Serbia Long Eared Owls Trip Report December 2023

Serbia Long Eared Owls Trip Report December 2023

 
“Until this trip I’d only ever seen one Long eared Owl in my long birding/photography life. With Paul’s knowledge and using a great English speaking local wildlife specialist we were able to locate and see around 600 of these spectacular birds. His guidance on technique and in-depth photographic skills helped me get many quality shots of this gorgeous species – I’m proud of them, with wonderful photos to add to my portfolio. Thank you Paul.”
 
Ian Tilden: Long eared Owl Tour, December 2023
 

This year I met with my 2 clients, Ian and Dawn, at Heathrow – to travel to Belgrade together. As we exited the airport we were greeted by heavy snow – something I haven’t seen in Serbia in quite some time! As we travelled north it continued to come down and we could see just how much was lying, both on the ground and in the trees. It’s hard to put into words my excitement… Long eared Owls in snow is something of a dream shot for me.. so perhaps it would become reality this time? Unfortunately when we arrived at our hotel the snow was pretty much gone (there was much more down south) and I had to accept that ‘Snowy Owl’ images were probably out of the question..!

Over the next 3 days, with our guide (my good friend David), we visited a number of urban locations to photograph the roosting Long eared Owls. David is part of a research group, which includes ringing Owls and monitoring winter roost sites. He’s also incredibly knowledgeable on Serbian wildlife and always happy to answer any questions about his country. We visited some reliable roost sites where I’ve previously photographed and also some new ones which I hadn’t seen before. This is part of the appeal of this tour – whilst some roosts largely do stay put, some can move from year to year – offering brand new opportunities for photography. Roosts can be smaller, around 50 or so (yes, that’s right) whilst in some places they can easily be 200 or more. At some of the best roost sites it is not unusual to find 20 or even 30 owls in one tree. Hint: there are always way more Owls than you think!

(If you’d like to see some Video Footage of the Long Eared Owls in Serbia – Watch my YouTube Video from a 2018 trip)

We visited roosts by main roads, public parks, around churches.. and by blocks of flats! The Long eared Owls shelter where they can. Not only does it keep them out of the elements, but I suspect it is also warmer due to the heat from nearby buildings.

Whilst we were always looking up to the Owls, there were a couple of occasions where we found birds lower down. One great site was a public park where we found a small group in a conifer tree. This was much lower and I’d estimate around 15 feet high. With low light levels I really had to push my ISO.. not great when I was using a Canon R7! This image was taken with an RF 600mm attached.

One of the great things about the Owls is that you have plenty of time to experiment and try things out. It also means I can work closely with each client, as we’re shooting, to make the most of each opportunity.

The weather wasn’t particularly kind and it was cloudy almost all of our time there. But there was almost no rain, and the winds were never strong. On the last day there was an incredible hoar-frost and a thick fog that lasted for most of the day. We were lucky to see a few owls flying; this is uncommon in the day but the birds do sometimes shift their position in the roost. I managed to react quickly to get this – my one and only flight shot!

Unlike my Summer Serbian Tour, the days are short. We returned each day around 4pm and had plenty of time to review our images. This is something I always offer on this trip – in the evenings I will look at your images and see where we can make improvements, whether it’s Exposure, Lighting, or Composition.

On our last morning we had one of my favourite photo sessions. This roost proved to be excellent last year.. and it delivered again this time. Here the Owls roost in Birch trees – and the leaves had barely fallen. The yellow colour made for some beautiful images, both as wider shots and close ups. We experimented with our compositions, including using the leaves as blurred foreground.]

The Long eared Owl Winter Tour was a successful trip. Lots of Owls (there always is!), Serbian hospitality and some wonderful food! We also saw plenty of Buzzards, a flock of Common Cranes, Kestrels and Sparrowhawk. Most winters we do see Hen Harriers too, but we didn’t really dedicate the time to that on this trip. Thanks to my wonderful clients who really enjoyed the Owls and were willing to experiment with their photography. We had lots of fun and a lot of laughs!

