Domesticated wildlife...

I have touched on the subject occasionally on this blog - and one day I may do a feature on it - but successful wildlife images can be taken in your back garden (or a local park if you are not blessed with such a space).

I also learnt a very long time ago, from professional shooters, that a lot can be learnt from simply watching the behaviour of domestic animals that have bigger and often more elusive (or potentially dangerous) relatives that live in the wild. They then applied that knowledge in the field to help predict the moment when they would get the desired action - or not.

Animal photography can be both rewarding and frustrating at the same time, so I am always pleased when I get something that works, as in the shot of my cat, Mojo. It took two sessions during the afternoon to get any useable images; he just wasn't interested in being photographed, and although he looks quite fierce here it is, in fact, just a yawn - probably through boredom and wondering when he would be left alone to get back to more important business - sleeping, for example.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor (VR on). 1/250 second at f/3.5. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod

Pigface and Seafox...

The weather has turned again and today could be easily mistaken for an early summer's day, so once more unto the beach with my camera. I'm a little bit more sophisticated today, as I am using a wide angle zoom instead of a prime, but I'm keeping with the recent trend of using a greatly reduced photographic kit.

I wander through a local wood, snapping here and there as the whim takes me; at one point sprawled on the ground, photographing bluebells, but it is the flower (right) that draws me, on a nearby cliff face.

I have long been familiar with this plant, but have never seen it in flower; nor know its name. Swift research (where would we be without Google?) tells me that is a Pigface (Carpobrotus rossii) - I looked that up, too. Usually found growing around Pacific, South African or Australian coasts, it bears testimony to the mild climate of England's south coast.

An unusual object hove into view on Poole Bay, Dorset, this week, in the shape of what I would describe as a drilling rig (left). I have seen nothing on the local news as to its purpose, but since Wednesday Seafox 7  has been sat roughy a mile off shore with two support vessels in attendance. Oil beneath the bay, perhaps? That would be interesting.

Update: According to the owner's web site "The unit is also very suitable for supporting installation activities in the offshore windfarm market." Even more interesting...


Top: 12-24mm f/4 Nikkor. 1/125 second at f/11. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200
Below. 300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/1250 second at f/5.6. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 200


© 2012

Keep it simple...

There's a lot that can be said about the title of this post when it comes down to shooting for the fun of it, so today I set out on an exercise to do just that. As the saying goes in America: KISS - Keep It Simple (Stupid). Again, I am using the absolute minimum of gear, as I find it liberating to operate without all that bulk and weight. I'll have to keep an eye on it, though, as it could lead to me getting lazy and missing opportunities where bigger lenses are de rigueur.

Just before I leave home it starts to rain (again), but undeterred I set off and let whatever catches my eye be my subject. Adopting this approach can produce a wide variety of images from a shoot, and I start photographing as soon as I reach a local park. The overhanging leaves of a beech tree are my first subject, and I shoot with a medium-wide aperture and get in close. This has the effect of throwing the background into a pleasing blur; or bokeh, as the Japanese call it.

Later, the rain accumulating on a seafront bench provides another point of interest, and my looming over the scene to get the shot creates the dark edges to all the droplets.


50mm f/1.8 AF Nikkor.

Top: 1/200 second at f/4. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400
Right: 1/80 second at f/4.5. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2012

Weight loss...

Yesterday's blip in the weather has been suppressed by a return of the British early summer: overcast and occasional light rain. Nevertheless, I am determined to get my photography back on track, and go for a stroll along the seafront of Poole Bay, Dorset.

I'm travelling light; very light. In fact, I don't think it is possible to take less gear on a shoot and produce successful images, to the point of just one lens and a stripped down camera body. In fact, the reduced bulk and weight is something of a delight to use. Maybe I should try it more often.

Today's image is of man-made patterns on the beach, produced by rake attachments on a tractor, and those of nature, as water later flowed over the top and smoothed out the textures.


50mm f/1.8 AF Nikkor. 1/125 second at f/8. + 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2012

Greylag...

At last, the weather is something like it should be at this time of year, with blue skies and temperatures touching 17º C; time to get out with a camera. It has been quite a while since I did any serious shooting, so I head to Poole Park, Dorset to see what is growing, bird wise, on the lake.

At this time of year the resident Greylag geese are usually tending young, and I was not disappointed. It is difficult to count accurately the number of goslings in each family, but I gauge that there are approximately 26 little un's between two families.

