Photos Bernard Bischoff

The reasons behind my decision to develop a website exhibiting my pictures.

The World Wide Web is today's friendly means to exhibiting one's world of passion (comfort, swiftness, flexibility), which can be made available to a great many more people than through the traditional ways in picture exhibition. And the time thus gained can be dedicated to taking more pictures! More importantly, it allows you to "meet" other nature lovers (or simply people with a passion for anything you could think of) and create new links and exchanges. The end result of such contact making is listed in the "Link" page of this website, which is turning out to be a true hub for networks of interest centers.

Very much like television, the web offers myriads of information about nature all over the world. Yet, European wildlife is much too often left apart, although it has nothing to envy the beauty and magic of the elephant or even the lion king. Many sites dedicated to nature display images taken while on safari, in zoological parks, in Canada or the Rocky Mountains. Time has come for us to wake up to this challenge and display our own local wealth.

Bernard Bischoff

What are the technical constraints involved in the exhibition of quality pictures on a PC screan?

The presentation of images on the web must take into account the transfer capacity of the servers. Today's bandwidth is still very narrow, you had better avoid exceeding a weight of 60 Ko per page (images, html files). Note that this weight will vary from one image to the other, depending on the intensity of the diverse compressions made (JPEG format). Any misty landscape, with soft and professive shades, will be 3 times lighter than any image under the same format, presenting a tree gleaming in its automnal colours, anf all you could ask for détails.

A good setting of your screan should allow for a perfect colour depiction. The fashion in photo making is currently going towards bright colours, although chances are that you will come upon a great many soft and subtle shades in the environing nature. No matter how good it feels to display the perfectly beautiful colours of the kingfisher on your pc screan, you will appreciate just as much a soft morning ambiance in pastel colours.

Technique

Concerning mammals essentially, the conditions of approach are rather drastic, since their extremely sensitive sense of smell translates into our primary handicap. Once your are discovered due to the wind which has brought your smell to your "pray", consider yourself as the loser of the game. Most animals have a very accurate eyesight, so that if your approach proves too sudden, you will get to try again. Finally, the sense of hearing is not the least of assets as far as the cervidae and other fox are concerned: You had better practice you walking technique through dead branches or leaves...

The setting of a proper hide, in a place strategically elaborated, wil allow you to blend in more easilly with nature. Plenty of time and a good dose of patience are the remaining ingredients necessary to wait in expectation of… everything one could dream of!

There exists one good technique which consists of placing your camera near a pre-determined place, a mammal's passing spot , a bird's watching post, a feeding trough in winter, and use a remote set off (thanks to motorization!). This way, you won't be interfering too much. With some experience your results will improve quickly.

Material

"Today's material allows us to capture images more easily (motorization, autofocus, etc.…), and thus gives us more opportunities for obtaining an interesting document. J'ai toujours été un peu plus "poil" que "plume". The moments of confrontation that we are seeking with wild animals, at a proper distance for a photo, are infrequent enough, and most surely (and how unfortunate) always too brief.

Impressions of the Vosges

The northern Vosges, with their sandstone massif topped with ever more impressive rocks, and their piedmont of chalky hills have been the playground of my child years. Having been initiated to morning atmospheres by my parents, I have followed secret tracks, seeking to discover the wild wild world that surrounds us.

"We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrouw it from our children"
Antoine de Saint Exupéry

The reasons behind my decision to develop a website exhibiting my pictures. The World Wide Web is today's friendly means to exhibiting one's world of passion (comfort, swiftness, flexibility), which can be made available to a great many more people than through the traditional ways in picture exhibition. And the time thus gained can be dedicated to taking more pictures! More importantly, it allows you to "meet" other nature lovers (or simply people with a passion for anything you could think of) and create new links and exchanges. The end result of such contact making is listed in the "Link" page of this website, which is turning out to be a true hub for networks of interest centers. Very much like television, the web offers myriads of information about nature all over the world. Yet, European wildlife is much too often left apart, although it has nothing to envy the beauty and magic of the elephant or even the lion king. Many sites dedicated to nature display images taken while on safari, in zoological parks, in Canada or the Rocky Mountains. Time has come for us to wake up to this challenge and display our own local wealth.	What are the technical constraints involved in the exhibition of quality pictures on a PC screan? The presentation of images on the web must take into account the transfer capacity of the servers. Today's bandwidth is still very narrow, you had better avoid exceeding a weight of 60 Ko per page (images, html files). Note that this weight will vary from one image to the other, depending on the intensity of the diverse compressions made (JPEG format). Any misty landscape, with soft and professive shades, will be 3 times lighter than any image under the same format, presenting a tree gleaming in its automnal colours, anf all you could ask for détails. A good setting of your screan should allow for a perfect colour depiction. The fashion in photo making is currently going towards bright colours, although chances are that you will come upon a great many soft and subtle shades in the environing nature. No matter how good it feels to display the perfectly beautiful colours of the kingfisher on your pc screan, you will appreciate just as much a soft morning ambiance in pastel colours. *Technique* Concerning mammals essentially, the conditions of approach are rather drastic, since their extremely sensitive sense of smell translates into our primary handicap. Once your are discovered due to the wind which has brought your smell to your "pray", consider yourself as the loser of the game. Most animals have a very accurate eyesight, so that if your approach proves too sudden, you will get to try again. Finally, the sense of hearing is not the least of assets as far as the cervidae and other fox are concerned: You had better practice you walking technique through dead branches or leaves... The setting of a proper hide, in a place strategically elaborated, wil allow you to blend in more easilly with nature. Plenty of time and a good dose of patience are the remaining ingredients necessary to wait in expectation of… everything one could dream of! There exists one good technique which consists of placing your camera near a pre-determined place, a mammal's passing spot , a bird's watching post, a feeding trough in winter, and use a remote set off (thanks to motorization!). This way, you won't be interfering too much. With some experience your results will improve quickly.

		*Material* "Today's material allows us to capture images more easily (motorization, autofocus, etc.…), and thus gives us more opportunities for obtaining an interesting document. J'ai toujours été un peu plus "poil" que "plume". The moments of confrontation that we are seeking with wild animals, at a proper distance for a photo, are infrequent enough, and most surely (and how unfortunate) always too brief. Impressions of the Vosges The northern Vosges, with their sandstone massif topped with ever more impressive rocks, and their piedmont of chalky hills have been the playground of my child years. Having been initiated to morning atmospheres by my parents, I have followed secret tracks, seeking to discover the wild wild world that surrounds us. "We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrouw it from our children" Antoine de Saint Exupéry