I’ll be running this tour again in December 2024 and 2025 and I only take 2 Clients at a time. If you’d like to join me, send me an Email: paul@naturephotographycourses.co.uk 

It really is the best place to go for these magnificent birds!

Click Here to see my other Wildlife Photography Tours

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Bulgarian Trip Report June 2023

Bulgarian Trip Report June 2023

After a couple of days break, following on from my Serbian Tour, I met up with my clients at Varna airport for this year’s Bird Photography Tour in Bulgaria. Our transfer is pretty short – it takes just over an hour to reach our rural Bulgarian village which – our base for the next 5 nights.

Our first photography session was at the Drinking Pool.. and what a difference a year makes! This time last year the pool was very quiet – now it is a hive of activity, with Finches, Tits and Woodpeckers visiting non-stop.great tit photo-bombing greenfinch at pool with reflection in bulgaria

This is no ordinary drinking pool – it’s set around 10 metres high, part of our Tree-top Hide amongst the canopy. Aside from photography, this is a unique experience for wildlife-watching to be at eye level with a variety of birds… and the occasional Red Squirrel! Woodpeckers regularly landed in adjacent trees and Nightingales serenaded us, briefly showing themselves! 

syrian woodpecker perched on branch with mountain backdrop in bulgaria

Great spotted Woodpeckers were regular visitors as were the Greenfinches, but the most active bird was the Syrian Woodpecker with different individuals coming to both drink and feed young on the pool edge. The main challenge was to capture the best reflections possible and luckily we were often blessed with calm conditions. Most of my images were composed vertically making for easier composition and ensuring I could include all the reflection.

male greenfinch drinking from pool with reflection in bulgaria

syrian woodpecker adult feeding juvenile at pool with reflections in bulgaria

The most exciting moment was when a male Green Woodpecker suddenly flew in and began to drink. I didn’t have the best autofocus settings set and whilst I photographed the bird, I didn’t get the head sharp enough! At least I managed a quick portrait as he perched on the opposite side before flying off! We also had a female land, but all too briefly for a picture.

male green woodpecker on log in bulgaria

Greenfinches were on mass and provided great opportunities for full reflections and drinking images. Another highlight was a pair of Hawfinches – a bird I always love to see. 

male hawfinch perched on branch in bulgaria

One of my favourite aspects of Bulgaria are the opportunities for photography outside of hides. The surrounding habitat is so bird-rich and it’s just a case of putting in time at the right location to get good bird photos. Shooting from a vehicle we managed some lovely images of Black headed Bunting and Corn Bunting and had good views of both Woodchat Shrike and Red backed Shrike. In the past we have set up pop-up hides for various birds including Red backed Shrike, with success.black headed bunting perch on bush in bulgaria

 

black headed bunting perch on bush in bulgaria

corn bunting singing from top of bush in bulgaria

The Wryneck is a fascinating bird and they can be found, and heard, around our base. However, they are not easy to photograph! This year we had our best views and photos of this slightly bizarre bird. From a tent hide we were able to photograph a pair of Wrynecks as they returned to the nest to feed young. It was at quite a distance but by keeping the ISO low I was able to capture reasonable images, even after being significantly cropped. wryneck at nest hole in walnut tree in bulgaria

adult wryneck feeding chick at nest hole in walnut tree in bulgaria

The best encounter for me was coming across a Wryneck searching for ants by the roadside. The bird seemed relatively relaxed with the car and I managed a few shots – again this has been quite heavily cropped. We continue to learn about this bird – every bit of knowledge helps us to increase our chances of photographic success.

wryneck on ground looking for ants in bulgaria

This year the Golden Orioles were difficult to photograph. Good photo opportunities are largely dependent on weather factors and food availability and this year the odds weren’t in our favour. That said, we regularly saw and heard Orioles pretty much every day and we had great views of them feeding on fruits from the Tree-top Hide – just a little too distant for photography. Last year we captured amazing Oriole images at close range. We also watched Blackbirds and Red Squirrels feeding on the fruits this season.

