Mammals

Mammals are comparatively easy and attractive subjects, provided you can get close enough. They are often quite large and slow moving, generally have patterned fur that helps with focus and looks good, and they have expression in their eyes.

Every one takes pictures of their pets and many of these come out well. How many million cat shots are there on the net? Many! Pet cats are the about the easiest subject of all. They hold still and let you get as close as you like and take as many shots as you want. Still, just because everyone else does it doesn't mean you shouldn't do it also. And so I have. And I'm glad I did.

Wild mammals on the other hand are a greater challenge. Like all wild animals they won't let you close, and so a long telephoto is essential. They are also very shy and so you will probably need to stalk them until you get within range.

THUMBNAIL (click to view 1200px image)	PARAMETERS	COMMENTS
	Canon A610 29mm (140mm) f/4.1 1/400 sec ISO Auto P Mode	"Peace In The Evening" (Portland, 2006) An overcast afternoon, moving towards twilight, the light was too weak to expect a good shot but I saw these two horses and pressed the shutter. The dim light actually enhances the mood! It all goes to prove, you can turn adversity into advantage.
	Canon A610 17mm (83mm) f/4 1/200 sec ISO Auto P Mode	"Friesian Girl" (Portland, 2006) Cattle are used to humans feeding them and will often come over to you when you approach their fence. Nearly always they will turn and look at you, and this cow is no exception. I love the rich green of the grass in this shot and especially the way it contrasts with the black and white of the Friesian cow.
	Canon A610 13mm (60mm) f/3.5 1/60 sec ISO Auto P Mode Flash	"Ruby" (Melbourne, 2006) My brother's dog Ruby is rather photogenic but it is difficult to get a dog to pose for you as they are generally on the move, especially if you show any interest in them. Eventually the opportunity came when she was sitting on the couch and I took the shot. I used flash, as I normally do indoors, and of course her eyes lit up bright orange. I photoshopped them back to black and then added a couple of highlights. I find the effect quite natural, although I may have got the placement slightly wrong. Her golden fur shines brightly in the flash light.
	Canon 400D Canon 50 f1.8 50mm (80mm) f/5.6 1/1000 sec ISO 200 A Mode	"Toby" (Portland, 2008) This was close to the best shot I got with the 400D. Perhaps it was the bright sunlight aiding Canon's second rate autofocus unit, but it snapped into accurate focus and let the "nifty-fifty" shine. If you zoom right in on the full image you can really see the cat's expression.
	Canon 400D Tamron 70-300 300mm (480mm) f/5.6 1/350 sec ISO 400 A Mode	"Put Put" (Portland, 2008) Another pet cat shot. This one a more candid shot at full telephoto as it stalked around the garden. If you use full zoom, the difference in clarity between this shot and the previous is great. You would expect a prime to outperform a zoom lens anyway, but on top of that the 70-300 wide open and fully extended was not in its sweet spot. Still, it's a nice image.
	Canon 400D Tamron 70-300 300mm (480mm) f/8 1/250 sec ISO 400 A Mode	"Echidna" (Portland, 2008) Again the SIR unit in the 400D proved how unpredictable it could be. Here it managed to focus on the subject even though there were grass stems in the way. Most other times it would front or back focus even when there was nothing in the way. There must have been something in the contrast pattern on the echidna that it liked. Anyway, it worked perfectly on this occasion!
	Nikon D60 Nikon 18-55 VR 55mm (83mm) f/8 1/200 sec ISO 100 A Mode	"Seal at the Cleaning Table" (Portland, 2008) There is a fish cleaning table at Portland's launching ramp, and over the years certain seals have learned that it can be an easy location for a feed. Since people feed them they will let you get very close indeed. I walked around on the rocks until I had the sun at right angles, adjusted the framing and took the shot. Easy! And look at the detail. This little kit lens really IS as good as a prime at f/8. Superb!
	Nikon D60 Tamron 17-50 f2.8 50mm (75mm) f/8 1/60 sec ISO 400 A Mode Flash	"Darcy" (Melbourne, 2008) My sister's dog is also rather photogenic and I managed to snap this shot of him as his attention was distracted. I usually employ the flash inside, even in daytime, because I love the extra colour, contrast and sharpness it gives. This shot demonstrates this admirably. I tend to use a moderate ISO also, in order to increase the reach of the flash. A wider flash looks more natural.
	Nikon D60 Nikon 18-55 VR 55mm (83mm) f/8 1/500 sec ISO 200 A Mode	"Cow on the Hill" (Portland, 2009) Another cow shot. Friesians are more photogenic because of the contrast of their black and white, against each other and also against their surroundings. I was cycling along the road when I saw the shot, so I climbed off the bike, approached the fence and took several shots from different locations. At home I simply picked out the best.