I have photographed at this location two years running, and posts relating to the shoots can be found here and here, but this time I am blessed with an abundance of daisies to add to the feel of the photographs; something that was lacking in the past.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor.

Top: 1/6400 second at f/2.8. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200
Right: 1/6400 second at f/3.2. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 200


© 2012

After the muffins...

Over the next few days I have my best friend and fellow photographer, Nic, staying with me, and today we decide to visit Salisbury, Wiltshire, for some sight seeing and photography.

Of course, the main attraction of the town is its cathedral, usually referred to as Salisbury Cathedral, but more correctly named as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and has welcomed visitors for over 750 years. It took a mere 38 years to build, and has the tallest spire in the UK, at 404 feet (123 metres).

Having viewed the interior of the cathedral (the entry of which is still free of charge), and taken time out for a double chocolate-chip muffin and coffee, consumed next to the cloisters - also the largest in Britain (the cloisters, not the muffins) - it was time for some exterior shots.

We shared a camera and lens on this occasion, both seeking suitable angles to show the fine example of Early English architecture to its best advantage, and it is this view from the north-west - sought out by Nic - that I include here.

12-24mm f/4G Nikkor. 1/800 second at f/11. ISO 400


© 2012

Deck chairs...

For day five of my lens project I choose something out of the ordinary: a fisheye lens. Not an everyday optic to shoot with, admittedly, due to its (designed) inherent distortion, but fun to use from a graphic point of view. There are a number of posts on this blog containing fisheye images; the most recent one being  here, but it is an effect that can be easily overdone, and needs to be used sparingly to create impact in a photographers portfolio.

The most appealing feature of the fisheye is the fact that the straight line is banished in favour of curves; not to mention huge depth of field, so I select a local pier on the Dorset coast for today's shoot.

Just before I arrive the clouds roll in and I get caught in a hail storm, but this later proves to be a boon, as the wet planking of Boscombe pier - now rapidly drying once the sun reappears - creates an interesting foreground to the image. The deck chairs; the focal point.


10.5mm f/2.8G Fisheye Nikkor. 1/640 second at f/8. + 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 200


© 2012

300mm (Slight Return)...

I was rather hoping to get some action shots of kite-surfers on Poole bay, today, but calm seas and light winds scuppered my (and their, most likely, if they had any) plans. This is all part of my different lens a day week, and the selection is another super-telephoto.*

Keen observers will note it is the same focal length as the lens I used for Monday's shoot - again a prime lens - and may wonder why I have two such lenses at my disposal. Although one stop slower than its bigger brother, the 300mm f/4 is an asset when I want to travel light but need the reach. It is light enough to use hand held for extended periods, focuses down to around five feet and has stellar optics. I have no hesitation shooting with this lens wide open.

One of the characteristics of long lenses is the apparent image compression they can produce, with plane after plane piled on top of each other, creating the illusion that objects are much closer together than they actually are. This is demonstrated well in the photograph of Bournemouth sea front, this afternoon; the closest wooden groyne and the buildings in the distance being just over a mile apart.

*Any focal length from 300mm and up.


300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/2500 second at f/5.6. ISO 500


© 2012

Boscombe kitesurfer...

I might be forgiven for thinking that this year spring and summer have been skipped, and that I am back in the winter months, given the current weather: below average temperatures; stiff winds - 20 knots, I am reliably informed, by the chap holding an anemometer aloft nearby - and clouds capable of delivering heavy showers. Ideal shooting conditions.

It doesn't take much for me to be out when it's like this; nor the kite-surfers on Boscombe beach, Dorset. There are eight or ten using the designated area for such activities, and although a super-telephoto would pull in greater detail, I am carrying just a 50mm optic - the gentleman's choice - when it comes to lenses. I have extolled its virtues elsewhere in these pages, but suffice to say it is an absolute bargain from any manufacturer, and very versatile. It has a similar angle of view of the human eye, and so gives a more natural appearance to photographs.

I, for one, love it.


50mm f/1.8 AF Nikkor. 1/2000 second at f/11. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2012

Boscombe surfer...

For the second day of my lens exercise I select a fast aperture telephoto - the Cream Machine, as it affectionately known by its aficionados, by its ability to throw a background into a pleasing blur - and intend to shoot with it wide open. However, bright conditions make it difficult to achieve without overexposing, so I have to stop it down two f-stops for practical purposes.

