Copy Cats?

That's the subject of this interesting slide show at Slate.Com entitled,
Can Photographers Be Plagiarists? (warning: brief nudity.... that ought to increase the click-count).

I've seen enough lure coursing photos by other photographers.. (both full time photographers, and part time photog... oh wait.. with one exception, I'm the only full time photographer shooting sighthound performance portraits. Freakin' scabs!)... to know that they can sometimes look alike, and very occasionally, I have trouble knowing if a shot is mine or one of the wannabes out there. (But only very occasionally..LOL; Y'know, sighthounds- and other canines- can only be in just so many poses or environments.)

When we were at the Gila National Wilderness a couple of weeks ago, walking the Whitewater Creek Gorge, I walked past an elderly gentleman who had set up his tripod, with Nikon D200 aboard. I didn't look at what he was shooting, because I was going for a more (hopefully) unique shot from the bottom of the gorge, at creek-level. When I got back up to the trail, I glanced across to see what he had been shooting. I liked it. Here is the shot:

Is it plagiarism? Judging from the amount of trampled earth, and lack vegetation between the trail and the subject, I'd say no. It's just appreciation of a nice image by probably hundreds- if not thousands- of photographers- amateurs, professionals, semi-professionals, and just plain tourists.

Margaret Plays With Photoshop.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Today's image returns us to my favorite 15 mile long mountain range. The Floridas. With a twist: Tumbleweeds blown against a fence, with the mountains in the background. Visual evidence why photographers call this time of day "the Golden Hour".

Coming Soon!

We're working on the Spring Shot On Site schedule. We should have something up here in a day or two.

Briefly, we'll be staying in New Mexico for two more weeks, then we'll be spending March in Texas. More details to come.

And I can't forget to put up a report for the recently completed Dutch Salmon's Pack Hunt and Desert Hare Classic.

Stay tuned.

A Fish(y) Story.

Who doesn't love Grouper?

I thought I loved Grouper. But maybe it's farm raised Asian Catfish that I love. Or something called Painted Sweetlips. (I can't make this stuff up!).

NOAA investigators in Florida found faux Grouper being sold in 17 out of 24 restaurants that they targeted! But it's not just a Florida problem; they say this is happening all over America. Read the whole Washington Post story here. (You may need to register. It's free.)

NPR also covered this story today. Listen to it here.

Y'know, Asian catfish doesn't sound all that bad when you compare it to the two fish entrees whose DNA the investigators couldn't identify. That's scary.

Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances.