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Hints and Tips on Big Cat Photography Part One

Introduction

The purpose of this guide is to give you some top tips for getting great pictures. Big cats have a personality all of their own and each breed is quite different. This will affect how you photograph each species of cat. For instance some are quick and move rapidly, others will sit and take a more leisurely approach. This article is set out into sections so you can dip into the bits most relevant to you.

So what do we mean by Big Cats, lets begin with the rarest cats in the world, The Russian Amur Leopard, around 150 in captivity and only 30 in the wild, then we have the Snow Leopard, now only found in the inaccessible mountains in Pakistan. On the Tiger front you have the Sumatran Tiger, then the Amur Tiger as it now know but better known as the Siberian Tiger. Then there are Lynx, Lion, Cheetah, Serval and Puma also known as the Mountain Lion or Cougar – they are all the same cat.

First of all don’t be confused into thinking that you need a top of the range film or digital SLR camera and lenses to get great pictures. You don’t. Both compact and the intermediate bridge cameras are more than adequate of capturing great images. Many photographers that have come on Big Cat Photo Experience Day have started with a compact camera and found that they can get great images. They have returned and some have even found that they got so much more from photography than they ever thought they could. Others just come and enjoy the close contact with such magical animals.

This guide is based upon many years as a professional photographer capturing some of the rarest cats on the planet, all kept within a private collection for breeding purposes with the aim that they are returned to the wild, so long as the human race hasn’t ruined the original habitat. For the Sumatran Tiger, that I fear is a rare hope, but with new cubs born late 2008 there is a glimmer of hope.

Compacts and Bridge Cameras

The real benefit of these cameras is their size. Being small and compact they fit through the wire of the cage so that’s one less thing to worry about. All you do need to do is watch what the cats are doing so they don’t take your camera off you! And trust me if they get hold of it they will win – no negotiation!

Captive animals are quite nosey so you will find they get too close. Key settings would be either close up / macro or a sports mode if you are using pre-set shooting modes. More advanced cameras have Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Full Manual. If you are more comfortable with these settings then please read the sections underFilm and Digital SLRs as the same rules apply.

One main problem of these cameras is what is called “shutter lag”. This is the time the camera takes to fire the shutter and capture the image after you press the shutter button. On static subjects this won’t be so much of a problem, but on fast moving or erratic moving subjects this is where this will be noticed. You aim at the head and the camera takes a picture of the tail!

ISO – Film Speed or Sensor Sensitivity

The speed of your film or sensor sensitivity as it’s really called on a DSLR will affect the camera settings in a given light. A typical sunny day will let you shoot on ISO 100 or 200, being the base setting of your camera depending upon the make of camera or film you’re using. With a DSLR you have the ability to change your ISO or sensor sensitivity as the light changes, so you can go up and down from 100 to 200 or 400 (or more) as the light changes. With film you are fixed per roll. OK you can “bump it” up or down but only if your film processor knows what they are doing, automated developing just won’t hack it and will leave you with a messed up roll of film. As a commercial photographer I shoot digital and enjoy it – when all the technology works of course!

Using an additional body is an option if you can afford it as it gives you another lens to shoot from or another roll of film different from the first body. Lenses or course are interchangeable.

With speed or sensitivity comes a compromise – noise . The higher the ISO the more noise or grain there will be. But, and a big but, under exposure will create more noise than high ISO – so make sure the shot is exposed correctly. Being a commercial photographer amongst other things, I shoot using Nikon cameras and with these I have to shoot slightly over exposed to get the shot right – Nikon metering seems to be slightly on the safe side in my experience.

White Balance

This is not an easy function to explain but it comes down to the colour of light. What I hear you say, but all light looks the same to me, yes it will, the human eye and brain is very clever, it shows you a white subject as white in any light so you can’t actually see what your camera sees.

Until that is you take a picture indoors, ever had a picture on a digital or film camera come out orange? Light is measured as a temperature similar to that of heating a metal rod in a flame. The colour moves from orange to white and finally blue. Now this isn’t measured in degrees C or F but in the wider scientific range called Kelvin. Digital cameras use this Kelvin number to determine the colour of light.

For example Orange is at the warmer end or 3400K the same as a household bulb with a tungsten filament, also known as incandescent- day light and studio flash is around 5200K to 5600K and fluorescent light is a real nightmare depending upon the type of tube and colour temperatures vary from 2700K up to 7200K – so pretty much the whole spectrum.
Tip – on a flat grey day use the pre set white balance of Flash – it gives a slightly warmer shot.

