the ground! Her head was working feverishly in the alfalfa, and when she came up, she had two "Pot Guts" in her mouth! I anticipated that she might cross the McLeod creek near my position on her way back to her den. I quickly waded into the river, icy cold and knee-deep with spring runoff. A latticework of vines against a barbed-wire fence concealed my presence on the far bank. At full speed, she raced towards me, seemingly unaware of my pretense as I quickly programmed my camera with a fast shutter speed. When I looked up, the fox was diving under the barbed wire fence only 50 yards away, and in a "Leap of Faith," she exploded off the riverbank. The shutter dropped at precisely the right instant, and I captured the fox fully outstretched with water droplets glistening in the evening sun.