Topic of the Day - Poetry (National Poetry Month) 108/365
This is the poem that stays in my mind since school days - The Tiger by William Blake. The photo was taken in 2009 when I had a "Big Cat Photography day" which was one of the most exciting days of my life!! Being so close to such magnificent animals was breathtaking!!
The Tiger by William Blake
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forest of the night
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, and what art?
Could twist the synews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp?
Dare its deady terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
18th April - Just seen its on the PP!! How wonderful this is one of my favourite shots!! I am so pleased you all liked it!! I do get a thrill when it appears on the PP!! Thank you to everyone who commented and especially those who faved it!!
@maggiemae I spent the day at The Wildlife Heritage Foundation Big Cat Sanctuary which is in Kent. I think it cost about £90. It really was the most fabulous day as you got so close to the cats. You could stand at the inside fence and therefore put your camera up against it so that the wire didn't show. Its a great place for breeding big cats which are becoming very rare in the wild.
Wow this a truly fabulous shot, I would love to have the opportunity to shoot animals like this, I was about to ask where u were when u shot it but I see it's in Kent! Might look into having a day out there myself.
@jo13 Jo I would recommend a photo day at the WHF if you like big cats!! You get so close to them its really exciting. I had bought a new lens to do the day - Canon 70-200mm which is fantastic for detailed closeups. The funny thing was at one point I had the lens up to the fence to take a shot of a tiger and another tiger was right on the other side of the fence and jumped up and licked my lens!! He was too close to get a good shot!! I came out in a hot sweat!! LOL!!
@pamknowler Goodness I bet u did, and then if you are anything like me it took you 20 mins to clean the lens! Do you have the f4, which I have just bought, or f2.8?
@jo13 I was so shocked Jo but all I could think was the tiger was so close to me I couldn't get a shot of him!! The rest of the group were all laughing!! I bought the f4 which was a lot cheaper than the f2.8. Its a lovely lens and I should use it more often. I tend to use my 100-400mm more often than not when i go out for a wildlife shoot - I love that lens but it is very heavy!!
@pamknowler I'm impressd, the 100-400 is a monster, the 70-200 is about all I can manhandle for pointing skyward although I have been thinking about looking into extension tubes! where will it end?!
Instant Fav. If you know anything about me, it's that I am wild about Tigers. I sponsor a Tiger through WWF. I have a Tiger tattoo. I have my office adorned with Tiger photos. Love this shot :)
@dealio@wordpixman@steampowered@dishpix@justine_x@adamj Thank you all for your lovely comments - i really appreciate them!! I have just spotted this one on the PP!! Woweeee!! Thanks ot everyone who Faved it and gave such great comments!! Soooo Pleased as this is one of my all time favourite shots!!
Many thanks also to Darren, Jennifer and Carol for the Favs - you are very kind!!