Getting better all the time...

No doubt about it, I could quite happily sit and do this kind of photography all day, every day. Spring has arrived and the temperature reached double figures on the Celsius scale for the first time since I don't know when.

I return to the same locations as yesterday, since I felt the images I shot didn't do the subjects justice, nor was I using the optics best suited for the job. Yesterday, with the super-telephoto lens it was a nearly-but-not-quite, but pressing the same lens into service for close-ups never really works so I decided I needed to re-shoot.

Luckily the weather was on my side, and having spent a glorious three hours - both on and off my lightweight, folding stool (thanks again, Nic), I take the long way home on my bike... and I'm glad I did.

I came across the fox as a result of my meanderings; not such an unusual sighting, these days, but I was surprised all the same. I watched it sniffing around the grass for perhaps two minutes whilst I wrestled with the idea of attempting to get some shots. All too often a shy creature will take flight the moment you make a sudden movement, and taking the pack off my back; laying it down; taking the camera out and attaching the lens hood wouldn't help matters. Finally I decide to give it a go.

The fox eyed me semi-warily, but was prepared to tolerate my presence as long as I remained outside its comfort zone. Fortunately everything on the camera was set as needed, so all I needed to do was rest the lens against my propped-up bike and shoot away (I considered it pushing my luck to set up the tripod).

As I mentioned earlier, I could do this sort of photography all day long, but tomorrow rain is predicted. This may well bring on the daffodils. More good news.





Top and middle: 300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter.

Tufted Duck - 1/3200 second at f/5.6. - 0.67 EC compensation. ISO 400. Tripod
Red Fox - 1/500 second at f/5.6.  - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400.

Hawthorn blossom: 105mm f/2.8D EX Sigma macro lens. 1/1250 second at f/6.3.  + 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400. Tripod



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