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The_Animal

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Posts posted by The_Animal

  1. I don't think I can laugh any harder, really.

    I'm not the one touting myself as acclaimed, am I? And frankly, with regards to your picture of Joe Rosenthal, he was a news photographer and that's fine. He was right there in the line of fire and has a well recommended credential of news photos, but he never...ever proclaimed himself as an acclaimed photographer of another genre when he wasn't.

  2. Animal, you calling him out as a wannabe is plain wrong. Because he hasnt met your standards and paid some mysterious dues, you beat him down? BTW, what dues? Putting out crappy, blurred distance shots for 7-8 years until he could afford a decent camera rig?

    Having the best camera gear doesnt make you a great photog. 9 out of 10 times its pure luck to have been some place to capture that great image.

    My $.02

    I've had to work my way up from scratch too. Does that mean that I didn't bring my A game without the best gear? And no, it isn't wrong to call him out since he's making claims that he can't match of being a "acclaimed nature photographer".

    http://500px.com/photo/743621 <-- 70-300 f/4-5.6 KIT lens.

    http://500px.com/photo/34161990 <-- 50mm f/1.8

    http://500px.com/photo/21357527 <-- 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII (no teleconverter)

    http://500px.com/photo/22919207 <-- 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII (no teleconverter)

    http://500px.com/photo/42114912 <-- 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII (no teleconverter)

    http://500px.com/photo/41414600 <-- 600mm f/4

    All I'm saying is that you don't tout yourself as an acclaimed wildlife photographer. People will laugh. Now, I'm done here. I just got back from shooting and I don't have time to waste dealing with people who want to yap at me about calling him out legitimately. There are things you don't do. Don't impersonate being acclaimed when you're not. It just gets the people who work hard at what they do ****** off.

  3. Your opinion as an amateur of a professional's work by your logic doesn't mean much right? Only his peers who would be other professionals or people who are published would matter, right?

    It's not just my friends' opinions. Ask any nature photographer whose work is any good. He is not a professional nature photographer. And frankly, I could care less about YOUR opinion. As far as I'm concerned, he's just a nature photography wannabe. I'll grant that he is a professional aviation photographer. But I haven't seen him be recognized for his nature work except for Joe Schmo on the street (like YOU).

    #1. You are not a photographer.

    #2. You don't know what it takes to become a professional nature photographer.

    #3. You don't know what acclaim is in terms of a professional nature photographer career.

    #4. Brian Shul doesn't even register on NANPA's radar.

    #5. I may be basing my opinion on an outdated website but he has not seen fit to pursue marketing his nature photography outside of Maryville, CA let alone update his images on his website. I notice that his NEW gallery website focuses on his aviation photography; not on his nature photography.

    #6. I have sold my images (so yes, that makes me a professional, but I don't turn around and call myself acclaimed, nor do I call myself a professional because {a} I haven't been published yet to a major nature magazine; {b} I haven't been recognized (acclaimed) by NANPA.

    #7. You trot out your little rant because I went off on him as he was trying to say that he was "acclaimed" Good for you. You got your two cents, (one cent due to Canadian exchange rate) in. I care about your opinion about as much as I care about what I ate at 2:00 PM last Friday.

    And I love how you trot out the ol' Why don't you join the military? You know what. You guys who like to trot out that old horse are a dime a dozen, OK? Here's the reverse on that ol' chestnut, when you can do what I do on a regular basis which is bring out the emotion in my photographs (Where professionals have acknowledged the fact that my nature photographs have promise) then you can take potshots at me. Otherwise shut your cake-hole, pick up a damned camera and see if you can do better.

    The ones whom I respect in the military and take photographs are the ones who keep their damned mouths shut and let their work speak for themselves instead of letting a misinformed foreign newspaper do their tooting for them. You might even know one and own his book - CJ Heater Heatley.

    Happy now?

  4. He makes money off his stuff and if people like the photos, buy his nature photos, and sing his praise then he's "acclaimed". Never heard of you nor the "famed" nature photographer, Ethan Meleg.

    Acclaim: is recognition by your PEERS. Do you think that NANPA (National Association of Nature Photographers) gives a flying piece of excrement that people off the streets are talking about him in adulation? Peers means his "peers who are in the nature photography business." What he's doing is piggy-backing off the "acclaim he built as a Lead Sled driver" and because people who don't know anything about nature photography buy his photos means jack sh**. What he is...is an amateur who is working towards a secondary career as a wildlife/nature photographer.

    Your approval means just as much as any other joe schmoe. If people like it and buy it then he must be doing something right.

