TERRA

TERRA
ANIMAL
BEHAVIOUR
IN ZOOS
FLAMINGO SPECIAL
1

CONTENT
6
Animal
Behaviour in
zoos
Butterflies
wonders
14
28
Film or Digital
The American
Flamingo
34
22
Spring in the
cities:
40
Photographer
Feature
Barney Melton
Urban insects
2 3

44
Product
Review:
Canon EF 85
mm
Unstable:
Exhibition
Review
48
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Dear Reader,
My passion in the last years for conservation biology
and photography developed in me the ambition
to be able to get to the public the important
message about how important is to preserve our
environment. And of course we can not preserve
our environment if we do not know what is inside
it. This is a compilation of many important biological
events and creatures that I hope you find
interesting.
As well as interesting topics about our planet
wildlife and conservation, there is a section dedicated
to the art of photography per se and the
techniques you could use in order to become a
better photographer.
I hope you enjoy the colourful sections this magazine
has reserved for you and that every picture
and text give you more reasons to be curious about exploring the world at your feet and the
wonders of nature you can enjoy!
50
How to:
Do a cutout
Sincerely,
Maricela Rivera
Editor
Tintype courtesy of Barney Melton
4 5

BUTTERFLY
WONDERS
Butterflies are among the most diverse,
widespread and widely recognizable
group of insects in the world, with about
20,000 identified species and more being
described every day. Alongside moths,
butterflies are classified inside the a very
large group of insects known as Lepidoptera
which contains, after beetles, more
species of butterflies and moths than any
other group of insects in the world with an
estimated of 150,000 known species. The
word Lepidoptera comes from the Greek
word Lepidos which means “scale wings”
and describes how the wing structure of
this insect’s is constructed.
Owl Butterfly (Caligo eurilochus)
TAKE IN A VIEW
YOU WILL NEVR
FORGET...
Close up of the wing of the Owl Butterfly (Caligo eurilochus)
Their wings are covered
by thousands of tiny scales
overlapping in rows. Depending
on the patterns in
which they are distributed
in the wing and their structure,
scales are responsible
for the butterflies unique
bright colours. These scales
are pigmented with melanin,
responsible for the blacks
and browns, but their microstructure
and how the
stacater light is the most
important role in how the
colour patterns of butterflies
wings are created.
6 7

“Their wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales
overlapping in rows”.
Butterflies can be found worldwide except
on the Antarctica, and they come in a variety
of sizes, the world’s smallest known species
has a wingspan of just over half an inch while
the largest known species can measure up to
twelve inches from wingtip to wingtip. Their
habitat can include places high in the mountains
as well as sea level areas including environments
hot, cold, dry, or moist as they are well
adapted insects. Most butterfly species, however,
are found in tropical areas, especially in
tropical rainforests.
Butterflies present a really interesting life cycle
that includes a complete metamorphosis, this
means that the butterfly changes completely
from its early larval stage, as a caterpillar, until
the final stage, when it becomes a beautiful and
graceful butterfly. This life cycle has four define
stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Black Swallowtail (Papillio demodocus) caterpillar
8 9

Butterfly eggs are really small, depending on
the species they can be round, cylindrical or
oval and they also vary in color. After mating,
the female butterfly will attach the fertilized
eggs to leaves or stems of plants that will also
serve as a source of food for the larvae when
they hatch.
Once the caterpillar has hatched its main activity
will revolve around eating and with a
voracious appetite they eat almost constantly,
this allows the caterpillar to grow considerably
within a few days.
As they grow their outer skin or exoskeleton
does not grow or stretch along, instead its
shedded in a process called molting and replaced
by a new larger exoskeleton. Once they
have reached about four or five molts they enter
the next stage, pupa or chrysalis. The caterpillar
attaches itself to a support, a wall or twig,
and the exoskeleton splits open to reveal the
chrysalis that hangs down until the transformation
to butterfly is complete. Depending on the
species, the pupal stage can last from just a few
days more than a year.
Close up of the Owl Butterfly (Caligo eurilochus) eyes and feeding tube
Black Swallowtail (Papilio rumanzovia) mating
Once the transformation is complete, the chrysalis
splits and the adult butterfly emerges, it will then
eventually mate and the life cycle will start over
again. The average lifespan for an adult butterfly is
20 to 40 days, however most adult butterflies will
live only a week or two, although a few species could
live as long as 18 months (when hibernate as adults)
or as little as three or four days.
Unlike caterpillars an adult butterfly only feed
from various liquids they take through a tube-like
tongue known as proboscis that uncoils to drink
the liquid up and then coils up again into a spiral
when the butterfly is not feeding. Most butterflies
have a diet based on flower nectar from which
they obtain sugars for energy, sodium and other
minerals vital for its reproduction, however some
species also include in their diet liquids from rotting
fruit, trees exude, pollen, decaying flesh, dissolved
minerals in wet sand or dirt or even animal dung.
All of this variety in their diet is important especially
for those species that can not obtain enough
sodium from nectar, most times they get attracted
by sodium in salt or even land on people attracted
by the salt in human sweat.
Butterflies senses are well developed, the antenna
for example comes in many shapes and colours and
are richly covered with sensory organs known as
sensillae which help the butterfly to sense the air
for wind and scents. Vision is also well developed
too in butterflies and most species are sensitive
to the ultraviolet spectrum, even though color vision
has been demonstrated in only a few species.
Sound as well can be sensed by some butterflies
that have hearing organs and are also known to
make stridulatory and clicking sounds.
Wonderfully many butterflies are migratory
and capable of long distance flights. This
behaviour reflects the necessity to avoid adverse
environmental conditions like cold weather and
find warmer areas. Most migratory species like the
painted lady, the red admiral, the common buckeye
and cabbage butterfly fly relatively short distances
with just a few hundred miles, while others such
as the monarch can make incredible journeys and
travel thousands of miles about 1,200 and 2,800.
Precisely this marvelous migratory phenomenon of
monarchs is consider as the world’s most spectacular
and conspicuous long distance insect migration,
and therefore has been one of the most studied
and documented along many years not only to explain
the behaviour but also because of the conservation
implications and threats they have been
facing during the years.
10 11

