u/Synaxis — reddlx

I'm a hobbyist, but I'm definitely trying to improve my skills in camera and in post in a serious way. I like the idea of perhaps someday having a small business specializing in canine (and perhaps eventually equine) photography.

I've been using a Z7II. Yes, I know. I didn't know about the processor before I got it for this exact purpose. Yes, I definitely plan to eventually upgrade the body.

For now, I've been focusing on portraits and relatively "still" shots.

I'm currently contemplating the merits of an 85mm lens for situational uses. It would not be a primary lens in the long run (or even in the short-term, tbh) but for niche cases requiring something close-quarters and fairly intimate (eg. senior/"end of life" situations, maternity (yes, people do this for their dogs), neonatal puppies, etc), it seems like a suitable option.

How do we feel about the non-Nikkor Z-mount 85mm options? Decent auto-focus? Clarity, bokeh? Weight is not a major factor for me.

I don't have much (read as: any) experience with non-Nikkor lenses but I can't stomach the thought of spending $2800 on a lens I won't use that often, and I don't know what brands to trust.

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u/Synaxis — 9 days ago

▲ 13 r/jerky

Is it sacrilege to ask for recommendations here?

I do not eat anywhere near enough beef jerky to be interested in learning to make my own, to be clear.

I have a long road trip coming up in a few weeks. I always like to have snacks on hand for long drives, and beef jerky is a favorite high protein option for the road.

I could just buy a couple of bags of Jack Link's teriyaki jerky and be fine, I suppose, but since I have the time to look into it...

Perhaps some of you guys could recommend a couple of brands to look into? I prefer to stick with beef and definitely prefer more tender jerky over super dry and chewy. Interested in sweet and smoky flavors, not spicy ones.

Thanks in advance!

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u/Synaxis — 13 days ago

▲ 586 r/husky

The STAAR conference is an animal rehab conference attended by vet staff and canine physical therapists from all over the world. They have a variety of courses and each one has not only a lecture, but hands-on practical portions too using live canine volunteers.

I volunteered at this conference for several years with my previous boy, Cy, and always enjoyed the experience. He was a medical dog with a ton of issues, and I always came away with some new knowledge either about how he was feeling physically or things I could be doing to help him feel his best.

This is the first one I've attended since 2019 and the first one for both of these guys.

Solace was a sweet gentle baby who loved the hands-on portion, as he got to make so many new friends and they were all so happy to let him love them. He did struggle a lot whenever there was downtime and he was expected to just sit and be quiet, but I think that's something that can be easily worked on. He was otherwise great, willing to just relax and lay when asked, also willing to try out the equipment in the class that used it.

Sumac was so much more composed and mature than I expected and was happy to sit or lay silently while nothing was going on. He did make all of his scary grumbly noises (perhaps too many; nobody complained, and most folks understood he was just being a vocal husky, but at least one was nervous about him), and he did not want to lay on his side to be worked on at all. He loved the exercises with the equipment!

I did receive very consistent feedback that Sumac has a bunch of tightness/soreness in his lower back-SI-pelvic region, and his transitional vertebra could be a contributing factor to that. I've already called our local PT to get him in for a tune-up and get him on a maintenance schedule. :)

So proud of how my boys were overall!

u/Synaxis — 16 days ago

▲ 1.0k r/husky

u/Synaxis — 24 days ago