    Sorry to rain on your parade. As someone who has been doing nature photography for quite some time (learning the craft) and expanding on his knowledge, unlike the joe schmo in the street, I do have the ability to make an "educated opinion" unlike YOU...who just has an "opinion". I don't care if my approval or not butters his toast or what. What I do give a **** about is the fact that he purports himself to be acclaimed (by his peers in the nature photography business) which like the subject brought up by the original poster says that he is a "hot-dog" and proclaims that he's something that he is, when he is not. None of the professionals in the business of nature photography like people who jump in and say they're "acclaimed". Unless you've been published by a nature photography magazine. you aren't JACK-S***. Oh, by the way, tell me when he gets published by Outdoor Photographer. Then he can say he's acclaimed. Not before. Until then, he's a wannabe (just like me - the difference is, I'm not saying that I'm acclaimed (I have had pros recognize my work though as good and have received advice and recognition from them but I don't consider that as acclaim - I will recognize it as acclaim when and if I get published); the difference between him & me and Ethan, is that Ethan is a published nature photographer and is recognized by his peers). Understand this: I'm not a pro. I'm an amateur who is aspiring to become a pro. I'm also working my way through paying my dues and I have paid a lot of dues in the process of learning the craft.

    Yes, Brian Shul's stuff is good, admittedly but there is no emotion in there. They're static. They don't say much. It reads "here's a lion, there it is" The only one of his photos that gives me any sort of emotion is that of the two egrets sparring. But the gallery that he has on his website needs updating because the ones that represent his nature work are pathetic. The egret shots, the bald eagle shot, the heron shots. They impress a little (in terms of color and composition - as I said, as far as emotion, they're static)...but the one that he has at his site - aren't worth a second look - https://galleryonepublishing.com/sleddriver/galleryone.html

    The ones that he has on display at the showing (see link - http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/shul-109350-jet-aircraft.html) are worth buying. I especially like the pelican shot despite the fact that it's a "here is a pelican flying, there it is."

    Question marks will be raised about the lion and the tiger if they were shot at the zoo however. You can b**** all you want, Brian, but that's the breaks of nature photography and it's a far cry from aviation photography, because what we photograph is living and breathing and you interact with it on a much deeper level than just "here it is."

  5. To those who know Mr. Shul. Tell him to take a look at this gallery. This is a friend of mine. Famed nature photographer, Ethan Meleg. http://www.ethanmeleg.com/galleries.htm Photography to those who earn their living from it is a profession just like any other. If Mr. Shul can match that type of work in nature photography, then he can call himself "acclaimed". Otherwise SHUT UP AND PAY YOUR DAMNED DUES! Because I don't give a flying ~insert expletive of your choice~ about your career as a SR-71 pilot. If you're going to call yourself an acclaimed nature photographer, then you damned well better put up or shut up! And if you can't, then shut up and stick to your day-job as a retired Lead Sled pilot and a public speaker.

  6. If there's one thing that ****** me off it's people who try to piggy back off their success into a genre that they have no business going into or failing to pay their dues as a result.

    http://www.genesis-publications.com/sojourner-ross-halfin-travels/the-photography.htm

    "It is Halfin's ability to go beyond the surface and capture the essence of a cloud or a mountain that makes his travel images unique."- I've seen better stuff come out of a photography student's portfolio. He piggy-backs off of his rock-star photography persona.

    https://galleryonepublishing.com/sleddriver/galleryone.html - http://www.euronews.com/2012/12/05/hanging-out-with-fighter-pilot-brian-shul/

    " a gallery of his highly acclaimed nature photography" - Show me something other than some oversaturated daffodil and flower with a bee half obscured by pistals and stamen and then I'll say he's acclaimed. But don't go talking about "acclaimed nature photography" until you've paid your F*NG dues. I'm not a F*NG SR-71 pilot so I don't go around telling everybody I am. And YOU...may own a photography studio, but you're no nature photographer until you can show me something other than what you got. I have spent 7 years paying my dues, learning and honing my craft as have other professional photographers. You try to jump the queue, you'll be treated with disdain and utter contempt. I don't give a flipping damn if you're the GOD of powered flight.

    And if there's one thing that neither of them are is "acclaimed travel or nature photographers".

  7. Hi everyone, haven't been here in a while. I've been busy since April shooting weddings, which is my other gig.

    You, sir,...are a brave, brave man. :woot.gif:

    My friend, Ethan Meleg, another nature photog states very clearly in one of his articles on Outdoor Photography Canada (OPC to readers) that he would much rather be tied buck naked to a tree in the Muskokas (in the Canadian Shield) during the height of mosquito season than shoot weddings. I agree with him.

    There is nothing more frightening (not even a rabid grizzly) than a Bridezilla in full "roar" during the most stressful time of her life.

    Here's a few more of my bird shots - with the 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII+TC-20EIII which I used at Serpentine on August 1st, 2013.