This magnificent journey begins before the autumn
cold sets in the northern United States and Canada
heading south towards central Mexico forests,
feeding on nectar along the way and traveling during
the day as they use the sun to orient themselves.
Once they arrive they hibernate till is time to fight
back. Few of the original adults actually complete
the trip home. Instead, the females mate and lay
eggs along the way and their offspring finish this
incredible journey.
However there are several threats monarchs population
face like habitat loss both in summer breeding
areas and in overwintering areas due to extensively
farming and tourism activities, global warming that
disrupt their annual migration pattern, pesticides
used on crops and introduction of invasive plants
that decrease the availability of their primary food
source, the milkweed plant. Sadly these threats are
not exclusive to monarch butterflies, most of the
known species of butterflies face one or more, if
not all, of the same conservation problems monarch
does, which threaten the existence of the species
itself.
COME AND DISCOVER
We are popular
The UK’S largest tropiccal
butterfly paradise paradise
OPEN ALL YEAR
CONECT WITH US
www.butterflyfarm.co.uk
Swan's Nest Lane,
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire,
CV37 7LS,
England, U.K.
DON’T MISS OR WALLABY WALK-
ABOUT
COME AND LIFE A WILDLIFE
ADVENTURE
www.yorkshirewildlifepark.com
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Over the years without noticing it human population
growth has increase the pressure over most
of the habitats of this insects that are extremely
important for pollination and conservation of plant
biodiversity. Now with the increasing and extensive
use of herbicides and pesticides the life cycle of
butterflies are being interrupted. Luckily thanks to
the tracing and interests in research the monarch
butterflies has got many conservation projects are
starting to launch towards the regeneration of local
flora and elimination of invasive species, use of less
herbicides and pesticides and preservation of vast
areas of forest that contains not only butterflies
but other important fauna and flora essential to the
ecological cycle of an area, and specially projects
around educating people about this magnificent
group of insects. Educational projects includes the
construction of butterflies farms that usually holds
a variety of butterflies species from around the
world so people that does not have the opportunity
can get close to admire their beauty and at the
same time learn about their behaviours, habits and
importance. Furthermore as the knowledge about
butterflies increases the educational centers for the
public are built over more and more areas so every
time is more people around the world who gets to
understand about the wonders of butterflies.
For get more involved in things you can do or get
to know about the conservation projects being
held near your local area you can visit http://butterfly-conservation.org/
a UK leading network of
butterflies conservationists who are dedicated to
educate and preserve butterflies habitats safe so
future generations can also enjoy the rejoicing ons
gets when seein a butterfly in the wild.
http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/
12 13

ANIMAL
BEHAVIOUR
IN ZOOS
Humanity has always been fascinated
about wild animals, throughout
history wild animals have been captured
by as a form of reinforce people’s
believe that they are dominant
over animals and nature. Besides
this, animals have been used by human
as an entertainment, examples
of this come from Ancient Rome
where animals were forces to fight
till modern day zoos, aquariums or
circus.
Nowadays there are over 100 zoos
and wildlife collections around the
word, not counting the small zoos
that exists in distant parts of the
world and that maybe not even
been legal register. Ever since the
appearance of zoos it has been
a debate whether or not they are
safe places to keep wild animals, but
most important if this is necessary.
Few zoos in the world provide quality
care for their animals and place
a high priority on animal welfare,
however most of zoos do not provide
adequate care for the animals
and do not even think about their
welfare and not even work towards
educate people about conservation,
although they will list these as justifications
for keeping the zoo open.
For most zoos, animals are a mere
entertainment and easy money, just
seeing an animal in a zoo does little
to educate people. Keeping animals
in confined areas, without the
ability to pursue natural behaviours
does nothing to educate except to
to show certain characteristics.
14 15

Wild animals needs large quantities of space in
order to be healthy, so the ideal is that zoos
provide as much space as they can to simulate
their natural environment.However like said
before even in large spaces of enclosure wild
animals can develop this behavioural patterns,
especially big mammals that in the wild would
normally have a range of movement of thousand
of miles. Leopards for example, a solitaire big
cat known for moving thousands of miles they,
can’t be in a small enclosures and even worst
with another leopard.
Like said before there are few zoos that try to
provide a habitat as similar possible to the animal’s
natural habitat, and provide for its behavioural
and psychological needs. But even this good quality
zoos and all of the effort to provide a natural
environment, if the animals are not in their natural
habitats is obvious they will not be capable
of performing their natural behaviours. Most wild
animals kept in captivity, even in big zoos, develop
certain behavioural patterns that indicate their
needs are not being met and their stress. These
behaviours include pacing, bar-biting, circling, repetitive
head-swaying, aggression, Coprophagia
(Consuming and playing with excrement), excessive
grooming, vomiting, frequent licking and
self-mutilation.
These are known as abnormal repetitive behaviour
(ARB), and can vary depending on the animal
and the circumstances, some can be seen as laid
back and relaxed, like the pacing, and others can
be really frantic, like twirl repeatedly or non stop
biting. These neurotic and atypical behaviors occur
as a result of boredom, depression, frustration, a
lack of mental and physical enrichment, and removal
from their natural habitat and social structures
because in captivity, wild animals face challenges
for which they’re not prepare, many things
can be different even if the simulation of habitat is
good, zoos normally keep wild animals from many
parts of the world. So the climate, diet and the
size and characteristics of the enclosure may be
completely alien to the species as it exists in the
wild. Furthermore animals are no longer able to
have complete control over their environment because
they no longer rely on themselves in order
to obtain food or other physiological needs, but
they rely on humans.
As our knowledge is constantly increasing we now
understand many things about animal behaviour it
is important to address this knowledge into make
people understand that keeping animals in captivity
can, and does, cause immense mental suffering
to the species. Sure people can argue about
the importance of zoos to educate people about
all of the different species of animals out there
in the world. But even the best zoos can’t house
an animal maximizing the they will have their own
species behaviour and at the same time minimizing
their stress and induced behaviours, because like
it or not a setup environment will always be different
from the habitat in which animals evolved.
16 17

