Crop Corner

Digital memory cards are really quite amazing. The task of storing large amounts of data quickly, reliably, and efficiently is no small feat. Yet one we often take for granted. When that data happens to be our most precious photographic memories, the stakes are raised considerably. Memory cards, for the most part, are actually quite durable. But without the proper care and handling, this vital link in the digital chain can fail before its time. For the digital photographer that means trouble. Important photographic memories are all but impossible to replicate.

Winter Camera Tips for Protection 'Tis the season, and we're getting lots of letters from NYI students and other Northern Hemisphere Web visitors about taking photos in cold weather. There are lots of great photo opportunities out there whether your idea of a good time is ice fishing, snow shoeing or just plain walking in the winter wonderland. You just need to get out there and take the proper steps. The letters we get reveal that the proper steps for winter camera protection are often confused in people's minds. Here's an e-mail we got recently from a photographer in Ontario, Canada, that is typical: "I am happily snapping away, but having a bit of a problem keeping my camera warm and unfrozen in our cold, blustery weather. If I carry it bundled under my coat, should I keep it in a plastic bag (I read about this somewhere) to prevent condensation? Any other suggestions for camera protection?"

Ian Andrews looks at what to shoot in February and adds some useful activity diary dates. Despite the apparently desolate appearance to the casual observer, February is a time of gradual but steady change, not only in the Woodlands and Parks, but in the fields and waterways too. On the high ground, the snow line begins it's slow march skywards creating a swelling in the rivers below. Daylight is starting to become noticeably longer and the sap resumes it's rise in the still dead looking trees. The behaviour of the birds is starting to change also. Now that the ground is softening, they are more able to probe for food. Those that moved south for the winter will start thinking about their spread north and west again. Some, like the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) will start to re-establish pair bonds and re-populate their nest sites. The garden birds will start to get louder and their plumage will progressively take on breeding colours as the hunt for a mate commences.

I dont know whether it was the twinkling lights on my Christmas tree or the very freely-flowing flutes of festive champagne, but the majority of my holiday portraits show my family and friends looking like a bunch of red-eyed Christmas demons! While I now realize that I could have prevented much of this red-eye rancor simply by using the red-eye flash on my camera, I didnt notice the problem until I started uploading my photographs to my computer and viewing them onscreen long after the house had emptied of potential portrait patsies.