I’m all ears on ways to deliver a better message. The web is a wonderful thing but very ephemeral

young tom,
very interesting thought and I think with your vision you are absolutely right. This will happen in the near future, or perhaps it already happens right now. To interact and connect people and their knowledge, their thoughts and ideas is very easy via the world wide web.
This will create a new kind of information stew or chaos if you like, that will result in new connections, new ideas, new ways of looking at the world. I feel burn is in a way a place that you have envisioned. Don’t you think so?
I will keep your post in mind and we will see what the future will bring!
Best
Reimar

Photo records of endangered animals are much more important than for the animals themselves. These species, especially those of the cute mammal ilk, are the canaries in the cole mines, the indicators of much greater issues of habitat destruction and the socioeconomic pressures that lead to habitat destruction, and too, the “lesser” threats of poaching and in this case, the fur coats for the women of Vladivostok. Perhaps these are not lesser threats for the Amur Leopard itself but certainly subordinate in the greater scheme of habitat destruction, the threats to all species of these habitats, the implications of mass extirpation of species and reduced biodiversity worldwide. The leopard is a beautiful poster child, and I can think of no greater poster than this image, but still just the surface.

If the current trend of extinction continues, the world is beginning to experience its sixth great extinction and this time, it’s all on us. To lose one-third of the world’s plant and animal species in the next century is nearly unthinkable but many scientists believe it quite probable.

Too often in the past, conservation groups or other such efforts focused on saving an animal, or even a habitat, without addressing the underlying cultural and economic reasons for habitat destruction and the needs of indigenous populations. A failure to address systems in their entirety has led, or is leading, to ultimate failure. This is a systemic failure of thinking in systemic terms. But this is changing.

Similarly, this is a failure of photography and the media as well I think, at least some aspects of those disciplines. Everyone has their own style, their own niche and often, their own individualistic needs, prejudices, competitive and protectionist attitudes. And now, it would be a failure of thinking to continue isolate both individual photographers and all “content” (a truly outdated term now) generators from each other.

To me, the ultimate magazine or website or information delivery platform, would pool the resources and talents of many diverse photographers, writers, filmmakers, sound gurus, and whoever has the wherewithal to jump on the bus into a symphony of interpretation, and tackle subjects in a planned, coordinated way with each player doing what they do best but adding to the overall chorus. Truly, it would take a maestro to direct from beginning to end, and to avoid all the colors blending to gray, but I have always believed the results could be astounding. With communication technology as it is now, perhaps this has become a real possibility.

Maybe this is the next evolution of information we are just beginning to see now in its infancy. The boundaries of media and viewer are dissolving. What’s needed are spheres of coordinated vision and leadership to coordinate the talents of an Andrew Harrington with those of … you and me. I’ve seen a few emerging spheres heading in this direction, whether they are aware of it or not. And maybe this is what I feel is coming, I don’t know, but something amazing is happening, beginning, just outside our felid (sic) of vision. Call me crazy :))

And yes Chris Bickford, I may in fact be a “socialist.” :))

your picture has been up for many days and just 29 responses??? why??? too perfect, too technically great, too drop dead gorgeous? i hope your subject is not deemed too boring?

i am not photographer so when joe said this and bobblack said that i went back up to the picture and looked and relooked. and figured that’s what they meant and that’s how i should do it and buried your pixels in my temporal lobe for good. this is a straighforward-very-pleasing-to-me picture. i am disappointed, jim powers has not pounced on this yet (pun intended).

what makes your picture great to me is what you obviously show, the behind the scenes cut, your patience, fortitude and obvious dedication to the world around you. that cannot be taught.

http://www.amur-leopard.org/

http://www.wcs.org/globalconservation/Asia/russia/Amurleopard

Wrobertangle – This was the exact opposite of exciting, if it was possible to die of boredom I would have but the end justifies the means.

Young Tom yes Sidney is right I meant a Felid conference.

Are you sure he didn’t mean ‘felid’ as in ‘feline’?

Please though fix the cutline, it’s driving me nuts (“field” conference). And I wouldn’t in this case mind a longer one either just because I’m interested :))

Regards.

Because your unthinking comment is exactly why I don’t partake of this kind of forum anymore.

If you want the honest truth in my opinion this image is beautiful wallpaper and while it is of a magnificent creature, without further information it is just another photo on the web.

Big woop… So if I am am meant to care about anything to do with this photo or animal then yes a bit more information is required for me and also probably for a NON-photographic or wildlife loving audience. I too had a quick look at ‘Harry’s’ site and sure I can see he is dedicated to photographing wildlife but I still couldn’t see anymore information about this particular cat.

Its a simple suggestion to enhance a story with more accurate info that may bring someone who had no idea about this issue into some sort of enlightenment. And I am sure Harry’s reasons for persuing this kind of work is because he loves his subject. And I am sure he would want to see this animal preserved.

Your post has a lot more to do with disagreeing with a valid point of view that I made, rather than bringing anything new to the discussion. And personally I don’t give a rats arse whether your life is full to overflowing with all sorts of things, how much longer do you think it would have taken Harry to give us a few more facts about the animal? As long as it took to get the photo?

I don’t read Burn as a networking exercise, obviously unlike yourself, I read it because I am interested in life and the things that go on in it. And no I don’t have time to research everything I see.

But if I am touched deeply by something then I will respond by bringing all my limited resources into play.

So I am sorry if my reason’s and criticisms for taking pictures differ from yours Sean, but I do know the bombardment of meaningless imagery on the net does nothing for people who don’t have a lot of time to peruse stuff that might change their lifes.

Enuff said by me, I won’t make the mistake of commenting again.

vivek

best

Thanks. I have no stupid idea how you got to that info but it’s very helpful!