As our knowledge is constantly increasing we
now understand many things about animal behaviour
it is important to address this knowledge
into make people understand that keeping
animals in captivity can, and does, cause
immense mental suffering to the species. Sure
people can argue about the importance of
zoos to educate people about all of the different
species of animals out there in the world.
But even the best zoos can’t house an animal
maximizing the they will have their own species
behaviour and at the same time minimizing
their stress and induced behaviours, because
like it or not a setup environment will
always be different from the habitat in which
animals evolved.
So we should start looking forward into transform
slowly our thinking, that we do not need zoos as
much, and slowly transform our thinking that we
do not need that animals to entertain us, instead
we should look at animals as delicate species that
need our help and understanding rather than our
indifference. We must understand that we are not
the only one who inhabit the earth, we share this
world with millions of different species and we
must respect their space as much as we want our
neighbours respect our spaces when we live in a
community. The dynamics we have with animals
should be the same as the ones we have with ourselves,
but till we don’t understand that we can
not control nature, we will continually to damage
the habitats of thousand of species.
18 19

Courses & Experience
Days Aviable
Book on: www.icbp.org
PLANTS FROM ALL
DONT MISS OUT!!
visit us for our falconry weekend
2015!! camp with us, learn from our
experts and meet our lovely birds
when?
5 and 6 september 2015
OVER THE WORLD
www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
20 21

Spring in the cities:
Urban insects
CITIES as we know are the places where human population has had most of their development
and are increasingly growing. Normally when talking about cities and its inhabitants people
think about other people who lives inside the city skyscrapers and houses, but the truth is that there
are much more diversity in our cities than we imagine. The term urban wildlife became popular
over some years ago and it defines the all of the animals and plants that can live inside a city or an
urban environment.
Usually when thinking in urban wildlife what comes first to mind are birds and mammals, maybe reptiles
and amphibians that had adapted themselves to the changes their habitats have gone through
the development of cities. But what most of people forget about a special group of the animal kingdom
that are the most well adapted to our urban environments, insects. They are supremely well
adapted to city life, brownfields, parks, meadow, our gardens and even the inside our homes can be
used by them as a foraging ground. Because cities and their constructions sometimes offer a warmer
climate insects can come and go more easily around the year.
22 23

Like for us winter can be tough for a small insect, but they incredible life cycle and adaptations have
allowed the to synchronize their adult and reproductive stage with the beginning a warmer season,
spring. So even when we do not see them during winter insects usually go through it in a resting
stage, as eggs, larvae or as pupae. This strategies besides migration, for example the monarch butterfly,
have allowed them to stay active even when temperatures drop below freezing, dragonflies
larvae for example, called nymphs, are aquatic and can remain quite active feeding as much as they
can during the winter period, as long as the water from ponds and streams does not freeze completely.
Many other larvae of insects are hiding or even eating in micro-habitats like buried under
the soil, under logs and inside them, rocks, pile of fallen leaves, near windowsills, eaves, and even
inside attics of houses, all of this providing protections against cold air. Eggs usually are deposited in
branches plants or near places where can found food once they complete their development, as well
as pupae, eggs offer a safe and cover environments from the low temperatures. During this stage
of their life cycle they hardly move but they are developing parts like wings or antennae that will be
essential for their new adult stage.
On the other hand some adults insects are known for their “hibernation” where they suspend their
grow or development keeping a metabolic rate high enough to keep them alive, although the right
term is diapause, many people compare this behaviour to the one that mammals and warm blooded
animals has. The ladybug beetles for example congregate in big numbers during the fall and hide in
a warm place, wasps as well seek shelter in the attics of houses or barns, bees though stay inside
their hives or hollow trees and generate body heat by vibrating their wing muscles and consuming
up to 15 Kg of stored honey.
Insects are true survivors and when the temperatures start increasing welcoming the spring cities
burst with a variety of insects that were waiting for winter to end. Eggs and pupae complete their
development and the beautiful adults that emerge from the pupae are ready to mate. Spring brings
with it flourishing life, with plants whose seeds were waiting to grow and with flowers everywhere
offering insects vast sources of food you can see that they enjoy spring as much as we do.
Is a well known fact that people in the cities enjoy when being outside and are near nature, that
is why we plant seeds that we know will grow flowers, because their colours make us feel happy.
In that sense our urban gardens and window boxes which we try to keep on bloom all year round
provides insects with a varied, year-long supply of food. And is important that we keep doing that
because our flowers or vegetables patches help insects avoid crops contaminated with herbicides
or pesticides that could kill them. The increasing development of greener cities around the word is
will be in the future very important in supporting insect diversity. The rise in urban beekeeping, for
example, has led to an increase in urban colonies that is helping to maintain populations stable, due
they don’t have to be in touch with harmful pesticides. Surely people are wondering why insects
are so important, they are so tiny that people sometimes just forget about them. The truth is that
without insects, we wouldn’t be here, because their role is vital to the survival of our crops, insects
are one of the major pollinators out there, and thanks to their job plant species can survive and disperse
their population. They are also the major source of food for many other species of birds, fish,
amphibian and reptiles who sometimes depends solely from insects and their abundance to survive.
24 25

Insects are there in our cities, making sure our gardens and parks stays pretty while they pollinate
them, and most of the time we do not notice them because they can be hiding underneath a cherry
flower, walking around the soil that covers our gardens or flying from one flower to another. Spring
is the best season to see them in all their glory, so the best way to discover what is hidden in your
urban area is just to walk around and get near to the flowers, maybe sit for a while in the grass and
wait for the visit of a gentil ladybug or a shy beetle. Watch the while the flowers get all type of small
visitors.
Many studies have shown that increasing the amount of green spaces in our cities improve the
quality of life of people and insects play an important role in the construction and spread of green
spaces becauses as soon as there is a new plant growing there will be an insect near ready to spread
pollen and attract other animals to the area. So don’t underestimate the power of this little creatures,
with more than 900 thousand different species, and increasing every day, distributed around
the word insects contribute with approximately 80% of the urban wildlife in our cities, and that just
make them prettier. So embrace spring and go out there to find a colorful insect that will probably
was just doing a hard job pollinating your garden flowers.
26 27