    08-01-2013_GreatBlue_GotOne_filtered_wm.jpg

    Goin' fishin'.

    08-01-2013_greatbluestartledtakesflight_wm.jpg

    Startled Great Blue - bad photographer! scaring the blue herons like that - heron uttered a pathetic-sounding "GRRONK" and jumped into the air.

    08-01-2013_LesserYellowlegs_in_flight_wm.jpg

    This is a lesser yellowlegs in flight. These suckers are ~insert expletive of your choice~ fast (The F-22 can't match its maneuverability - put guns and missiles on a Lesser Yellowlegs and that F-22 is toast!).

    08-01-2013_WhiteCrownedSparrow_filtered2_wm.jpg

    The White Crowned Sparrows are fearless. This one sat placidly on a wildflower patch while I plinked away at "continuous high".

    08-01-2013_CanadaGooseinFlight_filtered_wm.jpg

    Canadian honker at full wing-spread.

    Found my N-ikon D300s coupled with the TC-20EIII+70-200mm f/2.8 VRII works way better at AE-L/AF-L matrix metering and zone-AF. AF is lightning fast at that setting.

    AF_control%252BAELAFL-control_rs.jpg

  8. Actually the RCAF is a branch of the Canadian Armed Forces (traditionally known as the CAF and why, for the longest time, a big CAF was painted on the bottom of aircraft wings.). As for MARLANT, it's in Halifax. Nice big state of the art building right down near the dockyard. MARPAC is in Victoria.

    Well...at least they're near water. It's a start. MARCOM (before they changed it back to Royal Canadian Navy), I believe (Vice-Admiral Norman) is based out of Ottawa though (no ships though there...since both fleets are based on the coasts. I guess since the Commander of the Navy is a part of the Defense Staff, it would make sense that he be based in Ottawa.

    Didn't the Air Force go back to being RCAF just recently (2011)? And yes, I know about the whole unification thing... Happened two years and 4 months before I was born Studied that whole thing in Air Cadets trying to get my Corporals wayyy back when. Kinda nice to see them go back to the individual services.

    As for the Confederate Air Force (CAF). Would love to see them bring the B-29 (yeah, considering I'm of Japanese descent, that's probably weird), the B-24 and the B-17 up here to the Abbotsford International Airshow, since the USAF and the USN ain't sending stuff up due to sequester. We see Grumpy ((the Historicflight.org's RCAF B-25 Mitchell) - a favorite of mine) at Abby. and Grumpy is gonna be back again this year...just for those who are going on the 9,10,11 this year. If I see it flying practice runs while I'm at Green Timbers, I'll take a shot of it with the 600mm. Probably will turn out better than the shots I took of it last year from Green Timbers.

  9. Yep, reviving a zombie subject again that has been done several times. I think the other got trashed in the various moves and updates and achiving.

    If I could ever get back to the workbench (which I currently have no room for in this house) to build models. I would be listening to some sublime trumpet playing by Alison Balsom.

    Alessandro Marcello's Oboe Concerto in C minor (transposed for trumpet).

    I'm a classical (baroque) music geek.

    So what would YOU listen to?...and/or WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY LISTENING TO...thread while you're sitting at the model-bench inhaling glue fumes while working on the latest offering by Hasegawa or whatever.

  10. And as far as I'm concerned, Political Correctness can do anatomically impossible things one does not discuss in polite company with itself and its entire extended family. :P/>/>

    And telling someone to blow it out their left ear and do biologically impossible things with a hockey stick inserted in a bodily cavity that doesn't normally take such things...is bound to get someone banned from the forum...unfortunately. Because as of late my tolerance level for idiocy has reached an all-time low. ~sigh~ Must be because I'm getting to the age where most idiots can go do biologically impossible things with things ordinarily not inserted in bodily crevices. :evil-laughter: I have no time for such "idiots".

  11. For a moment I thought you meant the Canadian Air Force, but I guess you mean the Confederate Air Force? That would be cool to have in your hometown.

    Wouldn't the Canadian Air Force have an R for Royal at the beginning of it? :evil-laughter: But hey, it would be in keeping. Considering they have their Naval headquarters practically landlocked in Ottawa...how many inflatable Zodiacs can we send down the Ottawa River...if we can manage to get past the Ottawa Dam.

  12. 9401022901_06d647aafb_o.jpg

    Staring Down The Barrel by falconrosephotography, on Flickr

    This is what the bird sees when you point a 600mm f/4 at 'em.

    And this is the kind of reaction you get out of them.