Tip – don’t use Auto white balance for two reasons. While it might be fairly accurate light is not a fixed entity it changes all the time and so too will your cameras setting for White Balance when on Auto. Secondly if you then go on and edit your images you have the potential for having to manually correct each image if you’re not happy with the setting. And on a Big Cat Day guests regularly shoot 400 to 600 images – now that’s a lot of time chained to your computer.

Tip – pick a pre-set value, even if its not correct , some cameras allow fine tuning warmer or cooler. If then you want to edit the images at least you can batch process all the images in one go as the White Balance value will be the same – so too will be the adjustment. Just shoot RAW, then you can correct it, Jpeg gives you less control.

Tip – try taking a custom white balance measurement if your camera has this function.

Tip – remember a Snow leopard is Grey and White – it should not be cream.

Film and Digital SLRs

Camera bodies vary in design and my view is that megapixels aren’t the be all and end all of good images. As an example a 6 mega pixel camera will get a great image, in fact many news photographers still use a high quality, robust 4 mega pixel digital camera body. Why, because other functions are more important .

Whereas the norm for many manufacturers is now, at the time of writing this Big Cats guide, is to offer 10 – 12 mega pixel camera bodies, other key features come into play.

Autofocus – General

AF-S , AF-C or Manual, Single point, Multipoint Dynamic or Closest Subject? AF-S will give you a setting that shoots only when the cat is in focus. AF-C gives you a continuous mode where by the AF systems tracks the subject adjusting focus all the time you have the shutter release pressed part way down and the focus point on the moving subject. This is good for fast / moving subjects, the shutter will however fire even if the shot is not in focus. 3D tracking found on Nikon cameras is good for some subjects as it tries to work out where the subject will be if it leaves the focus area or frame – try it and see how you get on, you may find you come back to a dynamic – movable – focus point chosen by the photographer – you!

Manual focus gives you more control but chasing a moving subject is difficult and takes time to practice.

Metering

Spot, centre weighted or matrix or average? The main problem with Matrix is that it takes an average setting across the whole frame so you can end up with a dark image especially if you catch some sky in the frame. This being brighter, normally, makes the camera close down the settings, leading to an under exposed subject.

For improved results with cats I find centre weighted works best as the camera metres from the centre of the frame and this is normally where the subject matter will be.

Spot metering would be best used for a close head shot where the cat is stationary being sat or lying down, as you’d find with the Lions in the afternoon after they are fed.

Part two continues with more settings and equipment discussions as well as common mistakes.

Advancement And Downward Slope In The Usage Of Pink Nursery Bedding Sets In Nurseries

Although pink is the typical color for a girl’s bedroom, this has not been typical practice over the course of history. This can be found in a lovely ecru background covered with a delicate pattern in soft shades of pink or blue.

Companies making linens rapidly adapted to this trend and started selling every imaginable variety of Pink crib sets. Pink linens are made with all different sorts of fabrics for use in many different climates and varying seasons as well. If your tastes run to unusual pairings of colors, or you want your decors to stand out as special, you will find a number of unique coordinates that will be sure to delight and inspire you.

One hot new fashion trend is the color pink, which is available in many different hues, making it a great choice for parents buying girls nursery bedding. After installing pink wallpaper, some parents even like to use pink fabric accessories like throw pillows or crib skirts, combining them with different monochromatic bedding that is the same color as the design’s graphics.

It should be made with the regular dimensions, with little puffiness and no hint of any dangerous or harmful chemicals. If you’re interested in pink linens, choosing will be no easy task as you sort through the nearly endless motifs and designs that are now available online.

A crib bedding set will not only save parents money but will also save them the hassle of trying to match every single item for the nursery. Crib sets can be as costly as other items for babies, but great deals are to be had with a little bit of time spent comparison shopping.

The result will be a classic space with a posh feel that will convince visitors that you spend more money that you actually did! Thus, your little queen will rule over a quiet and beautiful kingdom that she deserves.

KitchenAid KHM9PWH 9 Speed Professional Hand Mixer, White is a necessary kitchen tool!

The KitchenAid KHM9PWH 9 Speed Professional Hand Mixer, White features 9 Precise Speeds / Soft-Start for better control / Pro Whisk Attachment / Easy Clean / Ergonomic / 120 Volt Powered AC Ergonomically built for seemingly effortless use Quiet but powerful motor Handy and compact storage.

