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CLICK- ANIMAL CRACKERS IN MY VIEW

Article by Editor Mina Thevenin
Images by Contributing Photographers

February 2015
(Click on any image to view photographs as a slideshow)

If photography is a universal language of communication, then photography of animals- cute and funny animals, is the quintessential ambassador of visual glad tidings! It is animal crackers. Whether it’s our own pet running around the floor acting coy and demanding attention or the wild animal doing it’s normal wild animal thing, who can resist a smile and the warm heart it brings, especially when the photographer, professional or amateur, captures the awe moment just right?!

Photographing animals involves three key elements: determination, perseverance, and patience. Although it may seem easy, the animal photographer knows that seldom is the great animal photo a matter of pure luck!   More often than not, capturing the moment involves a multitude of clicks- hundreds of clicks, actually, many of which land on today’s digital cutting room floor- the trash icon. Obviously all of the discard images leading up to the cute or funny  image are not a waste, especially if it involves a beloved family pet. I know I personally just don’t delete those family pet photo mistakes. Really, I even cringe at calling any photo a mistake, especially one capturing a beloved family member, aka, pet.

So how do we do it? When we Click- Animal Crackers in My View, how are we able to capture the “Awe” within the awesome animal?

The animal photographer’s greatest attribute besides the keen eye, is the embrace of the wait. Being out in the brush or field, bearing the brunt of mother nature’s weather- hot or cold, rain, sleet, snow. How many times has a photographer laid on belly, arms in a crunch, or stood in a thicket of a bramble branch trying to blend in? Eventually, okay- sometimes, and with great celebration, the photographer captures the animal in its most highly anticipated humerus moment- the animal  as cuteness extraordinaire!

Just like the nature photographer, the pet photographer also adheres to the same three key elements: determination, perseverance and patience. Although the weather is less of an issue for the animal/pet photographer, unless outside, the same challenges exist. One still contends with hard kitchen floors upon which to lie and the awkward stance of wide legs around furniture and unkept rooms, challenges within themselves when animals take to hiding and being shy. The patience of photographing a pet who knows it doesn’t matter if they cooperate or not (they get the treats anyway) may even trump the patience of that of the nature photographer in field! Such a study has not been done to date, although either side might argue that their patience is greater.

By the end of the day the photographer who holds the cute and funny animal crackers photo in hand celebrates the image! Why? Because the level of difficulty it took to get the photograph? Yes, of course, but bottom line is we like it. That cute and funny animal photograph puts a genuine smile on our faces. It may even bring a memory of how we persevered to get the image in the first place… a story that in words might not ever get told. And that’s okay. The photographer celebrates the triumph of the photo for its own right. And for the viewer, it quite frankly is the same—the same chemical process in the brain ignites feelings of joy and happiness that neurologically turns on muscles in the face and Voila! We all feel it and we all do it, a smile when we see animal crackers in our view!

 The End

CLICK|ANIMAL CRACKERS IN MY VIEW

Story by Mina Thevenin, Editor  

Contributing photographers to Photography World’s “Animal Crackers in My View”: J. Crivello for Cover, Nina Banks, Linda Covey, Valdas G., Teri Garrison,  Sis Jimbo,   Doris Krimm,  Clive Martens, Luc J. Tonner, Monica Tonnerova,  Madhavan V.,