Kites and herring gulls...

The heavy cloud of early morning gives way to blue skies and crisp autumn weather. A brisk westerly wind is blowing, and I know conditions are right for the kite surfing enthusiast, so I pack my longest lens and cycle to Sandbanks, on the southern shore of Poole Harbour. Despite the fact that I'm already shooting with a tele-converter attached to a 300mm lens the surfers themselves are too far from the shore to get frame filling images, so I opt to shoot the kites themselves (above).

Having stood for more than an hour in one spot the wind chill gets the better of me and I decide to head home - a bit of exercise will soon warm me up. As the sun sinks low on the horizon I come across a herring gull perched on a groyne head.

Normal procedure in this scenario is: I edge carefully towards my subject, making no sudden moves, slowly and quietly unpack my camera with telephoto lens attached, fix the assembly to the monopod and begin to frame the subject... at which point it flies off before I can make an exposure. Except in this case it didn't happen. The gull was more than happy (it seems) to be photographed on Bournemouth beach in the late afternoon sun.


Both images: 300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14E converter.

Top: 1/1000 second at f/8. - 0.33 EV compensation.
Below: 1/800 second at f/4.5
ISO 400

© 2011

Arctic Sunrise...

I have a feeling the mild weather we have been experiencing in the South West of the UK is about to depart for cooler conditions, although the wind chill factor from a stiff south-westerly no doubt played a part, today.

I cycled to Poole Harbour, mainly for the exercise, but as always, I had my camera with me. Upon arrival at Sandbanks I was aware of the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise leaving port, and I had to race it to the harbour entrance to get into position to photograph the vessel as it passed before Brownsea Island (photo). I had no inkling that the ship was in port, but obviously others did as there were more photographers than usual toting cameras in the area.

70-200mm f/2.8 AF Apo Sigma lens. 1/500 second at f/5.6. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2011

Rim light and motion blur...

The relatively mild weather of southwest England continues, and according to one dog walker I spoke to on Stanpit Marsh, Dorset, it's set to continue until at least the end of the month. I had arrived on the marsh during mid afternoon with my longest lens, but no real idea of what I intended to shoot. I took a number of "warm-up" shots before coming across the same chap who I bumped into a couple of weeks ago, counting the ponies. I ask him if he is still to arrive at a consistent count, but he tells me that he counts them every Saturday. He also tells me that a Glossy Ibis is still on the marsh and directs me to the general area.

He is, of course, right, but the bird remains tantalisingly out of range of my longest lens, even with a teleconverter attached. It's while I wait for the ibis to move closer (it never does) I turn and see a lone marsh pony - rim lit, along with the reeds - against the setting sun.

Once the sun dips below the horizon I decide to call it a day. I chat for a while with someone out walking and taking the crisp evening air, but it is just as we are both about to leave that a skein of Canada Geese appear from the North. I instinctively raise the camera to my eye and make a number of exposures as I follow their flight. In my haste I failed to make appropriate camera settings, and shot hand held with a shutter speed that was far too low to get sharp images. Not deterred, I open the files on my computer and find that some of these images have a pleasing blur, giving the feeling of movement to the photograph. Sometimes an error can still produce a useable photograph.

Both images:
300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14E converter.
Top: 1/500 second at f/5. + 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 400
Bottom: 1/60 second at f/4.5. + 1 stop EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2011

Green light...

Often seen, but never photographed by me, today I was lucky enough to witness military training at Sandbanks, Dorset. I first spotted the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane circling overhead from Bournemouth pier as I was out for an afternoon ride. I took a few token shots from a distance, and without a second thought carried on my way west. It wasn't until I arrived at the western end of Poole bay some 20 minutes later that I realised the aircraft was still in the area; still circling.

I began to make a series of photographs as the plane made a number of passes in the hope that its contents were still onboard, but despite the aircraft's main door being open there was nothing forthcoming. Finally, the Hercules disappeared into the distance, so I spent time making attempts to photograph gulls in flight.

Around 35 minutes later, to my surprise, it returned and continued the same flight pattern that I had witnessed earlier. Nevertheless, I kept a watchful eye on the plane, and was eventually rewarded with what I had been waiting for. The photograph shows a number of British Army Marines on a training exercise, jumping from the rear of the aircraft and parachuting into the sea near Old Harry Rocks on the Dorset coast.



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14E converter. 1/2000 second at f/8. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2011

Unseasonably warm...

It remains unseasonably warm in the south west of the UK, and following orders I get myself out of the house with a camera and two lenses - both zooms (the lenses were my decision) - and go for an 18 mile bike ride. It was never my intention to ride that distance, but it was easy riding and the weather was good. It just happened.

I rode the full length of Poole Bay, Dorset, to start with, taking a number of images of Hengistbury Head at the Eastern end to get me started. There was a good deal of haze and that, mixed with the autumn light, produced the top image. In essence I photographed the light, not the subject.

Upon reaching the Sandbanks end of the bay I was attracted by a variety of gulls, squabbling over scraps of bread being fed to them. Their behaviour is predictable in this activity as they wheel overhead, waiting for their opportunity to swoop and grab what they can. This is where the telephoto zoom shines, as I can constantly reframe as the birds approach my position, shooting when they have in a good orientation to the camera. Prime lenses restrict this, often forcing me to shoot before the subject fills the frame, or sometimes too late, and part of the bird is lost out of frame.

Both photos: 70-200mm f/2.8 Apo Sigma lens.
           
         Top: 1/400 second at f/8. ISO 500. Polarising filter
         Below: 1/2000 second at f/5.6. ISO 400


© 2011

Lucky break...

The weather has been typical for the time of year over the past week or so, with grey skies and light rain. However, today the clouds cleared long enough for some late afternoon sunshine. On the bike with two lenses in the bag, and heading for the shore.

Although very mild for the time of year, there were very few people taking advantage of the sea air. I'm shooting mainly cloud formations, lit by the setting sun, but two dog walkers time it perfectly and stroll into the frame as the sun breaks through the cloud bank to the West. There were no other people on the beach itself. Piece of luck.




70-200mm f/2.8 Apo Sigma lens. 1/1250 second at f/6.3. +1 stop EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2011