Professional chefs have long sung the praises of the KitchenAid stand mixer. Now, KitchenAid has designed a product specifically for the home baker with this nine-speed hand mixer. KHM9PWH’s digital display shows the selected speed, providing precision control, while an electronic sensor works with the powerful yet lightweight motor to maintain that speed in any mixture, heavy to light.

Designed with nonclogging air vents, the mixer is easy to clean because smooth, sleek surfaces have no seams or grooves that trap ingredients. The mixer comes with traditional beaters, a pro whisk attachment for fluffier mixes, and a one-year warranty.

The KitchenAid KHM9PWH 9 Speed Professional Hand Mixer, White is made for the serious cook. With a total of 9 digitally-controlled speeds ranging from extra slow to extra fast, this lightweight mixer also has a “Slow Start” feature that gets rid of splatter.

The KitchenAid KHM9PWH has 9 Precise Speeds, Soft-Start for better control, Pro Whisk Attachment, Easy Clean, Ergonomic, 120 Volt Powered AC Ergonomically designed for seemingly effortless use, Quiet but powerful motor, Handy and compact storage.

The Pro Whisk attachment is for delicate egg whites and creams, and the professional TurboBeaters are for extra mixing power. Covered control panel makes clean up easy — no buttons to wipe around or for food to get caught between. It’s power at your fingertips.

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Buy DVD Players That Will Protect Your Collection for Ages

DVD players to amaze your friends! This is sometimes how you go about purchasing your player. But don’t you want quality playback? The most inexpensive DVD players are sometimes the best, even though the big name brands advertise more thus their names are more familiar. But that is only the company putting the name in front of you. That doesn’t mean that they are necessarily better than the brands you haven’t heard of before. The most important thing is the quality of the music or the sound from the film or video.

When looking for a DVD music, there are a wide choice of places to look, both online and off. But when you are enlarging your collection, you want a company you can trust and who makes buying easy and fast. Purchase some music or a movie from an online store and note the response time. If they ship fast and are responsive to your needs, stick with them! They want to keep your business, and they will usually go the extra mile to fulfill your needs. Online stores who offer DVDs as well as equipment and accessories are often the best bets to take good care of you.    

Shopping for DVD Player needs doesn’t have to be a hassle. In fact, the easier it is, the better. Then you can build your collection rapidly. Perhaps you love jazz and are completing a huge collection you are proud of. Or maybe you are putting together a full set of every 60s hit you can find. If you are the movie buff, you might be putting together a sampling of all the movies of George Clooney, or all the pictures directed by your favorite director. You can collect them by genre, such as anime, adventure or comedy, or you can collect them by decade.

No matter what your favorite DVDs are, music, movies or video, you must get that collection complete and play it on some high quality equipment. So Cheap DVD players to amaze your friends and family? Maybe. But it’s better if you carefully choose a player that will amaze YOU! You need something that will give high-quality performance, and from a provider that also gives great customer service. Then you can enjoy your music or movie collection with no distractions.

Motorhome Hire Scotland – Choose your own Route

It’s popular for travellers to have a need to explore and see the world that would be missed by travelling by plane or train. Some travellers enjoy visiting all the different villages and point of interests on route to their destination.

Motorhomes provide travellers a solution that lets them explore and relax. Going on holiday with a motorhome lets you travel to as many or as few places as you want and allows you to pick the route to your next destination.

Travelling is exiting and relaxing

Motorhome holidays allow you to pick your own route often with several different destinations throughout Scotland, Wales and England. Motorhome holidays aren’t limited to only UK based holidays and you can go abroad and visit places like Spain, Germany and Italy.

Motorhome Hire Scotland is a Cost Effective Way to Travel and explore Scotland
When you pick a motorhome hire and go-on-holiday you remove the costs of staying in hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts. Eating out is expensive and a daily cost when on a non-motorhome based holiday which can be removed as food can be prepared within your motorhome.

It’s not just a cheap holiday its better a holiday

Although a motorhome hire Scotland is cheaper than most other types of holidays its actually better and not regarded as a cheap holiday. You will save money, enjoy your nights at the various facilities around Scotland, UK or Europe and spend your holiday time where you want in the way you want.

Make your next holiday a motorhome hire holiday and enjoy complete freedom and exploration of the world that we live in!