I choose Boscombe beach on Poole bay for my location, and spend a great deal of the afternoon dodging showers of hail and rain; then dealing with bouts of bright sunshine, but these conditions never bother the surfers that frequent the area (when will that artificial surf reef be made useable? Ha!).


85mm f/1.4D Nikkor. 1/8000 second at f/2.8. - 2.33 EV compensation. ISO 200


© 2012

Seven day project...

This week I am running a little project that involves shooting with a different lens each day, and kick it off with my favourite chunk of glass. I frequently shoot this optic with a tele-converter attached, but for these purposes the lens will be used "naked".

Today, it has been announced that the River Stour has been included in the current drought designation, so I thought I would pay it a visit. I have noticed recently that the water levels are somewhat lower than normal, but it is the upper reaches of the river that are suffering the most, with parts of the riverbed exposed high and dry. Not good news for spawning fish and other wildlife.

En route to the Stour Valley Nature Reserve (my primary location for today's shoot)  I stop by a local pond to see if there is anything happening, and I am treated to the inspiring sight of a mallard family with six ducklings in tow, and spend the best part of two hours trying to get a shot with all in focus. Not easy at the best of times. However, I opt to publish this photograph of a Tufted Duck, taken at the same spot, spreading its wings after some serious preening.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/2000 second at f/4.5. - 1 stop EV compensation. ISO 320. Monopod


© 2012

A little sun and rain...

Today I hadn't planned on any shooting, but I did decide to take a camera for a ride along the seafront of Poole Bay, Dorset. It was a similar day, weather wise, to yesterday - sunny, but breezy - but I had no idea of what was to come late in the afternoon.

At 5.10pm I heard the first distant clap of thunder, and the skies began to darken in the East. With a bit of luck I would get a storm to shoot. Unfortunately that luck never fully materialised, and despite numerous rumblings the storm itself passed inland.

I was, however, treated to some spectacular skies, which I was able to shoot in the comparative comfort of dryness, but it was the rainbow out to sea, with the diffused sun picking out the distant falling rain that fascinated me. I deliberately underexposed the shot so as to saturate the colours.


24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor. 1/1600 second at f/8. - 1 stop EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2012

The Agglestone Rock...

Heavy rain showers, thunder and lightning are forecast for today (I get none of it), and I decide to make my first trip this year to the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset. I have one or two locations in mind before I set off, as well as ideas for the type of images I want to shoot  - stark silhouettes against angry skies, for example -  but once arriving on Black Heath I head for the Agglestone Rock. I last visited the location three years ago, and had less than co-operative skies (cloudless), but today was something different.

I could go on about the details of the 400 tonne rock, but they can be found here should you be interested. Instead, I will leave the location and subject to speak for itself.


12-24mm f/4G Nikkor. 1/250 second at f/11. + 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2012

Cancelled due to bad weather...

...read the sign adorning the bandstand in a local park: The planned Easter Fun Day was off. Hardly surprising since it had been raining all day, but that wasn't going to stop me. Besides, I have a new pair of walking boots that need a bit of mileage, and I decide upon a seaside shoot.

If it had been better weather then the beaches of Poole bay would have been busy with people of all ages, but today it is largely deserted. There is, of course, the surf activities at Boscombe pier to photograph (always something going on there, even if conditions aren't favourable - no wind or waves won't stop 'em), but the occasional kite and board surfer don't produce inspiring images, and I'm not equipped lens wise. I take a few shots as the steady rain continues, and call it a day.


24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor. 1/640 second at f/5.6. + 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2012

Wispy cirrus saves the day...

The nine days of good weather (of what is being called early summer by some - I would still call it Spring), is set to break this week, with snow being forecast on high ground in some parts of the UK. So, I make the most of what is left for the foreseeable future, and cover just over 33 miles (53km) on my bike today in search of images.

Unfortunately, I am not too inspired by the light. It has remained pretty much cloudless, and I think I will retire for the day having photographed nothing, but the sudden, and brief, appearance of a few wispy cirrus clouds are all I need to finally get the camera out of the bag.

Although just a straight forward shot of a tree still not yet in leaf, I position myself so that the reeds in the river coincide to some extent with the branches in the reflection, and conveniently hide an electricity pylon behind it. I use a polarising filter to add a bit of punch to the colour.


24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor. 1/80 second at f/11. ISO 400. Polariser


© 2012

On reflection...