 

This year a pair of Hoopoes chose to nest very close to one of the permanent hides. The site is one of my favourite locations – a mixture of wildflower meadows and woodland with a small stream at the bottom of a bank. It’s a wonderful place to just stop and listen to the birds. Watch my Bulgaria 2023 video to hear the beautiful birdsong here  During our session we had many visits from both parents and we captured some great flight shots. The light levels were always low so we had to whack up the ISO. I’ve also done a little post-processing to reduce the background noise.

hoopoe in flight returning to nest with food for chicks in blulgaria

hoopoe in flight leaving nest hole in blulgaria

You never know what’s going to turn up in Bulgaria. We saw many more birds including Linnet, Western Yellow Wagtail, Turtle Dove, Lesser grey Shrike and a Little Owl that would often sit on the roof! We also heard Scops Owl and Nightjar in the evening.

little owl stood on roof staring in village in bulgaria

The hides are run by my good friend Terry who always goes above and beyond for his clients. We were very grateful for his efforts and for the suggestions he made on getting the most out out of each situation. Can’t wait to get back! I’ll be looking at a Winter Trip for Woodpeckers and exploring nearby wetlands for more photo tours.

Join me on a Bulgarian Tour – Email Me: paul@naturephotographycourses.co.uk

 

See Images and Footage from this year’s Tour

 

For Tour Updates on Bulgaria and Serbia make sure to Join My Mailing List

 

Bird List for this Tour

Close Views / Photographable: Syrian Woodpecker, Great spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Lesser spotted Woodpecker, Red backed Shrike, Black headed Bunting, Corn Bunting, Wryneck, Hoopoe, Little Owl, Greenfinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Hawfinch, Blackbird, Jay, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Sombre Tit, Magpie

Good Views / Distant Photographs: Linnet, Western Yellow Wagtail, Scops Owl, Golden Oriole, Nightingale, Woodchat Shrike, Woodlark, Crested Lark, Lesser grey Shrike, Turtle Dove, White Stork, Collard Dove

Distant or Heard: Ortolan Bunting, Nightjar, Common Cuckoo, Common Buzzard, Whitethroat

Other Wildlife: Tree Frogs, Red Squirrel, Lizards and many, many Insects!

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Serbia Trip Report June 2023

Serbia Trip Report June 2023

Due to the pandemic, the last time I used these hides in Serbia was in 2019 so I was eager to get back. It was a wonderful feeling to be back here again and I can honestly say the hides were as good as ever – in fact, this year I’d say they delivered some of the best opportunities I’ve ever seen. I met my 3 clients, Mike, Karen and Ray at Belgrade Airport before taking our transfer north to Vojvodina.

The next morning we had our first photo session – a beautiful setting for Hoopoe. Both parents were bringing food back to the chicks – my clients worked largely on capturing flight shots whilst I concentrated on video. We also got images of the youngsters peeking out of the nest hole! This hide is one-way glass, situated at ground level, with a wild flower meadow as the backdrop. It also doubles up as a White Tailed Eagle hide in the winter months.

hoopoe perched with food for chick in a flower meadow in serbia

hoopoe chick peering out of nest hole in a tree in serbia

The Tower Hide is always a busy place for photography. Here Red footed Falcon, Common Kestrel and European Roller all nest in close proximity. At times the action can be a little crazy – with so much going on that you don’t know where to point your camera! It often pays to concentrate on a specific species, or focus on a pre-visualised image. I’ve always struggled with flight shots here in the past; this time I managed my best flight shots of both Kestrel and Roller. The Red footed Falcons are always a challenge – their speed can be incredible!

