A photographic tip for when you are out and about in the field photographing wildlife and you get caught in a rainstorm is, firstly protect your camera equipment I useWildlife Watching Supplies, first class camera,lens covers/hides.Then try to sit out the storm or take shelter because after the rain has passed it will present you with some beautiful light in which to capture your subject.In the four images that acompany this article you will see During the storm and After.
During-These Bar-Tailed Godwits are seen here enduring the harsh condition of this rainstorm
Afterwards -The rainstorm has passed and the Bar-Talied Godwits are having a clean up
After this amazing rainstorm had passed the light and air changed,the rainstorm acted almost like a purifier in ‘Cleansing’ the air and light and it becomes a magical time to get photographing your subject who will be preoccupied cleaning themselves,so with some good fieldcraft skills in approaching your subject you should be able to get a close and different image in pleasing light,
Rain effects visibility by changing the amount of light reflected from the subject,back to the photographers eye and after rain that ‘Cleansing’ of the atmosphere create’s this clear,warm light perfect for photography.
As shown here with this juvenile Bar-Tailed Godwit feeding among the reed beds .With the same rainstorm having passed, the water became like glass creating an almost perfect reflection in the water and there was a sharpness to the atmosphere all as a result of ‘After The Rain’
If it does’nt stop raining you can always have a little fun and try to catch your subject in an amusing manner as I have done here with this Sedge Warbler in my version of ‘Singing In The Rain’
In closing I would just like to say where possible and with your safety and that of others first and foremost, just try to sit out the storm,you will be rewarded for your efforts afterwards by the beautiful light on offer.I hope this Photographic Tip has helped you.Good Luck
With the on set of winter around the corner and the days getting shorter and colder spare a thought for the animals and birds this time of year as their food become’s less available and some mammals shock up before they go into hibernation.If you have a garden place some bird feeders out,fat balls,peanuts etc and clean drinking water in a shallow bowl, very important in hard weather when other water sources may be frozen.Ensure you are not marking it easier for predators to catch the birds, place them away from fences and dark corners ideal places for ‘next doors’ cat to be lurking and waiting for an easy meal.
Make your garden a paradise for birds/wildlife and you will reap the rewards by being able to watch them all year,plant berry-producing bushes and trees,also plants that enhance insects as they are key foods iteams for tits and sparrows in the spring.Use old fruit from local markets and shops to feed thrushes through the winter,spread the fruit out onto your garden in different sizes to give all the birds the chance before the thrushes monopolise it.
A key thing with feeders is to make sure you clean them out regularly as good hygiene is imperative as Salmonellais widespread in wild birds,and wooden bird tables are difficult to clean and best avoided, also don’t put to much seed/food in them as it can go mouldy increasing the risk of disease,so aim to top up your feeds regularly when they have almost become empty . The RSPB do some brillant feeders with 100% of the profits going to helping birds and wildlife.
Feeding the birds and animals in your garden can be so rewarding and offer you a chance to see these beautiful creatures up close and give you a vision into their world while in the comfort of your own home. So its an important thing to remember that feeding birds/animals in your garden is part of the overall management of your garden and planting trees,plants to provide natural sources of food to sustain the wildlife in your garden all year round is the key, but at this time of year you need to supplement this with more artificial sources ‘Fat Balls,Peanuts,Food Waste,Sunflower Seeds,etc,never put out desiccated coconut as it swells inside the birds.
The birds will get use to you feeding them so please try not to break the circle of feeding as it will be a place wildlife will see as somewhere they can rely on in harsh times. Hopefully you and your family will get some much enjoyment out of watching these birds/animals feeding, seeing the characters of each different bird played out in front of you.
Good luck and if you need any further help and advice on how to feed and what to do please click here ‘RSPB’ and this will help you.Thank you and good luck
My ‘Dippers Of The Dales’workshops have started and I had a brillant time showing Tom and Ken around my site as they love the Dipper, I met Ken through my ‘Flickr’ site.Both Tom and Ken are very keen wildlife photographers who where keen on seeing the Dipper having read my article in October issue ‘Birdwatching Magazine’.
The picture above shows us altogether with a mini-waterfall as the backdrop,it was taken by remote trigger (Ken,Tom,Me) in that order,and it was a real joy to show them around and teach them about the Dipper, a bird that has amazed me from a small boy. Knowing where to go and how to appoach the Dipper makes all the difference for me and as I have been coming to this site from a small boy it would be nice to think the Dippers know me quite well now!. We had the whole day there,before Tom and Ken departed for home and a sample of Ken’s work from the day can be seen here ‘Ken’ and Tom’s work from the day ‘Tom’.
Very nice to meet you both and so glad I was able to show you around and share my love of the Dipper with you both and since have become good freinds. My next workshop is planned for ‘Monday 16th November’ see my workshop pdf below for details or drop me a line on my contact page if you would like to go.