Flamingo Distribution Map
The American Flamingo
THE
AMERICAN
FLAMINGO
American Flamingo
Greater Flamingo
Lesser Flamingo
Flamingos are part of the extravagant group of birds that can be rare jet at the same time
extremely beautiful and interesting. Easily recognized because of its long legs and neck, curved beak and
colours, their name comes after the latin word “flama” that means flame because of their bright colourful
red to pink and orange feathers. Thanks to their great adaptability this water birds can be found
in various regions and habitats around the the word from the high cold andes to warm flat lands always
in or near saline or alkaline lakes, lagoons or swamps where they feed.
There are six known species of flamingos, four of them in the Americas and two in the Old World.
Among this species the american flamingo also known as caribbean flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber ruber
is one of the largest most colourful, and the only one that can be found in North America. Its habitat includes
saline lagoons or shallow lakes of the Caribbean, the Yucatan Peninsula and the Galapagos Islands.
The american flamingo feathers are bright pink to reddish and its black-tipped wings can have a wingspan
of about five feet. With is pink legs and long neck reaches about 42 inches tall which comes handy when
wading in deeper waters, as well as its webbed feet that help them to stand still on the mud. Like other
flamingos its beak has a characteristic downward bend which has evolved and specialized according to
their feeding requirements.
AMERICAN FLAMINGO
Yucatan Peninsula
Caribbean
Galapagos Islands
American Flamingo
Andean Flamingo
Chilean Flamingo
James’s Flamingo
28 29

Flamingos are known for its unique adaptation
to filter their food out of the water
which is possible thanks to the two
rows of lamellae or comb-like bristles
lined inside its bill and along its tongue.
The American flamingo rarely takes food
from the surface, instead generally feeds
with its whole head submerged underwater,
where they swept it sideways
while they start to walk slowly. With its
bill held slightly open the flamingo uses
its feet to help stir up the mud to then
suck in and out the water through its
bill to filter out huge quantities of small
crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic insects,
polychaete worms, seeds, microscopic
organisms and algae. This fantastic system
also allows them to discriminate
what they eat or not based on its size,
although beyond the size range of 1.5
and 4.0 mm their discrimination capacity
decrease. Studies show that this capacity
may be connected to a specific anatomical
feature of the jaw apparatus which
allows their mandible to open the beak
to a maximal size of about 4 mm for ingest
their food.
Additionally to the flamingos incredible feeding
adaptation, many studies had also discovered that
their diet is what determines most of its coloration
due some of their food, especially algae, contains
loads of carotenoids (beta carotene) reddish
to orange pigments that can not be produced by
animals but can be synthesized. These carotenoids
are broken down in the flamingos liver by some
enzymes into the pigments that are then deposited
into the feathers, skin, and egg yolk.
The levels of carotenoids in their food varies from
one place to another in different parts of the word
and this of course affects the saturation of color
of the feathers, which is why American flamingos
are usually bright red and orange, while lesser flamingos
or andean flamingos tend to be more paler
pink. This phenomena has also been observed
comparing captive flamingos and wild ones, where
if captive flamingos have not enough pigment content
in their diet they tend to grow much paler
feathers and loose with time the part of their
bright coloration.
On the other hand flamingos offsprings are white
and gray for the first couple of years, and they do
not show traces of carotenoids in their feathers,
skin or blood, the coloration comes after some
years with the constant consumption of carotenoids
in their diet. This also explains why when we
see a flamingo we might see that some of them
have colors that seems brighter and others looks
really pale even though they are the same species.
As well as the other flamingos species, the American
flamingo is a highly social species that lives in
colonies ranging in size from a small dozen to very
large colonies of hundred or thousands during the
breeding season. Living in large colonies not only
assures them to find a mate but also helps to
avoid predators, maximize the food intake and use
nesting sites more efficiently.
Unlike other flamingo species, the American flamingo
displays group courtship displays, this means
that there are several behaviours like preening,
marching, raising their wings or head turns in
which the colonie takes part in spectacular synchrony.
This happens when large colonies split into
breeding groups of 15 or 50 birds that stay together
during the breeding season and perform this
synchronized rituals to each other to ensure that
all members of the group have found a pair and are
ready to mate at the same time.
30 31

Save 10%
online
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Amazing Wildlife
Book your tickets online
and save 10% off the
standar admission fee
Daily walks, talks and activities
Canoe Safari
Is usual as well that flamingos form strong pair bonds for life between males and females due both of
them are involved in building the nest for the egg, and work as a team to keep it warm and safe. After
the hatch they both stay together to feed the little flamingo with crop milk that they produce instead
of regurgitated foods as other birds provide for their young.
Because of the distribution of the American flamingo includes warm regions they do not have the need
to migrate to warmer places, they are generally considered to be non-migratory, however they can
be extremely nomadic. American flamingos can travel hundreds of kilometres in order to find enough
food, so they do migrate when the distribution patterns of their food changes. Although this migratory
behaviour has increased in recent years due the climate fluctuations, that not only changes their
feeding patterns but also threatens their breeding due to the lack of resources. And even though they
are still not an endangered species biologist are worried about the problems they are facing and the
future ones due to hunting and habitat loss related to human activity, so every day they try to raise
the public awareness by educating them about the importance of conserving this beautiful species. To
support their conservation efforts every day new research is being held in order to understand better
these dramatic unique birds, so get on board and help to spread the word.
TAKE IN A VIEW
YOU WILL NEVER
FORGET...
32 33