male common kestrel calling on a perch in serbia

female common kestrel in flight in serbia

male red footed falcon perched in a tree in serbia in evening light

I tried a suggestion from one my clients, Ray, switching to a larger rectangular box for my autofocus. I was amazed how well it worked and I captured one of my best ever flight shots of a Roller as it swooped up to its perch. The Canon R6 auto-focus had locked on incredibly well and from 6 images, 4 were pin sharp on the head. Happy days!  Everyone enjoyed the Tower Hide very much and we did another session later in the week.

european roller in flight with food in serbia

The Water Hides are some of my favourites in Serbia. There are currently 2 in action, whilst a third one is being built for 2024. The main Water Hide is situated amongst the reed-beds with a beautiful view across the water. The background colours are beautiful and with low winds the reflections are very appealing. From our sessions here we photographed Grey Heron, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Little and Great Egret. The light here can be stunning – early in the morning the sun starts to break over the reeds and the quality of both sunlight and reflections is spot on.

squacco heron on lake in serbia
black crowned night heron with reflection on water in serbia in morning light

 

purple heron in flight in serbia

grey heron coming into land in reed beds in serbia

In our last session at the hide we had quite a surprise. Out of nowhere a White Stork landed, right in front of us and began to fish. We all took many, many images as the bird danced around, striking numerous poses and catching its prey. This was an absolute delight and something I had never seen from this hide before!

white stork stood in water on one leg scratching head in serbia

white stork feeding on fish in water in serbia

 

Join the Waiting List for my Serbia Tours 

Email: paul@naturephotographycourses.co.uk

 

The second water hide is a low down affair. Lying in a 4 foot high tube for hours on end is never comfortable… but I really like the aspect of this hide. Completely at ground level we had close up views of a range of birds that were naturally foraging in the shallow waters. Lapwing, Redshank, Great Egret and Purple Heron all came reasonably close for photography. It pays to keep turning over now and again (a bit like a spit-roast) to relieve tension in both your neck and back. Still, it might help to incorporate a little pilates into your life for moments like these…

redshank walking low down in grass in serbia

Some of my favourite images from this session were of a Pygmy Cormorant. The light was always flat and at times there was a little rain in the air. It was nice to get something different, a little atmospheric – the bird even did a nice shake for me at one point!

pygmy cormorant shaking off water in rain in serbia

There’s one bird I’d always wanted to capture in the past but never been successful – the Black winged Stilt. I think these birds are beautiful. Dainty and elegant.. although they can look a little too ridiculous at times when you realise just how long their legs are. As I’d hoped, a few of these birds slowly wandered in our direction and we managed some pleasing shots, often with blurred foregrounds.black winged stilt feeding in shallow water in serbia

black winged stilt feeding in shallow water in serbia

We did a solid 4 hours in that hide and, despite the discomfort, I really enjoyed my time in the there. And there’s always a sense of achievement at the end!

This year conditions for the Bee-eaters were fabulous. Shooting in the afternoon can give incredible light, particularly as the sun begins to set behind us. We shoot from a pop-up hide, which the birds readily accept. The bubbling sound here is just incredible, something that can’t be conveyed in the images – but you can listen to it in my Serbian Photo Tour Video

european bee-eater calling on perch in evening light in serbia

european bee eater food pass on branch in serbia

Simple portraits aren’t difficult to capture and even the food pass is relatively easy. So, with such great light, and favourable winds, I set about capturing some decent landing shots as birds came to alight on the perches. It’s often trial and error, but after a few attempts I managed some images I was really happy with.

european bee-eater coming into land on branch in serbia

european bee-eater coming into land with wings outstretched on branch in serbia

Without doubt, one of the highlights for me was our new location for Birds in Flight Photography. This site allows us to shoot at eye level and with such good activity we had numerous attempts at our flight shots. In just a short space of time we had photographed 4 species of Heron, 2 species of Egret and 2 species of Cormorant, not to mention the many Gulls – all from the same place!

