UC Extension Agricultural Project: Flying Mule Ranch

The most exciting location during my various assignments for the UC Davis Agricultural Extension in Auburn, Ca was Dan Macon's Flying Mule Ranch. I was asked to photograph sheep on Dan's ranch. I was fortunate to arrive on a day when Dan was moving his flock from one grazing site to another. While the sheep are beautiful the stars of the day were Dan's two herding dogs. Dan opened the fencing from the first grazing area and the two dogs took over. I can't tell you how fun it was to plop myself on the ground as a hundred sheep rushed past on all sides! Thanks to a stray sheep here and there I was able to keep rushing ahead and have the flock come towards me again. The quarter mile trek was short but exhilarating. The most challenging part was capturing the two dogs in action. Thanks to the bright daylight I was able to shoot at fast shutter speeds and freeze the animals movement. here are some of my favorites!( Check out the dogs in their well deserved swimming hole at the end!)