I'm Naldo and new to the group
Apr 10, 2018 22:57:24 #
I used to be a lion & tiger trainer (about 38 yrs ago), and I wanted to take some shots myself from inside the arena. . . so I bought a very used Nikon F from a newspaper reporter while doing a show in Chicago. He worked for the Chicago Sun Times and wanted an exclusive shoot with me and the big cats. Of course I would have given him the shoot anyway, but it was a good opportunity to ask for direction on getting a camera. He sold me one of his backup bodies, a 1970 Nikon F with a bad meter on top, a 50mm Nikkor, and a little handheld light meter dangling from the camera strap-loop, all for $100. He gave me a few basic pointers on how to operate the camera and the little dangling meter, showed me how to load the film, and away I went! That camera served me well for years and years, although I never took the time to learn photography beyond what I figured out for myself with that rig. Here's a random shot from inside the arena at one of the next towns I worked (Flint, Michigan).
Apr 10, 2018 23:23:36 #
I still have that old Nikon F, but haven't fiddled with it in at least 20 years. In 2004, I bought a Nikon D70 w/18-70mm kit lens. . . full price (ouch!), $1,487.28 with 512k memory card, and tax. Sadly (or not) I always just kept it on AUTO because it seemed SO complicated to me. Still never really learned photography. Spent several hours on multiple occasions trying to read the manual, but just couldn't absorb a thing! Here's the big cat I shot with the D70 rig:
Apr 10, 2018 23:33:47 #
So now I have finally made up my mind to learn photography. Don't get me wrong, I am not 100% clueless. . . I've read all three Ansel Adams books, lately I've tried taking the D70 off AUTO (yay for me!), and I do understand f-stops, ISO, shutter-speed, depth-of-field, angle-of-view, etc. . . at least in theory anyways. But the camera controls still overwhelm me a little, and the Nikon user manuals just boggle my mind (and I'm not an unintelligent person either).
Apr 10, 2018 23:53:51 #
You may think I'm getting in over my head, but I just bought (3 weeks ago) a BEAUTIFUL used Nikon D3s. It was manufactured in 2011 and it only has 17,000 clicks on it (US body). It was a lot cheaper than most of the new full-frame Nikons, and I like the idea of a heavy-duty, "pro" kind of setup. Nikon will still be servicing these until September of this year.
I've spent the last year and a half buying used Nikkor FX glass. I bought:
50mm 1.4 D
20-35 2.8 D
80-200 2.8 D
I already had the 60mm Micro 2.8 D
All mint, perfect condition, US model lenses and at "killer" bargain prices.
I've spent the last year and a half buying used Nikkor FX glass. I bought:
50mm 1.4 D
20-35 2.8 D
80-200 2.8 D
I already had the 60mm Micro 2.8 D
All mint, perfect condition, US model lenses and at "killer" bargain prices.
Apr 10, 2018 23:58:56 #
Now I'm taking online photography courses, and reading the D3s Green Lantern manual (also got this used in perfect condition for $7) as I learn and experiment. I hope to hang out on this forum and learn all I can from people who really know this stuff. Thank you for taking the time to read this my first post. "Naldo" is not my real name, but was a nickname I used to call my best friend who passed away several years ago. I am using it on here now as a sort of tribute to him. . . may he rest in peace. . . he was the best friend and the best man I ever knew.
Apr 11, 2018 00:11:01 #
Welcome to the forum, read and ask questions, show a few of your favorite shots, there are plenty of cat lovers here, and everywhere!
Apr 11, 2018 05:47:26 #
Apr 11, 2018 06:44:49 #
Apr 11, 2018 06:46:51 #
Hi Naldo, welcome to UHH, I'm your average Cat as you can see.....where
Are you situated ......or do you prefer to remain incognito ?
Are you situated ......or do you prefer to remain incognito ?
Apr 11, 2018 07:15:52 #
Apr 11, 2018 08:55:15 #
Apr 11, 2018 09:28:49 #
Picture Taker
Loc: Michigan Thumb
If you still are in the Flint area come join us at the Seven Ponds Photo Club in Dryden. We meet at 7:00 PM the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the Mounth.
Apr 11, 2018 10:34:00 #
Apr 11, 2018 10:41:43 #
Apr 11, 2018 12:51:23 #
Such a hearty welcome! Thank you one and all!!
For those who asked: I live in Raleigh, North Carolina for the last 15+ years (originally from NYC).
My work with big cats spanned from 1976-1982. We were a shopping-mall promotion type-of-show. Large malls from all over the US and Canada would hire us to come and do a free arena act 2-3 times per day, usually for 5 days (Wednesday thru Sunday) right inside the center of their mall. Mondays and Tuesdays were usually spent driving to the next engagement. We would set up a 30 foot aluminum arena with two large cages attached at one end of the mall to do the shows. Usually at another part of the mall we would set up a baby lion & tiger cub exhibit where people could get a professional Polaroid (Special Events Camera) picture taken with a cub on their lap for $3.50. We lived on the road about 10 months or so out of the year. Every week a different place. I saw most of the continental US, and large amount of Canada.
Nowadays, my only contact with cats is of the household variety! I'm a big animal lover and always have been since childhood. My mother ran a no-kill, non-profit animal shelter for many years, and we always had a houseful of every kind of unwanted animal you could think of. . . from the one-eyed, to the three-legged, to the abandoned litters. . . all were in and out of our home throughout my early life. We always had at least 6 or 7 cats plus 2 or 3 dogs as permanent residents. . . usually the ones nobody else would take. Now, I just have a cat. Her name is Fido because I thought she was a male when I rescued her at about 2 weeks old. She rules my home, and has no idea she's a cat. . . I'm just lucky she lets me live here!
For those who asked: I live in Raleigh, North Carolina for the last 15+ years (originally from NYC).
My work with big cats spanned from 1976-1982. We were a shopping-mall promotion type-of-show. Large malls from all over the US and Canada would hire us to come and do a free arena act 2-3 times per day, usually for 5 days (Wednesday thru Sunday) right inside the center of their mall. Mondays and Tuesdays were usually spent driving to the next engagement. We would set up a 30 foot aluminum arena with two large cages attached at one end of the mall to do the shows. Usually at another part of the mall we would set up a baby lion & tiger cub exhibit where people could get a professional Polaroid (Special Events Camera) picture taken with a cub on their lap for $3.50. We lived on the road about 10 months or so out of the year. Every week a different place. I saw most of the continental US, and large amount of Canada.
Nowadays, my only contact with cats is of the household variety! I'm a big animal lover and always have been since childhood. My mother ran a no-kill, non-profit animal shelter for many years, and we always had a houseful of every kind of unwanted animal you could think of. . . from the one-eyed, to the three-legged, to the abandoned litters. . . all were in and out of our home throughout my early life. We always had at least 6 or 7 cats plus 2 or 3 dogs as permanent residents. . . usually the ones nobody else would take. Now, I just have a cat. Her name is Fido because I thought she was a male when I rescued her at about 2 weeks old. She rules my home, and has no idea she's a cat. . . I'm just lucky she lets me live here!
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