night heron in flight with blue sky in serbia

Over the week we photographed at a second Hoopoe Hide, a Penduline Tit nest, and enjoyed ‘in the field’ photography with the help of our knowledgeable Serbian guides. We photographed Spoonbill, Great Reed Warbler, Moustached Warbler, a family of Bearded Tits and numerous Marsh Harriers! We had sightings of Red backed Shrike, Saker Falcon and Little Bittern. The species we saw reached impressive numbers – we counted around 50.. just in one morning! We finished our tour with a morning trip to Subotica, with a local guide, for a little sight-seeing and to learn about the history of the town.

two bearded tits perched in reeds in serbia in summer

It was a great week with some truly memorable moments. As always a big thank you must go the hide operators who work extremely hard. And a massive thanks to my clients for making it such a fun trip, great company to have!

Watch my video of this years’ Serbian Bird Photography Tour on YouTube

 

Join me on a Tour in Serbia (Places are limited)

Email me: paul@naturephotographycourses.co.uk

 

Photograph the Famous Roosting Long Eared Owls of Serbia

 

For Wildlife Photography Tours in Serbia & Bulgaria  make sure to Join My Mailing List  

 

Full Bird List for this Tour

I’ve done my very best to list everything we saw and heard, but there were so many species I may have missed something!

Farmland / grasslands: Red footed Falcon, Common Kestrel, European Roller, Jackdaw, Collared Dove, Common Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, European Bee-eater, Common Cuckoo, Saker Falcon, Hobby, Stonechat, Turtle Dove, Golden Oriole, Woodpigeon, Corn Bunting

Water Birds: Grey Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Great Cormorant, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Egret, Little Egret, Little Bittern, Spoonbill, Black winged Stilt, Mute Swan, Coot, Mallard, Pochard, Red crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Greylag Goose, Redshank, Northern Lapwing, Marsh Harrier, Black headed Gull,  Mediterranean Gull, Black Tern, Whiskered Tern, Kingfisher

Reed beds / Wetlands: Bearded Tit, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Great reed Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Penduline Tit, Sand Martin

Woodland and Scrub: Whitethroat, Red backed Shrike, Lesser grey Shrike, Long eared owl, Little Owl, Great spotted Woodpecker, Syrian Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Whitethroat

Other Wildlife: Otter, Roe Deer, Brown Hare, Water Snake, Frogs, Lizards, Butterflies, Damselflies & Dragonflies

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Tragopan Hokki V2 Low level Photo Blind

Tragopan Hokki V2 Low level Photo Blind

For a while I’ve been keen to try out one the purpose made low level photography blinds. Therefore, I was very happy when Tragopan provided me with the Hokki V2 Ground Photo Blind to test out. Here’s my initial thoughts on the blind:

Weight

The blind comes in a small carry bag – easy to carry and weighs just over 2.5 kg. Not a problem to take on journeys.

Erection

I found this blind one of the easiest to put up so far. The dome part works with folding poles that click into place via pulling on a cord – clever, quick and efficient. There are only two poles needed (included) – one which gives shape towards the back of the blind and one at the very end. Ground pegs are inserted at various points to anchor everything. An extra cover provides further protection over the dome section, which neatly clips into each corner. It really is like putting up a tent.. but easier!

Windows

The front opening of the photo blind can be used with various windows such as snoots and mesh. This gives options of more or less concealment depending on your preferences. Windows fit to the front opening by attachment of velcro on the inside.

Comfort

A low level blind is never going to super comfortable but here a groundsheet is included to help reduce exposure to cold and damp. Ventilation has also been considered – with vents both at the top and rear of the blind and separate small zipped windows on either side.

Watch my initial review on Tragopan Hokki V2 Ground Photoblind

Taking the Blind Down

This was really as simple as putting the blind up. First take out the ground pegs and make sure you’ve removed the poles and the extra roof cover. On the dome section – push down where the arrows indicate and the poles will collapse. These can then be folded up. I found that I could then fold the entire blind up easily and fit it back into the bag.

