Hello Paul,
I'm glad that you responded. In no way did I insinuate that all photographers are trying to conquer nature. I am saying that when it sinks to the level of people arguing about their gear and flexing their egos, it loses all touch and association with, and of, its beginnings which is in fact, nature. Out competing in the field to get the best shot is indeed exploitative of nature as well as the methodology involved behind getting that shot if it in fact requires rubble rousing or habitat destruction or disruption. Upgrading cameras all the time is also exploitative of nature's resources. Kudos to our abilities to remember our technology free moments in nature which are free and last forever and don't exploit anything or one... Of course, I too, take pictures of birds; they are beautiful and yes I study them and enjoy the photos as I reflect on my experience with them. I appreciate you learning all you can about our wonderful companion species and would not ask you stop photographing them. My request was simply to stop the destructive force of argument on a page intended to foster love and education in the birding community. I now have become involved in an argument, so this is where I bow out.
Happy birding, and I would be more than happy to go with you.
Kersti

P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kersti E. Muul
First President; Seattle University Wildlife and Ornithological Society

Environmental /Ecological Studies 2010
206-651-6637
muulk at seattleu.edu

Research Intern
College of Forest Resources; Wildlife Conservation Option
University of Washington
<mailto:muulk at u.washington.edu>
'Life is really very beautiful, it is not the ugly thing that we have made of it; and you can appreciate its richness, its depth, its extraordinary loveliness only when you revolt against everything - organized religion, against tradition, against the present rotten society - so that you as a human being find out for yourself what is true. Not to imitate but to discover - that is education, is it not?'

- Krishnamurti

________________________________

From: Paul Sparks [mailto:paul.sparks at gmail.com]
Sent: Tue 3/16/2010 3:55 PM
To: Muul, Kersti
Cc: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] please stop this


Hello,

This is also my first post. I joined this list because I'll be visiting Seattle at the end of April and wanted to get a better understanding of the birds and the area before I came to visit. I had no intention of joining the argument until now. Kersti, I think your choice of words is unfortunate. I am a photographer who loves photographing birds as well as other subjects. Photographing birds has helped me learn more about birds and see them when I'm not photographing them. Not all bird photographers are trying to conquer nature. Some are just trying to preserve it.
I still look forward to my visit and if anyone wants to bird or photograph with me at the end of April, please feel free to send my an email.

Paul Sparks
Glendale, Wisconsin

www.paulcsparks.com <http://www.paulcsparks.com/>
www.flickr.com/photos/bookguy


On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 4:03 PM, Muul, Kersti <muulk at seattleu.edu> wrote:


Hello all,
This is my first time writing, and I have a small request. Please stop this ridiculous arguing over gear and ego.
I have these sent to me so that I may enjoy what others are experiencing in nature, not to get caught up in the destructiveness
of the human, trying another angle at conquering nature, under the guise of wildlife photography. If you so need to document every tidbit of a bird's life that you end up missing the beauty and inner growth provided to you by outer experience, well that is unfortunate. You are behaving no better than paparazzi in my opinion.
Let the birds be for God's sake, so that we may enjoy them, and each other, respectfully...
Thank you,
Kersti


P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Kersti E. Muul
First President; Seattle University Wildlife and Ornithological Society

Environmental /Ecological Studies 2010
206-651-6637
muulk at seattleu.edu

Research Intern
College of Forest Resources; Wildlife Conservation Option
University of Washington
<mailto:muulk at u.washington.edu>
'Life is really very beautiful, it is not the ugly thing that we have made of it; and you can appreciate its richness, its depth, its extraordinary loveliness only when you revolt against everything - organized religion, against tradition, against the present rotten society - so that you as a human being find out for yourself what is true. Not to imitate but to discover - that is education, is it not?'

- Krishnamurti

_______________________________________________
Tweeters mailing list
Tweeters at u.washington.edu
http://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters