[Leica] Re: Telephoto Lenses

[drodgers@nextlink.net]

James

>>When I shot some mama Longhorns with new babies, we stayed in the pickup
truck and used a long lens!!  No meaner animal..jh<<

I have a great deal of respect for animals, wild and domestic. I grew up on
a farm. Rode bulls for a time. After one ride at the Junior Nationals in
the Cow Palace in Daily City, CA I got a little too cocky. I turned my back
on the bull for a split second. I recall  flying through the air. Next
thing I knew I was looking up at a paramedic on my way to SF General. No
major injuries. Only a concussion. My Mom saw a photo of me that ran in the
Chronicle. I was upside down and my head was higher than the 8' railing.
That ended my brief rodeo career.

I milked cows one summer. (After which I was more than eager to attend
college). The owner of the dairy was a huge man, 6'7" and 260 lbs. He was
trying to trailer a Holstein bull, but seemed to be safely out of harms
way. In the blink of an eye the bull literally pulverized him. He broke
countless bones. The owner was lucky to be alive. He was hosptialized for 3
months. He still walks with a cane.

Several years after that I was doing a photo assignment for the California
Milk Advisory Board. The AD at J. Walter Thompson wanted one shot that
would have required me to get precariously close to a Holstein bull; not
the most cooperative of subjects. I gave up and told the AD where to stick
it. One more nail in the coffin of my commercial photographic career.

Semi-domestic animals are bad enough. I've seen pictures of people getting
up close and personal photographing wild animals and it makes me cringe. I
accidentally cornered a badger once. Scared me to death. Even little
animals deserve utmost caution. Like many photographic endeavors, knowledge
of the subject is more important than knowledge of the camera. As far as I
know, a camera won't turn on you. Animals are great subjects, though.

Dave