Thompson Creek Trail
by Pasadena Adjacent
forgot to deactivate the flash
attempted to fix the miscalculation through a digital program
switched to video
Thank you Garrick Chow at Lynda.com
My first “edited” Wee Video Production.
.
Pasadena Adjacent
Life Lived on the Edge of Pasadena
Our Editor Responds: Thompson Creek Trail is in Claremont.
That was a lucky sighting! I hiked that trail recently, but on a weekend when it was VERY busy.
**********
Our Editor Responds: Both the loop and this trail have become increasingly busy.
I tought I saw a putty-cat, then it turned out to be a bob cat complete with scrolling title. It’s always great to have a wild sighting, better yet to capture it on film. Well done iMovie maker.
**********
Our Editor responds: iMovie-11 is a great program and fairly complex. It even has green screen capabilities. You can buy the 3.5 hr tutorial session with Gerrick Chow for $49.00 through Lynda.com. He’s a really good instructor.
TOTALLY AWESOME! (Ditto on what D. said.) And you had your camera ready, and the wild cat enjoyed posing, and you edited your own film. Did I say AWESOME?
Are you a Lynda subscriber?
**********
Our Editor Responds: She wasn’t posing. I blinded her when I forgot to deactivate the flash in the first photo. The second photo is the same one as the first. The difference is I put it through an imaging program and it brought the cat up. And the video footage – terrible. My movie program made the best of it. And yes. I used too have an account with Lynda.com when I was studying code. Derrick Chow was my favorite instructor then too. Now I’ve taken out a month ($25).
I was thinking bobcat, and I’m extravagantly proud of myself. Of course, what are the other possibilities . . . ? Elephant? Giraffe? Dwarf cheetah?
Cool video and photos. I much prefer the two with the flash, esp. the second one. I suppose it makes Bob kind of comical, but it’s very striking. In the video, do you suppose s/he took off because a dog started barking?
**********
Our Editor Responds: How about Tabby? So are you saying you don’t like my video? The first photo I forgot to turnoff the flash. The second photo is the same photo AFTER I brought the cat out through an imaging program. Re dog?: no, thats not what made the bob cat leave; but through the miracle of “editing” I made you believe it was the reason.
This is so amazing, I could cry. I’ve never been that close to one. Brilliant that you were able to capture the moment. (And I LURVE the glowy eye ones. THen again, I think all cats are magical and can glow in the dark…)
**********
Our Editor Responds: Yeah, they have eyes like a house cat. Pupils that narrow into slits and glow when light is cast on them. The big cats have round pupils that dilate like our own. And of course, all cats are magical.
I’m worried that you were out there hiking in the dark. That can’t be safe. At least tell me you brought a whistle.
**********
Our Editor Responds: I only use a whistle on blind curves; so as not to be run over by idiot mountain bikers.
I love bobcats! So beautiful. I like the glowy-eyed one, too. I think you’re very brave to be out hiking in the dark. Bobcats are the last thing that would worry me.
**********
Our Editor Responds: They are special. Sometimes they appear gray but this one is a ginger. After sunset but before darkness
Oh Man, that is just soooo cool. Personally, I’m amazed how many times I’ve been hiking and have never seen any wildlife besides birds. I always hope I’ll see a big cat, or a bear, even a deer. I did see a rattler once, and a tortoise. But that gorgeous cat is the prize! I loved the way it looked at you and you both really kept your cool out there! Great postproduction as well. That’s one place I’ll have to put on my list…
**********
Our Editor Responds: That surprises me, not even deer? My wildlife sightings tend to be in the foothills, close to civilization. You do have one up on me with the tortoise sighting. As to the cat, I’m afraid I blinded him/her stupid with my flash. But yeah, I was pretty happy with my first video effort. I kept it minimal, amped the color some, steadied the jumpiness as much as possible and threw in a bird soundtrack as background.
Forget the creek and take the Claremont wilderness loop instead. Veer right in the beginning then stay left for the duration of the loop. If you veer off right by the water tower, you’ll end up in a once habitated canyon that was burnt out by fire. From there you heading towards Padua theater
Ooooo. Photo #2 looks like an illustration from a fairy tale.
**********
Our Editor Responds: Yes, one of those cold icey nordic types you favor. This just for you. A link I know you’ll like. Click it, it’s hot
http://au.sports.yahoo.com/banzai/cycle/feature/-/10440303/mountain-biker-taken-out-by-wild-animal/
Wow, I love the ginger coloring. The only one I’ve ever seen was silver. Both are gorgeous, of course.
**********
Our Editor Responds: They supposedly take on a redder hue in spring and fall. But then I got this information from a Wisconsin hunting site. I thought this guy was especially red.
Very cool sighting and photos!
**********
Our Editor Responds: It came as a surprise, but then they all do. My favor Valentines day moment.
Wow! What a great sighting! You are very lucky to see a bobcat in the wild. It is nice to know that there are still some out there!
**********
Our Editor Responds: every once in awhile I get to see one. Mr V once saw a bob-cat on the church hill with the cross on it
We don’t have exotic hiking trails around here but I’m sure what trails there are bobcats can be seen. I guess I need to head early/late one day/night. Your nature sightings are always fascinating especially when they’re close-up like this one.
**********
Our Editor Responds: This trail, although starting at the base of the foothills, runs along the backside of housing on one side and a channeled stream on the other. Most of my walking takes place around the last hours of sunlight when most everything comes out.
That’s quite the pair of eyes. You’re watching being watched.
**********
Our Editor Responds: Yes, but she blinked first.
What did u use to record this wildlife of the dark?
(I kept reading this as the Thompson Greek trail.)
And the last video with Ellen Degeneres shopping is hilarious.
**********
Our Editor Responds: My trusty Cannon G9. Re Ellen, Please tell me WP didn’t throw a commercial ad up?
Amazing that you captured this on video.
**********
Our Editor Responds: Nice to hear from you Jean
That’s the best Valentine’s gift ever! I watched the video with Ramona perched beside me, sitting in the same posture as your bobcat. Isn’t it cool how our feline housemates are so similar to those out in the wild?
Ramona loved the bird soundtrack. Not so much the dogs.
As for that video for Hiker in your comments – that is crazy! But what the heck’s a hartebeespoort?
*****
Our Editor Responds: Yes, I’m now a big time film director/conceiver/editor. Hartebeespoort? – good sadistic fun. Wish a bear would intervene on a few local yahoos throwing us off the trails.
btw: I don’t think the hiker ever opened the link up. She likes to make them but she doesn’t like to take them.