I have been working on a project for a few weeks now where I have been trying to capture one of my favorite birds,the beautiful ‘Whooper Swan’.This shy bird is the biggest of our swans and on the north-west coast there is in places a high population of these birds.with its long,flat forehead and yellow bill its a beautiful bird. I have been spending as much time as possible watching these birds,where they go,where they fly to and feed,the way the sun sets hoping to capture them in an almost ‘Watercolour’ painting effect inspired by my friend and wildlife artist Ian Griffiths (Griff) who paints wildlife for a living and has some amazing work,click his name and see his beautiful work
I watched for some time how they made their approach into their roost and tried where possible to get level with them so I could give the impression I was level and flying alongside them.One of the key things I tell people is the need to get to know your subject and how they move, how/where they live, all key factors to getting that all important photograph.Mother Nature gives clues to us and I show people how to read these and get close without impacting on their lives and in turn making for better ‘Wildlife Photography’
They where so beautiful to watch and for such a large bird where very graceful when flying and landing.I also heard their loud trumpeting call ‘Whoop-Whoop-Whoop’ hence there name ‘Whooper Swan’ I hope you enjoy some of the images I took and this time of year they live on large lakes,marshes,rivers,estuaries and fields so look out for these beautiful Swans when out out and about
WildPhotos 2009is a UK-based conservation charity working to promote conservation through wildlife imagery and media and yesterday I traveled to The Royal Geographical Society in London to spend the day listening to the many great wildlife photographers who give up their time for this great cause.They take you through their present work,share their knowledge and offer insights into ‘Life In The Field’
I was very impressed by all the work and met up with some photographers I’ve met over time.The day started at 9.30am and went until 6.00pm with lunch included, and it was brilliant and would recommend anyone who has a interest in the natural world to go next year. My two favorite shows where by‘Britta Jaschinski’ and ‘Vincent Munier’.
Britta photography’s wildlife in an unconventional way using black and white to convey their beauty.The images that made the most impact for me where the haunting images of animals in confined spaces resulting in here book called Zoo breathtaking images.Vincent Munier’spresentation was nothing short of breathtaking where he showed a series of some of his finest work with a beautiful soundtrack of operatic music.
I love his distinctive style of photography,so simple and breathtaking to view.He told me that he regards photography as a way of remaining close to nature and his images as having great power to move people,his approach,and manner is inspiring and for me he is the best wildlife photographer around. Click on his name and it will take you to his sight and just enjoy.
I had a brillant time and I wish everyone I met all the best and I hope thatWildPhotosgoes from strength to strength.
Went to Bradgate Park today in Leicestershire to photograph Red Deer during their rut and I was amazed at how close you can get to these beautiful animals.
The park is owned by the National Trust, the habitat is mainly open grassland but there is rocky/rugged outcrops scattered across the park.There is a small stream to your right as you go through the gate and my tip is to follow this until you come to a stone bridge on your right, cross the bridge and this is the best place for ‘backlit’ shots of the deer in this field as the sun comes up in front of you.A 300mm lens and above will be fine as they are quite approachable.
The deer rut takes place in October and in the early morning light it is often possible to backlight the stags roaring in the field I mentioned.You will need to arrive while it is still dark to get into position on time.The car park will be closed then but there is limited parking on the road,walk into the park and through the gates then follow the stream and good luck.
My photograph taken of a female Barn Owl with prey flying over farmland in Norfolk at dawn made it to the final 50 in the ‘Countryfile Photographic Competition 2009’, chosen from nearly 33,000 entries.Joe Brand had picked my image out on the programme on BBC1 as one she liked saying ‘I liked this,a barn owl flying home with food’
The image was taken in the first rays of sunlight and I got into place at around 4.00am and waited, then this female dived for something to my front and I followed her in my camera’s viewfinder as she flew straight towards me with this vole she had caught.With the poor light it was hard to get any shutter speed to freeze the action and out of many this one was the best with this beautiful pink,morning light as the sun came up in the left of this photo.
A moment I will treasure forever and never forget as Barn Owl’s are one of my favorite birds and to have seen this was great.
My “Dippers Of The Dale” article I wrote and supplied the images to in October’s issue of Birdwatching Magazine has had a great response from it’s readers and colleagues and friends of mine.The Dipper has been a bird that has captivated me since I was a small boy and Lathkill Dale NNR in the Peak District is a beautiful place and one of the best place’s in the country to see these amazing ‘Masters of the river’ as I call them
A sample of the response’s can be seen below in an email sent to the Editor Of Birdwatching Magazine;
Dear Editor-Bird Watching Magazine, I wish to congratulate Craig Jones on his article(October 2009 Edition-Birdwatching Magazine)on the continuing bad behaviour of some dog walkers in Lathkill Dale in the Peak District.Reading his article I was powerfully reminded of witnessing dogs encouraged to enter the water by their owners whilst walking in Lathkill Dale earlier this year.As a keen birdwatcher,I wrote to the Peak District National Park Authorityand to Natural england and received helpful letters from them both.
The rules talk about the requirement to keep a dog under ‘close control’ but as Craig indicates in his article,this is clearly not sufficient.The Natural England correspondent wrote that is was their view that a requirement to keep all dogs on leads would not tackle the persistent offenders.I am afraid that dog proof fencing of the waters is now required as Craig seem’s to suggest.In any case,I would like to encourage visitors to the Dales to report incidents of poorly controlled effort to promote stricter protection for the Dipper and the other wildlife.
Sincerely
Dr D Brawn
Suffolk
The situation is affecting a lot of visitor’s to this area and many other places around the country where freshwater meets Dogs and Dippers/Wildlife and the more the issue is raised the more people will know and maybe something will change.I would like to thank Matt Merritt/Features Editor for allowing me to highlight this issue in such a great manner in your magazine and hopefully I can keep your readers up to date with developments to see if anything has changed there.
I hope to educate others to change our approach on how we view wildlife so we can conserve the beauty around us and protect the Dipper,to allow future generations to enjoy the same charismatic behaviour that sparked my love for this bird.
