Mar 20, 2019 | Wildlife Photography
I was in great company Monday at the Walthamstow Wetlands! Along with my dear friend Michael Eleftheriades and the Nikon Owner gang, I got the privilege to explore the newly opened wetlands just north of London. This urban wildlife wonderland was simply spectacular that I so enjoyed. I had seen a European Robin in the past but never when I had a lens to capture it by. I was so hoping to have an opportunity this trip now that I was prepared and I wasn’t disappointed … and a lot more!
Knowing I was going on this adventure and wanting to travel light, I brought the Nikkor 180-400VR / Nikkor TC-14eIII which turned out perfect. Using simple biology, the birds and the bees, I came across of pair of European Robins working on a nest. With sex in the air, getting close was easy. I just had to wait for the background I wanted. Another really cool bird (there were tons!) was the Great crested Grebe. It’s that time of year when they pair bond by dancing on the water. I regret we didn’t get to see that! They are great looking birds.
The main point though is this “urban” wildlife refuge is a great resource for anyone in or around London for amazing wildlife photography in site of the Olympic Park or downtown. I can’t encourage you enough to take advantage of this or any urban wildlife in your own backyard. And to Michael and the gang … thanks again for a brilliant day and a great dinner!!!
Mar 18, 2019 | Wildlife Photography
Sanderling
captured by D5 / 800mm / Panning Plate
This is a real simple blog post, light and its emotional quality (warmth) has to be captured! This example shows what happens when lieing on the sand with a Sanderling when a cloud goes in front of the sun. The quality of light, both its quantity and its warmth disappears. The “blue” or cold tone brought by the cloud cover stops the photo from going out and grabbing heartstrings. With the sun out, that warmth opens the door letting the viewer quickly in to engage with the Sanderling. This is something that won’t improve with changing the WB in the camera or in post. It only comes from the sun and you must look for and embrace it when it shines!
Sanderling
captured by D5 / 800mm / Panning Plate
Mar 8, 2019 | Wildlife Photography
Balancing image size between physically moving (be it feet or hands) or not is the balancing act we need to dance every time we’re shooting critters. Understand I have to critical precepts to my photography, the first is, NO photograph is worth sacrificing the welfare of the subject. None! Second, I get it right, right in the camera. I don’t crop in post. Right or wrong, that is just my SOP, has been forever. With that in mind, working or “hiding” behind our big glass is essential in getting close physically, isolating with our optics while not altering the behavior of the critter to get the images size we desire. It is, a glass balancing act!
Rocky Mtn Bighorn Sheep
captured Z6 / 180-400VR w/int 1.4x
In this case, we have three, Rocky Mtn Bighorn Sheep rams coming down the slope to check out the ewes and see where they are going. I’m standing totally out in the open, they can see Moose with no strain. My moving though would have stopped their forward motion which not only is affecting their behavior but defeats the whole “getting a larger image size” to get a better photo philosophy. So if physically moving, walking closer, is out of the question, you gotta do something with glass. With big game, last fall I would have gone with the Nikkor 200-400VR2 / TC-14eIII option. If I was zoomed out to 400mm, the only way I could go longer would be to add the 1.4x. There were times when moving my arms/hands in that process isn’t possible because it would affect the critters behavior. That’s the principle reason why I spent the money and went with the 180-400VR. Adding the 1.4x is a simple flip of a lever. That isn’t the option for most and until it was available, wasn’t for me either. It just means that whatever glass solution you have, like the 300PF with 1.4 & 2x, High Speed Crop, or whatever your solution, you recognize what the critters behavior is or might be, what you need to do to get the image size you desire and act to get that photo without altering their behavior. It’s a tall order YOU can master, must master and is a huge part of the reward of wildlife photography when you succeed at the glass balancing act.
HSC
Feb 28, 2019 | Wildlife Photography
Common Gallinule
captured by D5 / 800mm
We see the same things over and over again to the point that we don’t give them a second thought. It’s only when there is something unique about that common sight do we stop and think about them. At the beginning of my career, to say I was focused on just the glamorous species is an understatement. Those common critters I saw but didn’t point my glass at them. Thankfully, very early on in my career, it was graphically pointed out to me that most focus on the glamorous as well. There was money to be made shooting the common since nobody was. That’s when I realized that if I shot the common in an uncommon way, there would be even more money to be made. I like making money from my images. I share this very basic and simple concept with everyone I shoot with for many reasons, the main one being the photographic challenge in making the uncommon out of the common. Case in point …
Last week, we had a kinda unexciting day shooting as the temps hovered about 90 in Florida. Critters don’t like that heat any more than we do. At the very last light of the day, we came upon a couple of Common Gallinules. As their name implies, they are common and like most photographers, I tend to pass them up in ordinary light. But in this case, not only was there very sweet light just kissing the bird, but also the world around it. The dark shadow cast on the water let the ripples light up while permitting us to see underneath to its feet. Shooting with the D5 / 800mm and it’s 1.25x, I was able to isolate the Gallinule, feets and ripple in the darkness behind it to make the photo. If there is a trick to this whole thing, it’s to recognize that common item in those times when you’re seeing it in a new way. Then bring your camera on that subject and share that unqiue moment. Or as I remind those shooting with me continually, make the uncommon from the common.
Feb 26, 2019 | Wildlife Photography
“Do I need a polarizer?” This is a really common question that truly has no right or wrong answer. It’s truly up to you and the story you want to tell and how you want to tell it. This question rarely if ever come up when photographing critters though which kinda surprises me. This is because when photographing critters, there are many times when a polarizer can dramatically make a difference. Here’s a recent example of that, this Black-bellied Whistling Duck in a pond full of lily pads. If you look at the two photos, you can see how the polarizer removed from the majority of the pads the reflected gray skies. If you look at the duck’s bill, you can see where some the reflection was removed from it as well. The overall photograph has a “richer” look to it just from using the polarizer. So why not use it all the time then?
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
captured by D5 / 800mm / no polarizer
The first issue is the polarizer isn’t a cure-all. If you look, not every lily pad has the reflection removed. That’s because the physics of it is, they don’t all face the same direction so don’t all polarize the same at the same time. You have to rotate the polarizer to maximize the effect to your taste. Next, some think they are expensive. I was shooting the D5 / 800mm / 52mm drop-in polarizer which is $199. It’s an essential tool to me. Lastly, it does suck up a stop of light which sometimes we can’t afford to lose. Added to that is I typically at +.03 exposure comp to “dull” the color saturation of the polarizer. It can make a difference, your option is whether it’s a tool for your story or not.
Feb 22, 2019 | Wildlife Photography
Laughing Gull
captured by Z6 / 800mm
on tripod
These two photographs were literally taken just a minute apart. The top image was taken from a top of my Gitzo 5562SGT / Zenelli Carbon Fiber Gimbal Head with the Z6 / 800mm and the bottom photo the same gear on a panning plate. I shot with the gear on the tripod then literally laid flat, in front of the tripod took the second shot.
Laughing Gull
captured by Z6 / 800mm
on panning plate
The tripod shot is just a “gull” photo but as soon as the camera hits the sand, it’s now much more. The only difference though it’s a big one is the background. This post is really no more than to once again emphasize how important background is and how little we have to do as photographers to make a big impact in our storytelling.
