Read how Jan got on photographing big cats from close range for the first time. Did she have time to remember about aperture selection and white balance with a tiger breathing on her?
Do YOU have a story to tell? Why not tell us how you got on the first time you tackled a new subject. Maybe it was your favourite landscape, pictures of the children or just the first time you pressed the shutter and thought "YES! That's what I wanted". Send your idea for an article and some pictures to editor@thinkcamera.com and we'll sort the rest out.
Big Cats... Big Challenge!
I am from a family of cat lovers, 'Kabuki', 'Issy-Wissy' and 'Feardy-Feardy' (yes he was timid) to ridiculously name a few, so when Jonathan Ryan (editor of this site) offered to conduct my training day at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation (WHF) Big Cat Sanctuary I leapt at the chance.
I was a novice and I mean complete novice, having only taken the camera from the box once before we met. I am a happy snapper, the one who takes her trusty little Canon Ixus 500 to every family do and social event. I can get rid of red-eye and crop my results, so to the majority of my friends think that I am a camera and IT wizard!
However I wanted to take some 'proper' pictures, so following success on 'You Say, We Pay' on the Richard and Judy show, I invested some winnings in a D70, a 300mm lens and a number of D70 'it's easy' books. This was July 2005 and I've finally got round to the basic training that I was desperate for. As to be truthful, I was frightened of the camera and about breaking it - I needed one-to-one help and the 'bloke in the Superhero cloak' was Jonathan.
The WHF is fabulous, dedicated people with a passion for the animals and conservation. Being with Jonathan who is well known by the owners was a bonus as we could go where we liked - except for the Leopards - as they can be a bit 'frisky' and can get their paws through the enclosure! Spotters are required for close work with them. However, I hope that you can see from the pictures below that there is great opportunity to get intimate shots of other animals.
Jonathan helped me initially with basics - including the advice on holding the camera correctly, essential for steady shots. I used a Monopod for the first time and used my 300mm lens throughout the day. Aperture, white balance and shutter speed were all explained at the level I required (very basic) and excellent advice on composition - by discussing pictures I had previously sent to him - what a revelation that was!
Being close to the animals was a humbling experience. They are truly noble and it is a privilege to get so close to them in such well kept surroundings. Well done to WHF for their work and allowing photographers such access. You can also visit the WHF Sanctuary as a Virgin experience day.
He promised beforehand that I would take some pictures that I would be proud of …and he was correct. Not a professional yet, but happy to experiment with my camera and work with my 'How To' books at last…and they don't seem like a foreign language any more!
Big Cat Photos
(Click on the link to go to the image in the gallery, mouse over to view them here)
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