You'll go nuts over these photos of squirrels doing human things
CBC Radio | Posted: February 8, 2019 10:06 PM | Last Updated: November 25, 2021
Photographer Debbie Vokey sets up dioramas and takes pictures out her kitchen window
Winnipeg photographer Debbie Vokey is sitting at her large kitchen window patiently waiting.
But it's not for the sun to come out or the wind to die down. She's waiting... for a squirrel.
You see, Vokey's passion is taking pictures of squirrels doing everyday human tasks.
Want to see a squirrel carrying a canoe?
Care to watch one load peanuts onto the back of a bike?
Ever wonder what a squirrel would look like playing the drums?
Vokey takes joy in creating intricate dioramas and placing them in her yard. She has boxes upon boxes of tiny set pieces that she has collected over the years, along with backdrops and handmade flooring. Her staging is so detailed that she won't put them outside until they're just right.
And then, she waits. Sometimes for hours or days. Because when your subject is a squirrel, patience is of the utmost importance. But it is definitely worth it.
The big question is... how does Vokey get wild animals to pose so well?
It turns out that a little peanut butter can go a long way.
Originally aired in February, 2019