FILM OR
DIGITAL?
34 35

There is an increasing discussion around photographers of the world. Is digital or analogue
photography better? Even though there are many arguments around it, we decide it to test the
argument by ourselves. Using a medium format camera with a 120mm roll and 8 exposures we
went to walk around the city of Nottingham and the well known Peak District National Park in
the Wolfscote Dale area to take some photos to show you and compare both analogue and digital
photography. So after taking the photographs, developing and digitized them here is our analysis
about it.
As is well known photography started solely as a chemical process and stayed like that for about
150 years, but as years have passed by, technology and so photography have evolved and changed.
Before photography was something that not everyone could afford to to do alone, even if you
had one of the old quicksnap automatic cameras, you still needed to somewhere to get your film
developed and you had to wait at least 4 or 5 days to see the resulting pictures, everything was an
expectation. On the other hand for a professional photographer was necessary to have knowledge
in how to choose film, chemicals for develop the film and printing the image, so photography was
not really accessible to everybody.
With all of this advances in technology still there are photographers who like to go back to the days
of analogue photography or even resist to use use digital photography. There are several points of
view when it comes to decide whether if digital photography is better that analogue photography
or vice versa. Many photographers argue that analogue photography is better that digital, some
other think the other way around. The truth is digital photography could not exist if it were not for
analogue photography and the history behind it.
In the last years there has been an increasing interest of people in get to know more about analogue
photography. It seems that digital photography is such a usual and common thing now that many
people who wants something different and even more artistic tend to use some type of analogue
photography into their work. Nowadays even exist applications that help your pictures look like if
they were taken with a roll camera.
But before any further discussion here are some points you need to know about each, digital and
analogue photography:
Images are captured on photographic film,
made of layers of light-sensitive silver halide
emulsion coated on a flexible base.
Film is exposed to light in a camera, where
a latent image is created.
The image on the film is made visible by the
immersion of it in a solution of chemicals
known as developer.
Images are captured with a number of photosensors
inside the camera.
The images can be directly downloaded
to the computer and processed by special
software.
Prints are made by using a printer machine
which fires tiny jets of coloured ink or dyes
at paper.
Digitised and colourised image from 120mm film
Nowadays with the digital technology photography has become one of the most popular activities to
people of all ages, since we can find cameras even in our phones and we do not need to take them to
anyone to develop, pictures are visible at the very minute we take them. For photographers showing
their work has become much easier thanks to internet, they can send images to clients via email, import
images into a range of computer applications to create magazines, newsletters and much more.
The possibilities and accessibility we have now with digital photography are immense, you can even
share the images with clients as you shoot. And this is just the start. Although this does not mean
that things has gotten easier for photographers, now they have to learn about printers, technology,
programs and stay as actualized as they can to keep up with the increasing industry, where everyday
there is more competition.
Prints are made by projecting the image
from the film on light sensitised paper and
the processing of it in a series of chemical
baths.
The developing and printing process is held
inside a dark room to avoid extraneous
light reaching the sensitised emulsions.
36 37

ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
As you can see the process of getting an image is much more simpler and faster with analogue
photography. Mostly because of this advantage of instant photography there are most professional
photographers have switched to digital, although there are still some that keep using film. Digital
cameras let you see the captured image within seconds of the exposure on their built-in LCD screen,
or even before shooting with the Live View mode. If you know your camera settings well you can
make use of the histogram displays to determine if the exposure is correct, and decide if you like to
reshoot.
Because images are captured as digital files and stored on removable media cards, unlike film, the
cards are actually reusable. Once the files have been transferred to the computer, the images can
be erased from the card and reuse it again. The images can also be copied and recopied without
any loss of quality and even retouched several times without permanent damage to the original file
(if use correctly the softwares).
Nowadays all media like newspapers, magazines, books, and other printed materials as well as online
resources use digital image files for their photographs. To meet this demand, most picture libraries
only accept digital images. Although it is possible to scan film transparencies to create digital files,
some people find it more practical to shoot digitally in the first place.
ADVANTAGES OF ANALOGUE PHOTOGRAPHY
First off analogue photography provides you with a lot more quality pictures than most digital camera
can provide, the grain from film is not disturbing as in digital but rather pleasant. As film is was
mainly developed to work under natural light condition you get much more richness of light in your
images, and it does not blow out highlights as digital does. As well as dark areas are much more
rich because with film you actually get a lot more texture of subjects in the image which gives the
photography a lot more of character.
There is a lot of time saving in post production of pictures, due that when you shoot in film cameras
you have to know exactly what you want to get and set the exposure right which at the same time
makes you a better photographer, because you learn to wait for the perfect composition and learn
much more about manual focus.
Can a lot more cheaper than digital, first because there is no need to change your camera, there are
photographers that shoot incredible high quality pictures with cameras they have own during 10 or
20 years. There is no need to get the newest camera. As well as fill is not as expensive nowadays,
although this could change with the increasing popularity of analogue photography.
THE CONCLUSION
With our experience we can say that there are for sure certains advantages from both film and
digital that suits perfectly for the needs of professional photographers. The great thing about digital
photography is the ability to share fast your work to your clients, especially when you work under
pressure of time. But we think that definitely film is still relevant for photographers today because it
gives the opportunity to slow down and reinforce their knowledge and develop themselves better
as photographers. But at the end is up to you to decide which one you like the best.
38 39

Photographer
Feature
Barney Melton
Original portraits
Photography as we know it today has undergone
through a series of changes, all of them involving
unique processes that had allowed us to produced
images repeatable. For Nottingham based commercial
photographer Barney Melton who got his
love for photography from his dad, also a commercial
photographer and lecturer, the process in
which we obtain images nowadays has lost somehow
the sense of the one of a kind, of unrepeatable.
This thought and and his love for traditional
photography triggered his motivation to develop
along with his father his most recent project: Original
portraits.
Original portraits aims to recover the special significance
and “magic”, as they call it, of obtaining
a one of a kind image with the use of traditional
photographic methods rarely used today. There
is a richness behind the process, explains Barney,
the feeling and expectation you get
while preparing each plate and while
developing the picture is something
that you don’t get with digital photography.
Using a beautiful 1960’s English Ex-
RAF 5x4 large format Technical Monorail
camera made by MPP with a 70
year old American Lens, Barney has
been taking portraits of people living
in Nottingham, every weekend for
the last two years. Inside one of the
exhibitions rooms of the well known
Malt Cross pub, he and his dad installed
every week a portable studio
and darkroom ready to receive and
photograph people of all ages who
wanted to take with them a lasting
and original memory. And with over
500 portraits he is preparing a book
and exhibition before he starts the
second part of the project portraits
using a 10x8 Kodak Eastman c.1916
camera. “I never thought I will get
that many people interested in the
project and being photographed,
the response of the people has been
amazing, we have had the opportunity
to meet so many great people
and stories over this time is just been
amazing”.
Barney uses two different processes,
the first one is the tintype, based on the wet plate
collodion process used around 1851, but instead
of glass he uses a sheet of metal previously coated
with black paint and covers it with a thin layer
of light sensitive emulsion (which he changes and
proves every time) to then place the plate inside
the camera. The second one is the positive paper
in which he uses a special photographic light sensitive
paper that once is processed in his portable
darkroom yields a direct positive image, this means
there is no negative involved.
“Original portraits aims to recover
the special significance and “magic”,
as they call it, of obtaining a one of
a kind image...”
40 41