    07-25-2013_SFW_barn_swallow_isnotamused_wm.jpg

    Frankly, this barn swallow wasn't sure whether to attack me or attack the lens. And you ain't seen "aggressive" until you've seen a barn swallow swooping down on someone who gets too close to their nest. They may be small, but pound for pound, they're an avian MMA fighter; meaner than heck and willing to take on all comers.

  13. Calum, great job on this Cat. Been watching the build intently. It may even give me some cojones to start working on the Hasegawa 1/48 Cat in my collection. Hase's have been renowned for their finickiness and fit from what I hear...and I'm not looking forward to the beavertail aft.

  14. Hello :wave:/>/>/>

    From my own experience, buying from the US just isn't as affordable as it used to be. After the USPS price hike this past January (i.e. >50% across the board for international shipping options), I have limited purchasing items from US sellers, especially spruebrothers and private sellers. However, sometimes the cost of x item(s) is still cheaper to purchase from the US even after factoring in for the shipping costs. Nonetheless, I've heard even with the USPS postal hike on international shipping, it is still cheaper then shipping costs from other countries.

    We're lucky. Rivet...North American shipping isn't as bad yet as International shipping. But don't worry, it'll get there. I'm sure. Give or take a couple of years. :whistle:

  15. Come on, switch to Canon.....you know you want to. Sell that re-branded Sony and get a real camera.....LOL

    1) I don't want to spend half the day with my head in a menu system.

    2) I get easily confused...so N-ikon works wonders. I just point it and shoot. :)

    07-25-2013_Nikon_Eagle.jpg

    Cheers. :evil-laughter:

  16. With international (and I don't mean North American) shipping as high as it is, if you don't figure the buyer paying the costs of the shipping, you pretty much come out on the short end of the stick, especially if you price the kit at $49.00 for a Hasegawa 1/48. With international, the buyer needs to be expected to eat some of the shipping cost. If I buy a kit from a seller in Denmark. Should that seller be expected to pay for the entirety of the cost of shipping? No. If I do find a deal in another country, I'll forward the cost of shipping...as soon as he tells me how much it is.

  17. I have come to the realization that the only time the cockpit will be seen is when someone is up close and personal. That would be for a contest and if I bring the model to my local IPMS meeting. My favorite part of the build is also painting and decaling, so doing all the fiddly cockpit work just slows me down. The answer to all that is Eduard colored PE. It makes life so much simpler! I'd really love it if someone came out with some nice sets of cockpit decals that matched the specific kit. It would be just like the colored PE, but you would retain the 3D aspect. Until then, though, the colored PE is the way to go.

    Darren, maybe they'll come up with that when they come up with personal 3D printers. :)

  18. I've done some major clearing out. My dad was a pack-rat who always found an excuse that he'd be able to use whatever he brought home. Unfortunately, he never did and after his passing, most of it ended up worthless on the junk pile. Some of it was sold back to the stained glass stores. On the other hand, there's me with my model kits that I haven't built and considering my eyesight (near sight acuity is eroding - age) I doubt I'll get to doing the smaller kits that I have in my collection (it's bad when you call 1/48 small). At least I have my vision for photography and have spent almost $15,000 in lenses and camera equipment but that "makes money" as opposed to my kits. I would certainly like to build the teen fighters, Super Hornets, an F-4J, Su-27, MiG 29K and a MiG 23 in 1/32 scale but that would cost over $1,000.00 and considering I still have a 300mm f/2.8 lens necessary, a 14-24mm f/2.8 and a 105mm f/2.8 Macro lens to get as well as a few more camera equipment pieces for the business. I don't think that switch to 1/32 scale is going to happen very quickly.

  19. I hear ya..my eyesight has always been awful. I had abliopia (lazy eye) as a child and by the time I got glasses at age five I was irreparably farisghted. I had to go to bifocals nine years ago when I turned 40..I hate them, and even though I need to update my precription I've been putting it off because I'm sure the optometrist will went to put me in trifocals. As it is, I can't do any modeling at all without an Optivisor..but I'm stubbornly sticking with 1/72 scale. I've got too many unfinished projects, as well as a stash of some 600 kits and Lord knows how many decals.

    SN

    Considering my start to finish ratio... 0% in the past 6 years, I need some sort of kick in the gluteous maximus to get me to start working on something. Detail work frustrates the living daylights out of me to no end, but the OCD part of me figures that it doesn't do anything for a model if you put in a half-baked, half finished cockpit into a model that you do well...on the outside. So I want to do well on the cockpits too...and the smaller the pieces the more problem with seeing and the more frustrated I get. I guess that's probably why in the past 2 years I haven't wanted to work on anything because of the vision problems. And at one point in my lifetime, I had 20/20 in one eye and 20/10 in the other.

    The young guys need to appreciate their visual acuity while they still have it. <_< ...because all too soon...

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