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FAQ
• How do I adjust the photo so I can see the animal in the image more clearly?
• How can the menus be used to narrow down possible species?
• Why is there only one photo rather than a sequence of photos?
• How can I gauge scale in a photo?
• How should I tag photos with vehicles?
• Why are there empty photos?
• Why are there photos of humans?
• How do I use hashtags?
• If I see a really cool photo, is there a way to save it for the research team to see?
How do I adjust the photo so I can see the animal in the image more clearly?
There are two main options to adjusting photos to make seeing animals in the photo more clearly. The "+" and "-" symbols on the top right margin of the image allows the user to zoom in and out. The half-filled circle at the bottom left margin of the image allows the user to change the contrast of an image. Both of these tools are helpful in finding species that tend to blend in with the environment and/or when photos are dark.
How can the menus be used to narrow down possible species?
At the top of the Task panel adjacent to the image, there are options to narrow down species by body shape, coat markings, coat color, eye shape and tail shape. Selecting these options narrows down the number of species in the species list. You can also use the field guide for more information on identifying different species.
Why is there only one photo rather than a sequence of photos?
Because this is a long-term study that amasses >30, 000 photos per season, we have chosen to set our cameras to take only one photo every 30 seconds (if there is continuous movement). We use scent lure to attract animals to walk in front of the camera, thus, we find that most individuals stick around long enough to be photographed and have not found an adverse effect of using a single photo burst. We realize that this makes it a bit more difficult to classify the photos but we know our volunteers are up to the challenge!
How can I gauge scale in a photo?
Understanding the size of an animal relative to the landscape can be tricky, but there are a few tricks you can use. Comparing the animal to the relative size of tree trunks visible in the photo also can be useful. Also, the camera itself is typically placed at a height of 4 - 6 feet (1 – 2 m) off of the ground. If you come across a photo where the animal is directly in front of the camera, it is likely a deer, as these are the only animals in our area that are tall enough to reach the camera lens.
How should I tag photos with vehicles?
Occasionally a camera is pointed toward a road and we see photos of vehicles. Please enter these photos as “nothing here”. In the past, vehicles were not entered consistently, and are often on the street surrounding a site, not present on the site itself. The one exception is a riding mower. Because our sites include parks with turfgrass, lawnmowers can be seen regularly at some cameras. Identifying the frequency of mowers helps us to understand the impact of human activity on wildlife in this urban habitat.
Why are there empty photos?
There are several reasons for empty photos. Cameras can be triggered by moving leaves, grass, or tree branches, or can just simply malfunction. It’s likely that in some cases an animal triggers the camera, but it moves out of frame before the picture is taken. Before we upload the dataset, we remove photos from cameras that have clearly malfunctioned. Before you click “nothing here” be sure to look very closely! Something might be hiding in a corner.
Why are there photos of humans?
Because we are placing cameras in public places, we do occasionally get photos of humans. Please tag this photo as having a human present. Once a photo is identified as having a human, the photo is immediately removed from the classification pool for privacy considerations. Please do not Talk about, hashtag, or collect these photos; they will be deleted from Talk immediately.
How do I use hashtags?
Hashtags can be added to a photo after classification by clicking “Done and Talk” and entering a hashtag in the comment section for that photo. We encourage the use of hashtags when you are certain about the species classification. This provides an excellent learning tool for other volunteers who may want to see examples of a certain species. You are welcome to hashtag other observations about the photos (e.g., “cute”) but please refrain from hashtagging anything inappropriate (see below for hashtags on Human photos).
If I see a really cool photo, is there a way to save it for the research team to see?
Yes! After tagging a photo and using the Done and Talk you can use #wow to show off some cool photos. You can also click the heart icon in the bottom left margin of the image. This will notify us to save this photo for future use.