Having your picture taken is exciting, but you have
to stay still till he triggers the camera, due the slow
speed he uses in order to catch as much light as he
can inside the camera. And as Barney explains you
never really know how the picture is going look like
until you see it appearing slowly in the developer.
“Every portrait with the tintype is different like if
they were sculpted, even if they are of the same
person, each will have something unique, because
sometimes the emulsion won’t react completely or
can be times when there will be darker corners, is
always an adventure. There are several portraits of
my dad and I and all of them are different.”
the plates I just love how unexpected and unique
this process is”.
Barney and Trevor truly believe that going back to
the roots and revisiting the history of photography
may help to find a way of re encounter the excitement
and uniqueness that photography has to have
especially in this modern times when everything is
so rush and people don’t stop to look. So dare
yourself and find ways to achieve make your photography
unique and creative!
Overall is noticeable when you see all the people
that goes and wait to have their picture taken that
Original Portraits projects is rescuing the value of
the magical process that is involved with photography.
“I think what I enjoy the most about doing this
project is to see people’s reactions when they see
their picture developing in front of them, and the
feeling and excitement I get when I’m preparing
42 43

Unstable
Exhibition
Review
44 45

Unstable a photographic exhibitions part of the Format festival in Derby, one of the UK’s most important
contemporary photography festivals nowadays, presented the work of five contemporary photographic
artist. Unlike the concept of photography of representing a permanent record, all of the artist
work showed a continuous state of change. Most of the work featured pictures that were unfixed as
well as heat sensitive photographs.
During the exhibition as visitors interact with the work the work keeps on transforming so it can be
seen and feel at first hand, as visitors contribute to its destruction and experience the frustration of not
being able to go back in time due the images disappear gradually from sight, at the end the works shifts
the visitor understanding of the medium of photography as a record.
Each of the five artists explored the loss of authenticity and how the photographic quality of an image
can make it ephemeral instead of last forever.
The exhibition displayed several techniques some of them know well and some others not so known
but all them brought experimentation and something new to the well known process of photography
and fixation. Among them they there were lumen prints, tintypes, cyanotypes & chemigrams, thermochromic
ink over black and white photographs, anthotypes and transparencies.
The experience itself of walk through the walls of the exhibition make one think about the ambiguous
notion that even when light is the primary resource that creates a photography can be as well the thing
that destroys it.
A well recommended must see exhibition that let the visitor with a sense of the melancholy because
reinforces the thought that in reality nothing ever stays the same, even something we thought could
be forever changes and fades away. Furthermore this also relates with time and how momentary and
sporadic something that give us excitement can be, how time can leave a mark and at the same time
erase it from our memory or simple just changing completely and gradually one thing that we thought
we knew for sure into nothing. Finally the work presented also a leaves in the visitors mind the metaphor
as how important is to live in the present rather than rely or hold into the past too tight because it can
fade away forever.
Artists:
Ky Lewis, Evanescent Growth, 2015.
Jo Gane, Paul, 2011.
Melanie King, Nothing Ever Stays The Same, 2015 - Preservation of memory, 2015
Antony Carr, Lost moon, 2015.
Nettie Edwards, Inedelieble Decay Inevitable, 2014 - How to loose ourselves and forget each other, 2014.
46 47

EQUIPMENT REVIEW
EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT REVIEW
REVIEW
In this issue we will be talking about a good value lens with a great performance, the Canon EF
85mm f/1.8 USM. A clear, light and practical medium telephoto lens ideal for portraiture but that
can also be used for a variety of applications, that depending on the photographers preference, can
include landscape, sports, interiors, close ups or texture photography.
The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is a small and light yet extremely functional lens, don’t let its weight
fools you, if you are looking for a good value and great performance in a small and light lens, this
one is for you.
Colour and bokeh
All the images obtained with the Canon EF
85mm f/1.8 USM are fantastic quality with a
very good contrast and saturation of colours,
saves time when post processing due little or
no retouching of colours is needed.
What I really like about this lens is the beautiful
smooth backgrounds you can get, also known
as bokeh, they blur away. Shallow depth of
field. Sharp images
A clear lens
One of the advantages of the Canon EF 85mm
f/1.8 USM is the full range of work you can do
in different light conditions, even when dark or
with poor light this lens really makes your pictures
shine. The f/1.8 allows more light into your
camera sensor and the fast focussing makes this
lens perfect for interiors or indoors activities.
Close ups and Macro
The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is not suitable
for macro shots, although you can get fairly
close to an object you can not use it as a macro
lens. But can be suitable for shapes or texture
shoots or isolating pattern of a subject.
Sharpness and focusing
The beauty of this lens is that even with a shallow
depth of field (f/1.8) you can still get very
reasonable sharp images, and as you increase
the f number the sharpness just get better and
better. At its widest aperture the Canon EF
85mm f/1.8 USM gives you sharpness, high contrast,
no spherical aberration and accurate focus,
while others lenses in the same conditions
will produce much more defocused images.
Besides great sharpness this lens is wonderful
in terms of focusing, with its built in ultrasonic
motor (USM ring). This soft ring make it really
easy to handle when using manual focus and
when using auto focus it is fast and quiet. Gently
movements of the ring will get you a great
picture.
Favorite aspects and
final veredict
Every aspect of this lens is a plus and it definitely
worths the money you spend on it. For
being such a small and light lens you can take
it everywhere and enjoy its applications, even
better this lens is also brilliant for film.
Overall the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is must
have, because it will give you excellent quality
photographies while you avoid the weight of a
far more expensive lens.
Portrait of a Harris Hawk (Parabuteo unicintus)
Detail of feathers (Parabuteo unicintus)
48 49

