Porcupine, Alaska – Image 2589

The porcupine climbed an alder tree in my backyard, and I climbed the tree across from him with my 500mm f/4 in tow. I wanted to photograph the critter eye to eye. He was perched on a very wobbly branch. When I hit a burst on my motor drive, the unusual sound caught the animal off guard, and he almost fell off his branch. The photo captured his surprised, wide-eyed look as he was trying to hold on. This image illustrates the month of April in my 2009 Juneau Alaska Calendar which has been published for 20 consecutive years.Nikon F5, Lens: 500mm f/4 Nikkor, Fuji Velvia slide film-Mark Kelley