It's easy to think that a classic shot of a bird has taken weeks of work, and in some cases this is true. However, when it comes to birds that regularly visit the feeders on your garden its extremely easy to elevate your shots to the next level. In this video I go from taking shots of a goldfinch feeding on a niger seed feeder to that classic teasel shot. This is easy to do with a few quick tricks that will take you under an hour to set up. Not only that but all of these techniques can be used with the other birds that visit your winter feeders. A great project close to home to see you through these winter months.
How to choose your first Wildlife Photography Camera
After releasing my series on how to make a start as a wildlife photographer earlier this year I have had many people asking me for recommendations for cameras to start out in wildlife photography. While I can't tell you which camera will be best for you, hopefully this video will enable you to make an informed decision on the camera that best suits your needs. This is the method I use every time I make a change to my camera setup and it always provides me with the camera that allows me to achieve the results I want. Hopefully it will help you do the same.
This week I search for the elusive water vole. It doesn't work out but I'm far from disappointed
The water vole has become very hard to find these days and I knew my trip to Cromford canal in the Derbyshire Peak District may not be a fruitful one. However, I don't come away disappointed as I find the best location ever for little grebe (dab chick) Not only are they abundant but are far less wary of humans due to the number of people walking the canal. I really couldn't have got better images with beautiful autumn light.
The Red Deer Rut has to be one of the UK's most spectacular wildlife events. But near Sheffield?
In this weeks video I go to a place I only recently discovered to capture film and images of the Red Deer rut. I would normally head to the Scottish highlands to witness and photography this spectacle. However, last year that changed when the covid pandemic lead to reduced travel. It was only by searching on line I discovered images of the red deer rut taken at a place called Big Moor just to the west of Sheffield. Intrigued I headed off up there and managed to catch the back end of the rut. This year I return much earlier to try and capture the behaviour of these wonderful animals. As I say in this video please remember these are not park animals used to the encroachment of humans. For the safety of yourself and the deer please use your common sense and stay at a sensible distance.
Astrophotography - A new old Project!
Its been almost ten years since I sold my astrophotography kit. At the time I was using an extremely heavy mount and telescope combination that didn't fit in with my desire to travel light. Instead I concentrated on my wildlife and landscape photography. With the new lightweight travel mounts on the market I decided now was a great time to give one of these small versatile mounts a go. And so begins the journey of re-learning everything I thought I knew and perhaps even getting over my phobia of the hours spent processing in front of that computer screen. This week I introduce you to some of the kit I am going to be using before getting on with the full setup of the Skywatcher Star Adventurer in the coming weeks.
Family Holidays are great but what if you want to get out for some Wildlife Photography?
I often find that I want to get out for some wildlife photography when on family holidays. That's often because the places we visit are different environments to my home and can lead to encounters with less well known species. In this video I manage to get out for some wildlife photography while on a short three day visit to the Scottish Borders. With so little time I have to evaluate the possible from the impossible while still keeping the rest of the family happy. Watch to find out how I got on