This was the first time I’d seen Tragopan’s blinds and I’m impressed. There are many excellent design features, including the clever ‘pull and click’ mechanism to get the main section into place. I was also pleased to see extra coverings to prevent rain getting inside, such as the roof section – and flaps over zips. These may seem like insignificant things but they can really make a difference. Vents, both on top and at the rear of the blind, seem a sensible inclusion too.

If you’re after some innovative photo blinds for your wildlife photography, check out the range of products at
https://tragopan-shop.com/en/e-shop/hides/

Many thanks to Tragopan for providing me with this blind.

You can also watch my YouTube review of this wildlife photography hide.

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How to Photograph Birds in Flight: Advanced Photography

How to Photograph Birds in Flight: Advanced Photography

My latest YouTube video is an advanced photography tutorial on photographing birds in flight. I discuss how to set up your auto-focus for flight photography and how to use the AF case settings. Whilst aimed more at Canon users it’s also useful for photographers with other equipment. Click the image below to watch the video.

You might also be interested in the earlier video I produced How to Photograph Birds in Flight – this is a more general video and suitable for beginners.

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Fill-in Flash for Wildlife Photography

Fill-in Flash for Wildlife Photography

Fill-in Flash can be a wonderful tool for improving your images. Whilst I’d always advocate using purely natural light, occasionally we just need that extra little something to boost our images. Fill-flash is a great technique when used carefully, and thoughtfully.

What Flash do you need?

If you’re close to the subject then a pop-up flash on the camera can actually make a difference. However, I’d advise investing in an external flashgun that will give you greater power and put out more light. I use the Canon Speedlite 580 EXii – a powerful flash unit that ‘talks to’ the camera via its ETTL mode. If you’re looking to purchase a flashgun, check out the relevant Guide Numbers (GN) to get an idea of how powerful the flash is; this is particularly important when working out in the field with wild birds and animals.

What are the Benefits of Fill-in Flash?

There are four main benefits of using fill-in:

    1. Where the bird or animal is on the ground. The majority of the body may be lit but it’s quite common for the underside to be in shade. A touch of fill-in flash can brighten up this shadow area, giving a better balance to the image.
    2. This is similar to above, but more extreme. When shooting strongly back-lit, all of the subject facing the camera will be in heavy shade, often losing detail. Using fill-in flash will again brighten up the shadow, bringing back detail. It can also help restore colour balance.
    3. For birds with iridescence. Iridescent feathers appear to reflect all kinds of colours, often greens and blues. Good examples are Rooks, Magpies, Starlings and male Mallards. Using a small amount of fill-flash can help to bring out this quality of the feathers.
    4. To add a highlight in the eye. In addition to the above, a touch of flash can add a catch-light to the eye which helps to bring the subject to life.

What’s the Technique?

Essentially you want to use the same exposure settings you would for natural daylight and aim to expose for the highlights. The fill-in flash then brightens up any shadow areas but won’t affect the lit areas. Once you’ve set your exposure you want to reduce the flash output from its automatic setting. If you’re using on-camera flash, with the TTL option, reduce the power of the flash by around -1 and 2/3 EV. This is a good setting to start from. If filling the frame with dark subjects such as a purely black coloured bird for example you might need to reduce the flash more, even down to -3 EV, as the flashgun will want to put out too much flash. It’s often about experimenting; remember – the idea is to add just enough flash to improve the image, with it barely being noticeable. Alternatively you may be able to change the flash output manually in which case you could try around 1/16 of full power. On my camera, the Canon 1DX Mark i, I can actually change the flash output in camera using the flash +/- compensation dial – this is perfect as it means I don’t need to take my eye away from the camera.

No Flash
Fill-in Flash at -1 and 2/3 EV

On many flashguns you’ll notice a zoom setting. This allows the flashgun to fire the flash at a similar angle of view (mm) to the lens being used. This should automatically change when the flash is attached to the hot-shoe – if not you can alter it manually. An important point to note is the flash synchronisation speed. Most cameras have a maximum shutter speed that will synchronise with a flashgun, often around 1/250 of a second. Use a faster shutter speed than this and the two won’t work together properly. To enable the flash to synchronise with a faster shutter speed you need to use the high speed sync option. On the Speedlite you will see the flash symbol and a ‘H’ next to it. When this is selected your camera and flash will work together with up to the fastest shutter speed available. This is particularly important due to the fact that when shooting wildlife, in natural light, you’ll often be using a fast shutter speed.