I've had a good two weeks shooting various birds on the Dorset Stour, resulting in some pleasing images - especially those of herons and egrets - but today I feel I should point my lens at something different. However, I still have birds on the brain and ride to a local duck pond to shoot its inhabitants.

It's quite a sparsely populated habitat, but I know what I will find there, and spend an hour or so taking photographs of whatever floats into range - in this case a Tufted Duck - using reflected foliage to add colour. I select this particular shot for the quality of the reflection.

Happy that I won't get anything better, I pay a swift visit to a local nature reserve (and drawing a total blank), I can't resist paying another visit to the same location on the river that has given me so much recent success for a spot of fishing action (birds, not anglers - it is closed season for the latter). There is just a lone egret there, and that flies off shortly after my arrival, so I'm left with an obstreperous Black-headed gull, who, despite the fact there is room for all, refuses to allow any of its species to settle on the line of rocks across the river. After a while it goes home, as do I.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/800 second at f/4.5.  - 1 stop EV compensation. ISO 200. Monopod


© 2012

Keeping at it...

Resist as I might, I find myself drawn to the same spot of the river that I have based all my photography on for the past two weeks. I know the light is not at its best with cloudless skies; I know that I have more images of herons (right) and egrets than I can shake a stick at, but I feel I should make the most of it while it lasts. The weather is due to break at the weekend. Besides, it is worth the effort to keep shooting away as something special may just present itself.

I try to mix it up a little today, by concentrating on feeding and flight shots, and although I do get a number of jumping fish and snapping bills, they are not as sharp as I would like. I need to work on my technique a bit.

When discussing photography with others, I try to make a point about a subject's background. Wherever possible I choose that before my subject, but it is not always possible to do so. Today I get the photos I have been after, with the bird's outline sharply contrasted against a wash of out of focus foam.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/3200 second at f/5.  - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod


© 2012

Hey, this way!

Although I am sure there are those who will strongly disagree with me, I'm finding the clear skies over nearly all of the UK a bit tiresome. It is, granted, fairly warm, and it is pleasant weather to be out and about in, but not from a photographic perspective. I long for some fluffy cloud here and there to alter the light a touch. Oh well.

After an fairly busy morning I find myself back on the river. I deliberately try to break from recent habits and shoot with a macro lens - willow catkins, to be precise - but I'm not confident I have anything useable, so I traipse back to a surefire spot and rattle of goodness how many shots of a virtually stationary heron.

But interspersed with this I shoot a number of frames of a Black-headed gull, perched precariously on a slippery rock; mostly static poses, but occasionally a bit of wing flapping for balance (photo). I find this image quite humorous, as if the gull is calling his mates and pointing to something interesting.

I should get out more (but then I do anyway).


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


© 2012

Monopods and portraits...

Another glorious spring day - it's set to continue through the week - and another afternoon shoot at my current preferred location: the Dorset Stour.

Once again I am blessed with the presence of a heron and two egrets, and I quickly set up and start shooting. I say 'quickly', but not as quick as I would like. The monopod that has given good service for the past ten years is beginning to show its age: the individual telescopic tubes are becoming difficult to adjust smoothly, and the locking mechanism for each section has deteriorated due to prolonged use near, and in, the sea. I feel I am beginning to miss shots, and so it will need to be replaced soon (I may as well get a new ball and socket head whilst I'm at it).

I witness the same territorial activities and claims to fishing rights from the two aforementioned birds, but little in the way of feeding images or spectacular flight shots. However, there are a small number of good portrait shots from the session, so all is not lost.

Some days you get 'em, some days you don't.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/4000 second at f/6.3.  -1 stop EV compensation. ISO 400


© 2012

Number 6...

My planned early shoot by the river over the weekend never happened, so I have the alarm clock set for 6am this morning with the intention of putting matters to right. In spite of this (and rolling out of bed twenty minutes later), no amount of effort gets me out of the house until early afternoon. I blame the recent change to British Summertime and the lost hour of sleep, but the fact that I went back to bed at 8am didn't help.

I spend four hours on the Dorset Stour, photographing a Grey Heron and Little Egrets - something of an ongoing project for the foreseeable future. After a couple of test shots to check exposure settings, I settle down and wait. More often than not, the best results of a shoot tend to happen towards the end, so I am mildly surprised this time around to find that the sixth exposure proves to be the best (photo) and is the first shot in a sequence of three.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/1600 second at f/5.6.  -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200. Monopod


© 2012