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You look outside. It happens to be a beautiful day. You would love to capture it with your new camera. Where do you start? Do you have the talent that it takes to truly capture the beauty that you see?
Photography is like a story; like storytelling. Yes, you have the talent! You see, whether one is five years old and learning to write, they still have the talent to tell a story, as they work through the process of learning in school. You may graduate in life, but you are still telling those stories. So, don't hesitate, move forward in that photography storytelling.
The Big Impact of Asian Small-Clawed Otters
The Big Impact of Asian Small-Clawed Otters
The Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) is a wily, adorable representative of the otter family. Commonly found in zoos in several regions, spanning several countries, these sleek little animals lead active lives. Even in captivity, they enjoy playing and trying to coerce their keepers into giving them more fish treats.
These otters are easy to love, with their affectionate personalities. They are also very intelligent. It is easy to see why the act of observing these animals is an enjoyable way to spend the day.
Physical Description
Asian small-clawed otters are also known as Oriental small-clawed, Asian short-clawed, and a few other variations of similar names. They are the smallest otters and weigh up to 11 pounds. They are about two to three feet long. Their tails are responsible for about a foot of that length. In most cases, these otters have brown fur with a white or gray lower jaw and neck. While this coloration is common in other otter species, it's particularly pronounced in many of the small-clawed otters. They have tiny, round ears, and a relatively petite snout, both of which contain structures to close off the ears and nose when the otters dive underwater. The Asian small-clawed otter has only partially webbed paws with short claws that aren't always easy to see. Their facial whiskers help them to locate prey in the water. The way that these whiskers accomplish the task is by alerting the otters to movement in the water. The otters' whiskers can feel that water movement. They have short legs and arms covered in ample skin to manage what needs to be done in the water and out of it. Read more...Red Pandas: Rightful Rulers of the Panda Roost
Red Pandas: Rightful Rulers of the Panda Roost
Red pandas (Ailurus fulgens fulgens and Ailurus fulgens refulgens, (previously styani), are relatively small animals, but they are huge in the world of pandas and panda history. These housecat-sized bundles of fur, commonly found at zoos around the world, were first seen in 1825, by zoologist Frédéric Cuvier. This occurred many years before the giant panda was found.
Red pandas are currently considered to be in their own family, as you head further up in the taxonomic scale. The red pandas are considered to be distantly related to raccoons. However, red pandas are so distantly related that they are considered living fossils. If that isn't confusing enough, scientists keep changing the theory of whether there is a connection at all. Basically, if they are not related to another species (i.e. raccoons), they are one in and of themselves, which is why they may be considered living fossils, by definition.
Appearance
Red pandas have long tails that they use to help stabilize themselves. These tales not only help them to keep their balance, but also keep their faces warm when trying to nap in the cold weather. Including these multi-purpose tails, the pandas typically measure about 42 inches long. Their underbelly fur is black and their top fur ranges from red to orange in color. This special coloring allows the pandas to be camouflaged when they are up in the trees. Any predator looking up from below will not see anything but the black fur of the panda's underbelly, especially in the dark. Any tree-borne predators looking down cannot see the pandas either because the red fur matches the color that frequently matches that of common tree moss. Read more...A Place Called Banff
It truly had been a few years. Ok, it had actually been a few decades. I had fond memories of my trips to Banff. It was one of the highlights of my trips, anytime I visited my relatives in Alberta, Canada. And, it was especially fun when all of us cousins got together, to go to Banff!
When I was small, the highlight of the trips to Banff were the hot springs. I mean, I thought that the word, "Banff," and "Hot Springs" were synonymous and was quite surprised to find out that they were not! As soon as we would arrive in Alberta, Canada, we would start planning our trip to Banff and I would start unpacking my swimsuit to pack it in my little day bag ready for the long trip out to the wonderful "swimming pool" in the mountains. Back then, the short trip from Calgary to Banff seemed like a long trip, but, chatting with my cousins made it go by faster.
It was a bit different this trip. First of all, I was able to enjoy it with my husband, Michael, who hadn't had the experiences of going to Banff growing up. And, my dear cousin went along with us and blessed us with a tour of this beautiful place, allowing us to re-discover its elegance and quiet majesty, and to do so in the best of company.
We took the Gondola up the mountain, able to view the Banff experience from the sky. I had thought that I was afraid of heights, but realized that I was so mesmerized by the beauty of the mountains and the vegetation that hanging mid-air was actually a delight.
The Philippines and The Photographer
as told by Michael Anderson
I could taste the dirt in my mouth, the textured grit between my teeth. It seemed that no matter how much I tried to block its entrance, it had a way of taking up residence and making me want to expel it. However, the knowledge that that expulsion would only end up back in my face taught me to simply endure the uncomfortable experience of racing through roads that were not anything like the least maintained roads that I had ever experienced growing up in the country.
I didn't know if the taxi driver received a higher payment by delivering his passengers in a faster amount of time, but that trip from Manila to Tuguegarao helped me to appreciate the speed laws in the Americas, and even appreciate that there is the existence of highway patrol. I closed my eyes and hoped that I would arrive in one piece when we got to Tuguegarao. Obviously we did, or I would not be here describing my visit to the Philippines so many years ago, now.