Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

I sort of agree with Nat as I am not interested in taking captive animals/birds and not interested in looking at photos of such. To me the pleasure of taking a "wild and free" photo is the stalking and stealth required and I value this in other's images. So to sum up, yes a seperate category for captive but otherwise wild animals is desirable.

David

David, you are on my radar. Thats what I have meant and perhaps I have not put this across very well. Like you I like the "stalking" bit.
Most of your pics fall within this category and is something I enjoying viewing.

If this division can be made, I for one will not bother to view captive images, however brilliant they are ,just as much as I don't bother to view any nude images on the people and portraits threads. Doesn't interest me.

[the black fox]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

I also agree with nat ,I tend not to comment on captive birds / animal shots as much as I do on ones that have included a fair degree of skill to capture even if it's from a hide . And having seen one or two of these bird of prey centres and private zoos most leave a lot to be desired IMHO .
I love this forum for its level headed membership ,we get none of the backbiting that occurs elsewhere and if a small addition like this improves it even more that's all to the good

[2Beers]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

The other way you can look at it is that a lot of these so called wild and free shots are being taken at feeding stations and there is no stalking involved.
For some people the only option to see a tiger or other exotic species is to visit a zoo or a wildlife park so I don't mind where the shot is taken though my preference is to take the shot in the natural habitat.

[David Stallard]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

I do find it rather disheartening to see for example an excellent photo of a tiger or leopard taken through the glass in a zoo. To me that is not wild life photography.

There is then the difference between those who "go after wild life" and those who prefer the comfort of zoos for example.

Struggled a little with this post / topic and have re-written it 4 times now.

I personally see no point in splitting up the forums further, majority of posters add in the title if it's a zoo or conservancy etc, and it's really easy to see which. If you try and split the forums further you will get people missing out on some superb photo's / techniques / subjects because "they're not really wild because they are in a zoo etc." sorry but that's poppycock, you walk into the enclosure and tell me that animal isn't wild!!!!

As for your second statement - if I could afford to see an endangered / really rare snow leopard in the wild then I would but unfortunately I live in town in Essex thousands of miles away from them and a day job to try and cover the cost of living, my £80 a year or so means I can spend a day getting close to these beautiful creatures and help towards saving them then it's money and time well spent.

Why not comment on a captive bird of prey - are they easier to get a photo of flying because they have an audience? "really"

Love going out in all weathers taking photo's of our native wildlife BUT it's a bit like the racing I cover - there are lots of different cars / colours / variations but after you have been shooting them for a few years suddenly you realise that they are actually still the same "cars / colours / variations" and all you can hope for is a different background or one going left instead of right.

You know what - I'm going to change my suggestion - YES PLEASE - lets split the sections so we only get comments from those that really mean it and not just because they think they ought to out of politeness, lifes too short

.DAVID.

PS: sorry if it seems a little muddled, I had to re-read it and remove a lot from between the lines [slaps wrist]

[Parsen66]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

When new threads are posted its easy to find them by looking at recent threads, should you want to click and view is really down to you, its not like you have to navigate to a section to find threads

I agree with Ian on this. I use the ' new post' link to see threads that I subcribed to and new threads.. Which section these are in means nothing to me.

Although I'm still relatively new here and not posted that many pictures, I've not struggled to find the right section to put them.

[Dave_S]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

I can see the reasoning behind both sides of the discussion here, and they both have their merits.

From a forum structure point of view, it is very much a case of "you can please most of the people most of the time, but you cannot please all of the people all of the time".

Having been here couple of years now, I can't say that I have ever seen a problem in navigating the Nature section of the 'board', and I'm happy with the 'status quo'.

That said, I am equally happy to go along with the majority, whichever camp they reside in.

I'm pretty sure a lot of static bird or squirrel shots etc (albeit not all), are 'stage managed', even if in the wild. Photographers will put down seed for birds, or nuts for squirrels, to entice them into a spot where they can get a good shot.

Living in the country, with a garden adjoining open countryside, a lot of my bird shots are taken in my garden (sometimes from a pop-up hide).

Why do they come to my garden, in the variety and numbers that they do?, simple , I feed them year round.

Thanks to Stan, I learnt how to 'stage manage' shots, but putting a small branch near to the 'feeding station'. The birds sit there, awaiting their turn at the feeder, and I get a shot that looks completely natural, when it isn't.

So, are my well fed garden birds wild, or semi-tame?

As for Lions and Tigers etc, to me they are beautifully photogenic, and although I have traveled quite extensively, I have never been on an African Safari. So the only chance I get to view and photograph these magnificent creatures, is at a zoo or wildlife park.

As David intimated, these animals are still very much wild!!.

Whether or not these shots are put in separate subsections in the Nature section, is "six of one, and a half dozen of the other", just a long as they get posted.

If Robert is looking for a clear cut opinion, then I will say leave it as it is, as my preference.

Dave

[Stan]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

The nature photography section is split just right as it is and already has more sections that many other forums, one in fact only had 2, either wildlife for anything wild and "animals and nature" for captive, domestic and plants

This IMHO will encourage members ,like me, to go out in the bracing and other weathers to take the photos and post the same in the correct thread

?????? I fail to see why separating wild and captive would encourage anyone to go out in the bracing and other weathers

Stan

[planetc]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

I'd brave a blizzard for the right cake.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

You know what - I'm going to change my suggestion - YES PLEASE - lets split the sections so we only get comments from those that really mean it and not just because they think they ought to out of politeness, lifes too short

.DAVID.

I agree with this comment of David Stallard, so that one can look at the thread/subject that interests you and not make comments out of politeness!!!!!! usually with a

[DaveG001]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

Nat - Thanks for your provocative posts which I follow with great interest as I look out for the great humour of members (in this thread I loved the cake idea) and the sound advice it provokes :-)
If the sub division idea is to promote looking at different perspectives I.e. there is something different to learn I support (I have often strayed into other forum areas outside my personal interest and admired stunning images and / or thought how was that done) but if it is intended to classify and imply one area is better than the other I would not support
Keep the friendly debates going
Cheers
Dave

[Nathaniel]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

Dave, certainly not to imply that one area is better than the other but to promote and look at different perspectives and learn.I am of the honest opinion that this sub-division would make this particular thread much better than what it is now.

[GORDH]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

Nat I would support what you are alluding to as its a good idea to have both elements of wildlife images in seperate sub sections

Gordon

[Treff]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

Her indoors is the wildest thing I know that is not in captivity, especially when she found out how much I spent on new gear for Christmas.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

You should have told her ,Treff ,in advance before she found out ,and then you would not have let loose a "wild animal"!

[the black fox]

Re: Wild life photos- Sub divisions.

Her indoors is the wildest thing I know that is not in captivity, especially when she found out how much I spent on new gear for Christmas.

the nightmare scenario is her selling your stuff for what you told her you paid for it LOL

your also not alone as my missus found my "for my eyes only list" over christmas ,she was not a happy bunny and i have been doing jobs round the house for the last week :-0(