Today I have been going through my tracking photos and thinking of my tracking trip and I started thinking about track markers, I normally use upturned leaves or reed stems or anything that will stand out from it surroundings to mark the spoors but I was thinking of using something else that would stand out in wide angle photos of the track plan. I used to work as I criminal investigator and on occasions would have to mark evidence and I was thinking of getting some of these markers but there are so many different type which one? Well we used to photograph the evidence and would have to add a scale to show size; it was then that I remembered a plastic marker that had the scale printed on it like a small ruler but these cost a fortune.
I decided to have a play in Photoshop and come up with a similar product that could be printed out when needed or could be printed and laminated.
This is what I came up with
It did the job so I thought I would jazz it up a bit
I have managed to get 33 on a sheet of A4 paper and have saved it as a PDF file which I was going to make available here for you to download and print if you wished but I am not allowed to attach files for some obscure reason. So if you would like a copy of the PDF pm me your email address and I will pass you a copy. This is what it looks like
A tip: If you take the file to your local printers they can print it onto Opaque White Film, this is the stuff those waterproof pads are made of so will be waterproof and durable.
I am a keen photographer and have quite a bit of equipment but when I was photographing small items as evidence using a macro lens I got fed up with setting up the tripod so I got an old jug and cut a hole in the top, I drop the jug over the object I want to photograph and put the lens through to hole and the camera is ready to take the photo. That is how the above images were taken.
Finally on occasions a tracking stick is used to help during the track and some people say to take a tape measure. I keep a one meter folding ruler in my pack to help when I am tracking.
I have to say I was taught to track 25 years ago by an old poacher and have forgotten most of what he has taught me so I am trying to relearn it and I am a basically a novice, the guy that taught me to track did not use any of the above and I am sure there are other trackers on here that would say none of the above has any use but it may help me and others.
Does anyone else have any useful tips or ideas to help tracking?
I decided to have a play in Photoshop and come up with a similar product that could be printed out when needed or could be printed and laminated.
This is what I came up with
It did the job so I thought I would jazz it up a bit
I have managed to get 33 on a sheet of A4 paper and have saved it as a PDF file which I was going to make available here for you to download and print if you wished but I am not allowed to attach files for some obscure reason. So if you would like a copy of the PDF pm me your email address and I will pass you a copy. This is what it looks like
A tip: If you take the file to your local printers they can print it onto Opaque White Film, this is the stuff those waterproof pads are made of so will be waterproof and durable.
I am a keen photographer and have quite a bit of equipment but when I was photographing small items as evidence using a macro lens I got fed up with setting up the tripod so I got an old jug and cut a hole in the top, I drop the jug over the object I want to photograph and put the lens through to hole and the camera is ready to take the photo. That is how the above images were taken.
Finally on occasions a tracking stick is used to help during the track and some people say to take a tape measure. I keep a one meter folding ruler in my pack to help when I am tracking.
I have to say I was taught to track 25 years ago by an old poacher and have forgotten most of what he has taught me so I am trying to relearn it and I am a basically a novice, the guy that taught me to track did not use any of the above and I am sure there are other trackers on here that would say none of the above has any use but it may help me and others.
Does anyone else have any useful tips or ideas to help tracking?