HOW TO...
REFERENCES
In this how to, you will learn how fast and easy can be to create a good quality
cutout usig Photoshop CC. Just follow this simple steps:
Ilar, J. (1998). Why It Is Important to understand animal behavior. 39 (1): 20-26.doi: 10.1093/
ilar.39.1.20 This article appears in:Animal Well-being: Immune Function, Behavior, Morphology, and
Psychoneuroimmunology
Step 1:
Once you photo is open a ready create
a background copy with a new layer
dragging with your mouse your actual
background layer down to the create a
new layer icon. After this, use this layer
copy to do all your work.
With the help of the quick selection
tool, select the area that you want to
be cut.
Step 3:
On the Photoshop toolbar click on select
and then click on refine mask a box will
appear in which you can select the background
best suits for you to view your image
and how much you need to refine it.
Everyone has its own preferences but we
recommend you to pick one depending
on whether you can see a lot of the edge
or not much, is usually better to choose a
view that will let you see a lot of the edge
of your cutout so you can refine it better,
for most of the purposes overlay view
works perfect.
Step 2:
When you are happy with your selection
click the quick mask icon, and immediately
you will see the result of your cutout.
Don’t worry if you are not happy with
your first selection and the resulting cutout
because you can refine this selection.
Move around the radius and for adjusting
how sharp you want it to be and then
play around with the edges adjustments,
as you will be able to see how the image
changes and get better. Finally click OK,
and save it as a PNG without flattening
the layers. You will get a clean cutout with
a transparent background.
Birkett LP, Newton-Fisher NE. (2011). How Abnormal Is the behaviour of captive, zoo-Living chimpanzees?
PLoS ONE 6: e20101. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0020101
Rendón, M. A., A. Garrido, J. M. Ramírez, M. Rendón-Martos, and J. A. Amat. (2001). Despotic
establishment of breeding colonies of greater flamingos, Phoenicopterus ruber, in southern Spain.
Behav Ecol Sociobiol 50:55–60.
Fox, D. L. (1962). Metabolic fractionation, storage and display of carotenoid pigments by flamingoes.
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology.6:1–24
Fox, D. L. A. A. Wolfson and J. W. McBeth. (1969). Metabolism of the B-carotene in the American
Flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 29: 1223 to 1229.
Zweers, G, F. De Jong and H. Berkhoudt. (1995). Filter feeding in flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber.
The Condor 97:1297-324
Swihart, S. L (1967). “Hearing in butterflies”. Journal of Insect Physiology 13 (3): 469–472.
Hirota, Tadao; Yoshiomi, Yoshiomi (2004). “Color discrimination on orientation of femaleEurema
hecabe (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)”. Applied Entomology and Zoology 39 (2): 229–233.
DEVRIES, P. J. and WALLA, T. R. (2001), Species diversity and community structure in neotropical
fruit-feeding butterflies. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 74: 1–15.
Wassenaar, L.I.; Hobson, K.A. (1998). “Natal origins of migratory monarch butterflies at wintering
colonies in Mexico: new isotopic evidence”. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95(26): 15436–9.
Prum, Ro; Quinn, T; Torres, Rh (Feb 2006). “Anatomically diverse butterfly scales all produce structural
colours by coherent scattering” (FREE FULL TEXT). The Journal of experimental biology 209 (Pt
4): 748–65.
Gibo, David L. 1972. “Hibernation sites and temperature tolerance of two species ofVespula and
one species of Polistes.” New York Entomological Society, 80: 105-108.
Kelsey, Paul M. 1968. “Hibernation and winter withdrawal.” The Conservationist, Oct.-Nov.
Palmer, E. Laurence. 1957. “Insect life in winter.” Nature Magazine, January.
50 51

Technical data
Butterflies Wonders
Owl Butterfly (Caligo eurilochus)
ISO 400
50 mm Macro
1/25
f/7.1
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
Butterflies Wonders
Black Swallowtail
(Papilio rumanzovia)
ISO 800
40 mm
1/60
f/6.4
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
Butterflies Wonders
Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
ISO 800
50 mm Macro
1/80
f/5.0
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
Butterflies Wonders
Owl Butterfly (Caligo eurilochus)
ISO 100
65 mm Macro
1/160
f/16
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
Butterflies Wonders
Citrus Swallowtail
(Papillio demodocus)
ISO 1000
50 mm Macro
1/50
f/8.0
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
*Not Marked
Butterflies Wonders
Wing of Butterfly close up
ISO 800
50 mm Macro
1/50
f/10
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
*Not Marked
Butterflies Wonders
Pupae
ISO 1000
50 mm Macro
1/50
f/8.0
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
Butterflies Wonders
Owl Butterfly wing
(Caligo eurilochus)
ISO 1000
50 mm Macro
1/50
f/8.0
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
52 53

Spring in the Cities: Urban
Insects
Hive Bee (Apis mellifera)
ISO 250
40 mm
1/320
f/7.1
Cambridge botanical gardens
Cambridge
Spring in the Cities: Urban
Insects
Bee on flower of Chrry tree
(Prunus sp.)
ISO 200
50 mm Macro
1/160
f/16
The University of Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
Spring in the Cities: Urban
Insects
Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica)
ISO 250
40 mm
1/320
f/16
Cambridge botanical gardens
Cambridge
Spring in the Cities: Urban
Insects
Florew Beetle visiting a cherry
tree (Prunus sp.)
ISO 100
50 mm Macro
1/320
f/7.1
The University of Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
Spring in the Cities: Urban
Insects
Ladybug (Coccinellidae)
ISO 400
50 mm Macro
1/60
f/8.0
Cambridge botanical gardens
Cambridge
Cambridge Botanical garden
Advert
Slender palm lily
(Cordyhne stricta)
ISO 500
50 mm Macro
1/100
f/8.0
Cambridge botanical gardens
Cambridge
Spring in the Cities: Urban
Insects
Cherry tree with bees visiting
(Prunus sp.)
ISO 100
50 mm Macro
1/320
f/7.1
The University of Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
The American Flamingo
American Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber)
ISO 160
400 mm
1/640
f/7.1
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Slimbridge
*Not Marked
54 55

