This staged image, taken in Nevada City, a ghost town high up in the mountains of Montana, is a favourite of mine. I wanted as much of the facade of the bar in the image but I also wanted to be as close to the mountain lion as possible. The best solution was to work with a wide-angle lens about 10 feet from the bar entrance and to hope that we could entice the lion out of the bar and straight towards me.
The set up was great fun and we were blessed with exclusivity and full cooperation from the local Montana Government. The strength of this picture is as much to do with access as it is about photography - without local permits and support, I could not possibly bring a mountain lion into a treasured historical building.
When I look at this picture, I do smile when I think that whilst there is just a lion and a few lit candles in front of the camera, there were at least 15 people behind and to either side of me. It was a far busier set than it looks - good images like this require time and a team effort.
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