Unethical and damaging use of Flash

[Peter Betts]

Sun Oct 16, 2011

It really amazes me when I read in certain forums where 'knowledgable? ? members and mods recommend the use of a flash on animals and we can assume most of these animals will be nocturnals with 20000 and more times more sensitive eyes than humans!! and we all know what its like to take a flash in the face at weddings etc.

Recently on the other forum I saw in the only forum I really watch (Photographic Kit Parade) that a certain Racman was asking a few weeks ago what camera he should get for the bush...He was told a whole lot of really good advice but one really bad or ignorant advice..Get a flash and Better Beamer.

Rather use the Digital lighting setting on your camera to bring out detail in darker shadowed areas and if its during the day use Shadows and Highlights in P Shop

We all go back to the camp for our meal in comfort where Mrs Leopard who was flashed with numerous flashes 30 mins previosly into her ulltra sensitive eyes now has to get rid of the spots bouncing in front of her retina while looking for supper. ..BAD photographic ADVICE. With his new D3S he can stick digital lighting on Auto and jack the ISO up quite safely to 10000 with very LITTLE noise and get great natural shots

Here is a pic of a lion taken about 30 mins after sunset (NO FLASH) as she keenly watched the slowly approaching zebra at the waterhole. Her part in the pride's hunt for supper was not compromised




Racman with the D3S and fast glass you finally bought you certainly dont need to usea flash AND Better Beamer

But worse is the new yuppie craze in 'hard to stay wild' kruger neighbours like Marloth where well heeled owners have now resorted to buying 'night' camera traps and instead of using them like they were intended (Placed along a Game path or waterhole) to see what passed during the night = harmless..BUT these selfish people now rig them up near the stoep and put out Chicken for the genets for the week they are there and then leave...Genets DO NOT NEED TO BE FED...you have a responsibility as a landowner to leave things natural and worse still but a story for another time..the same selfish ignoramuses see fit to feed animals like Nag Apies with Bananas every night too..WHAT FOR..you are ruining nature and creating a baboon problem for the permanent residents living in their neighbouring units...

[Lisbeth]

Incredible!

You would suppose that people living at Marloth love wildlife, but why some want to have a pic of an animal that they have not even seen passes my comprehension. Moreover the animals will end up like the honeybadgers raiding the bins.

I am sure that Marloth must have some kind of special regulations being so close to Kruger?? they ought to prohibit this kind of traps

[serval]

Lisbeth , you perhaps have not experienced the "Mr Average" South African , particularly some of those who take a holiday at a friend / relatives "bushveld farm" - the level of ignorance on matters such as animal baiting / attraction is flabbergasting ... you can witness much the same at the picnic spots in KNP .

They pay scant regard to rules - the average South African has little consideration for animals and do not realise that you blind an animal with a flash / spotlight or that attracting animals with food spells their death ...

[Peter Betts]

There are a couple of 'owners' of units at Marloth who spenda fortune on feeding Genets, Nagapies etc to bait them and as Serval says...ultimately signing their death warrants through starvation when they are not there and feeding them items not from their diet or over feeding. The permanent residents there I believe are upset that the week end warriors come in and ruin their live styles and nature and feed non target animals..In any case the Kudu and zebra are meant to be fed in different places far from residences but nota problem for the weekenders who do as they please and feed AT the stoep everytime.