Observation skills

[falling rain]

I'm currently reading 'Finding your way without map or compass' by Harold Gatty.
I've only read about a quarter of it so far but it seems a very interesting read, Anyway main point of the thread is that he describes an exercise in the book that is actually quite good fun (well I think it is anyway)
have a look at a landscape photograph (not taken by yourself and of which you have no knowledge, so a random picture out of a book for example) and try to determine, time of day the photo was taken, time of year, whereabouts, orientation of the photo, try to determine which direction any roads/tracks are running. This and more.....can all be done by looking at the state of the vegetation (time of year) length and direction of shadows (time of day and orientation of photo, as the sun rises in the east and arcs round to the south, setting in the west) so any shadows from trees will be pointing north. Southern facing branches on a tree tend to be more horizontal, as they secure more sunlight. Northern facing branches are more vertical as they are in effect reaching back over themselves to reach the sun. There is also greater branch foliage on the southern side. Any way you get the picture (no pum intended) it's actually quite good fun when you can't get out (and some of you may think I don't get out much by posting this) It can also be applied when you ARE out though, by observing all these things around you and practice finding the cardinal directions. It's easy if there's sun shining but a tad more difficult if it's a grey day. Then check it with a compass when you've decided which way is which.

 

[Toddy]

Nice find falling rain
Y'know, quite apart from it being good practice for adults, that's an excellent way to teach children. It strikes me as a good wet day exercise for them, especially if they can visit the site later too. You could also bring in the 'draw a map' from the picture and what's 'likely to live where' as well.
HWMBLT has been playing around with aerial photgraphy, I used these in Archaeology and Geography too, and a stereoscope is a fascinating gadget when used on these photos; 3D images literally 'stand up' from the page.
Maybe mention the idea on the Children's Bushcraft Sticky thread.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[leon-1]

HWMBLT has been playing around with aerial photgraphy, I used these in Archaeology and Geography too, and a stereoscope is a fascinating gadget when used on these photos; 3D images literally 'stand up' from the page.
Maybe mention the idea on the Children's Bushcraft Sticky thread.

Cheers,
Toddy

Stereoscopy (looking at two consecutive air photos through a viewer at the same time time) is great fun and I found it very interesting when I was using it.

A certain number of people suffer with reverse stereoscopy and as such where a house would (should) stand out of the ground it actually sits in and leaves a house shape depression.

Steroscopy can also be used for line of sight studies, Drawing a line from one point on a photograph to another, if the line sits above the ground you can see it, if it makes a furrow in the ground then you can't (this is really for ground level veiwing).

I learnt about both of these methods in the forces (steroscopy and the method that falling rain has described)

 

[falling rain]

I'm getting near the end of this book now. It's not a bad read I'd give it 6 out of 10.

The author says when there is an overcast sky it is often possible to find the direction of the sun by holding a knife blade vertically on your thumb nail or maybe a piece of paper. When the blade is rotated the finest shadow will show the sun's direction.
Anyone tried this or know of any other methods of finding the sun on an overcast day?
Most of us know the shadow stick and watch methods but of course these only work when the sun is out and are not entirely accurate except at certain times of year, but good as a general indicator of direction

 

[Lithril]

Its got some reasonable information in there, I've got i here somewhere I can quite put a finger on it but the book didnt quite fulfil what i was expecting of it, not sure if thats just me though.

 

[falling rain]

I agree Lithril. It's not a bad read and some of the information is very interesting.