The American Flamingo
American Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber)
ISO 160
400 mm
1/1000
f/5.6
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Slimbridge
The American Flamingo
American Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber)
ISO 160
17 mm
1/250
f/16
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Slimbridge
The American Flamingo
American Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber)
ISO 160
400 mm
1/1000
f/5.6
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Slimbridge
Doncanster Zoo
Wallaby (Macropus sp)
ISO 640
171 mm
1/500
f/6.3
Doncaster Zoo
Yorkshire
The American Flamingo
American Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber)
ISO 250
400 mm
1/200
f/16
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Slimbridge
Peak District Advert
ISO 320
40 mm
1/80
f/11
Padley George
Peak Dsitrict National Park
Derbyshire
The American Flamingo
American Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber)
ISO 160
400 mm
1/800
f/5.6
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Slimbridge
Butterflies Wonders
ISO 640
50 mm Macro
1/125
f/5.6
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
56 57

WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Advert
Ruddy Shelduck
(Tandorna ferruginea)
ISO 200
251 mm
1/250
f/5.6
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Slimbridge
Birds of Prey Centre Advert
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
ISO 500
400 mm
1/640
f/7.1
International Birds of prey centre
Newent
Gloucestershire
How to...
ISO 800
40 mm Macro
1/320
f/9.0
Stratford Upon-Avon Butterfly
Farm
Warwickshire
Birds of Prey Centre Advert
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
ISO 500
149 mm
1/320
f/7.1
International Birds of prey centre
Newent
Gloucestershire
Birds of Prey Centre Advert
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
ISO 200
400 mm
1/320
f/5.6
International Birds of prey centre
Newent
Gloucestershire
Birds of Prey Centre Advert
Bird Expert
ISO 320
400 mm
1/160
f/7.1
International Birds of prey centre
Newent
Gloucestershire
*Not Marked
Birds of Prey Centre Advert
Great Horned Owl
(Bubo Virginianus)
ISO 320
400 mm
1/160
f/7.1
International Birds of prey centre
Newent
Gloucestershire
ISO 200
Nottingham city center
Nottinghamshire
58 59

ISO 200
Wolfscote Dale
Peak District
Unstable Exhibition Review
ISO 800
40 mm
1/80
f/5.6
Format Exhibition
Derbyshire
*Not Marked
ISO 200
Wolfscote Dale
Peak District
Fotographer Feature
Tintypes
ISO 1250
40 mm
1/500
f/6.3
Malt Cross Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
Unstable Exhibition Review
ISO 800
40 mm
1/80
f/5.6
Format Exhibition
Derbyshire
Fotographer Feature
Barney taking a picture
ISO 1250
40 mm
1/30
f/4.0
Malt Cross Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
Unstable Exhibition Review
ISO 800
40 mm
1/80
f/5.6
Format Exhibition
Derbyshire
Fotographer Feature
Photo wash
ISO 1250
40 mm
1/200
f/4.0
Malt Cross Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
*Not Marked
60 61

Fotographer Feature
Barney fixing a tintype
ISO 1250
17 mm
1/100
f/4.5
Malt Cross Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
Animal behaviour in Zoos
Enclousure of polar bear
(Ursus maritimus)
ISO 320
29 mm
1/400
f/10
Doncaster Zoo
Yorkshire
Fotographer Feature
Barney taking a portrait
ISO 1250
35 mm
1/125
f/4.0
Malt Cross Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
Animal behaviour in Zoos
Enclousure of Amur Leopard
ISO 640
17 mm
1/500
f/10
Doncaster Zoo
Yorkshire
Animal behaviour in Zoos
King vulture (Sarcoramphus papa)
ISO 500
297 mm
1/800
f/5.6
Doncaster Zoo
Yorkshire
Animal behaviour in Zoos
Amur Leopard presenting pasing
behaviour (Panthera pardus)
ISO 640
26 mm
1/250
f/9.0
Doncaster Zoo
Yorkshire
Animal behaviour in Zoos
Lemurs
ISO 320
171 mm
1/200
f/6.3
Doncaster Zoo
Yorkshire
Animal behaviour in Zoos
Amur Leopard with pasing behaviour
(Panthera pardus)
ISO 640
198 mm
1/400
f/6.3
Doncaster Zoo
Yorkshire
62 63

Front cover
Yellow Mangoose
(Cynictis penicillata)
ISO 320
183 mm
1/800
f/7.1
Doncaster Zoo
Yorkshire
How to
Canon 85mm Lens
ISO 100
40 mm
1/200
f/20
The University of Nottigham
Nottinghamshire
Front cover
Amerincan Flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber)
ISO 160
400 mm
1/800
f/5.6
WWT Slimbridge Wetlands
Slimbridge
How to
Canon 85mm Lens
ISO 100
40 mm
1/200
f/20
The University of Nottigham
Nottinghamshire
Back cover
ISO 160
17 mm
1/250
f/10
Padley George
Peak Dsitrict National Park
Derbyshire
How to
Harris Hawk
(Parabuteo unicinctus)
ISO 200
85 mm
1/2500
f/2.5
Ruddington
Nottinghamshire
Back cover
Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
ISO 200
85 mm
1/200
f/6.3
Ruddington
Nottinghamshire
How to
Wing of a Harris Hawk
(Parabuteo unicinctus)
ISO 200
85 mm
1/320
f/6.3
Ruddington
Nottinghamshire
64 65

GUESS THE SPECIES
Maricela Rivera 4228284
Profesional Techniques in the field C14204
66