For the Photog's here

[DTro]

If you haven't had a chance to read it yet. There is an interesting article in the new Conservation Volunteer about the "early days" of outdoor photography. Some of the techniques they used were quite astonishing. They would go out in the middle of night and set up their monster equipment and use trip cords (alone or with bait) to "catch" the wildlife.

Another thing I found interesting was a blurb they mentioned about digiscopes. From the looks of it, a digital camera attaches to a spotting scope. I would appreciate more info on these if anyone knows about them. Can you attach any digital camera?

I would love to get more involved with outdoor photography, actually a little aprehensive because of the cost of the nicer digital SLR's. A question for the photogs that hunt. Do you get the same satisfaction getting that great shot as literally getting that great shot? I've hunted all my life (mostly deer and grouse) and have grown apart from the people I used to hunt with. So when I do hunt it is alone and seems to be more about the kill and meat then it does the actual hunt. I think the photography would satisfy my love of the outdoors and allow a "catch and release" hunt if you will. (I know, sound the foghorn)

Thoughts

[Steve Foss]

dtro:

I hunt alone almost always, too. Prefer it that way. I have a camera at all times in the woods, so when I'm hunting with a gun the camera's in a backpack when I'm walking — or sitting next to the gun if I'm sitting.

Sometimes it's hard to know which to pick up.

First deer hunting season I was up here, I opted for the gun instead of the camera and bagged an 8-pointer at 40 yards with a 12-gauge slug to the spine (no live pics). Last year, I didn't bag a deer, but with the camera bagged a northern hawk owl that was one of the forerunners of the invasion of NHOs and great gray owls last winter. It flew to the stump of a shattered old birch nearby and hunted alongside me for about half an hour.

On the way back to town that same day, I also bagged a great gray using a telephoto and a flash. It was sitting in a white pine, with the indigo sky peeking through the boughs, and the flash performed with a perfect exposure.

Hunting, after all, is hunting, regardless of your weapon or lack thereof. To be out on the land, to immerse yourself in the landscape, to breathe in and out as it does, seeing, hearing, scenting, touching everything you open yourself to. When you reach that state, it matters little whether you're tripping a shutter or squeezing a trigger. Or merely, with nothing at all in your hands, recording the moment in your mind. Your eye and brain compose the digital camera that's been there since humans began.

As for digiscopes, go to the Outdoor Photographer magazine Web site and search for "digiscopes." They've been mentioned and/or featured in the mag more than once.

Here are images of those two owls, images that were the first of thousands I took of both species over the course of last winter. They're not the best of the lot, merely the first.

[Tom Wilson]

DTRO,

Man I don't know anything about digiscopes--sorry. I've heard of them, and I've seen some very low quality images posted by people who use them, but I don't know how they work, etc... I would be careful though how much money you invest in something like that. If it was truly a useable media, I would have to assume that there would be more people using them. I can't imagine that image quality would be any better than what I've seen. Look hard and learn before you spend good money that could be used to buy yourself some good equipment. Just my opinion.

Tom W

[jonny_redhorse]

Dtro...I was going through Don Simonson's Cook web site(which I check everyday)and happened to come across your name and fish photo...I have relatives in cook so that's the reason...small world for sure...lol!...As for the digi scope thing...I was thinking about it once myself but one is limited by the type of camera one owns in that is the front main lens large or small(the smaller lens cameras are more adaptable).....mine being a fujis5000 hasn't the capabilities to be connected to any type of digiscope....I did some checking and found out it can't be done.....lens opening is just to large without a ton of adapting...sooo..with that in mind......I'm glad I didn't procede any further..a good lens is the way to go........just a personal opinion of course.if you happen to come across the right scope and the right camera combo......probably be ok.but from what Ive seen..to much "vignetting"...(spelled right )...no guarantees how those pics will even come out...if a guy is one of those "experimenting" types....fine I guess...jonny