Recycle Time and Batteries

You won’t be able to continuously shoot with your flash unless you have an extra battery pack. I tend to do single shots and let the flash recycle; within a second or two it will be ready to fire again. Use rechargeable batteries in your flashgun. Better than alkaline, I’d recommend the NiMH (see Eneloop) – these hold charge better and have great reviews.

Red-eye Problems

You may occasionally get ‘red-eye’ when using fill-in flash. This is where the light reflects from the retina and straight back through the lens. Using a flash further away from the camera will help to avoid this; in some cases it might be necessary to mount the flash separately to the side of the camera. I’ve also found that angling the flash away (whilst still on the hot-shoe) can also help if the flashgun has this facility.

See the slight Red-eye in this image of a male Mallard

A word about using flash with wild creatures: research suggests that flash used in daylight will have no detrimental effect on the subject. I agree with this and I don’t see issues using fill-flash on wild birds and animals. However, using flash as the main light source, e.g. shooting at night is very different. This has been shown to temporarily blind owls for example and should be seriously considered. You’ll find some useful information on this topic in these blogs from Tom Mason and Keith Elcombe A much better option in my opinion is to use LEDs

 

Diffusers and Extenders

Using a diffuser on the flashgun is unlikely to soften the light at a distance; this is because the diffuser spreads light out rather than softens it. If you do use it in the field you’re also going to have to increase the flash output which will increase battery consumption. My own view is that a diffuser may improve the quality of flash light at a short distance. Extenders on the other hand work by concentrating the flash into a narrower field of view – they are more direct and therefore sensible to use in the field. Better Beamers are a popular option although they usually require a separate arm to move off camera to get the best effect.

There’s plenty to learn when it come to Fill-in Flash. The easiest way is to simply practice on a static subject outside, adjust your settings and see what works. Remember: you are still using natural light as your main light source – the flash just acts as a secondary light source to brighten the shadows, lift the image a little, and add a catch-light to the eye. Above all – don’t over-do it!

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Wildlife Photography for Beginners: My 5 Top Tips

wildlife photography for beginners

There’s many ingredients that make a cracking wildlife image. Today I’ve picked out just 5 tips that I think are particularly important if you’re just getting started.

Tip Number 1: Auto-focus Mode

You’re probably using auto-focus already, but it’s important to know which mode you have set in camera. Single shot, also called One Shot or AF-S is ideal for static subjects; with this mode, once the camera has focused on the subject the focus is locked. It’s particularly useful for re-composing without the focus changing. The Continuous Auto-focus mode, also called Servo and AF-C will continuously re-focus as a subject moves, provided you keep focus engaged. This is the best option for moving subjects, e.g. birds in flight and running animals. Make sure you understand the difference between the two and that you always know which one is set in camera. You can also use the Back Button Focus method, in which case you can keep the camera permanently on the Continuous Focusing mode.

Tip Number 2: Focus Points and Zones

Your camera might be set up so that all the focus points (the whole viewfinder) is focusing. This is not ideal! You will have a number of focus points in the viewfinder – these are the squares that will light up red when activated. I’d advise using using one focus point or a small cluster. Depending on your camera you should be able to select different focus points depending on where you want to focus. More advanced cameras will allow greater options of clusters and zones and you should experiment to see what works in different situations. Watch my video on Flight Photography for more detail.

Tip Number 3: Aperture Priority

I always advise Aperture Priority for beginners. This exposure mode is a good choice for wildlife photography, also known as A or AV. You set the aperture, ideally a fairly wide aperture, e.g. f5.6; the camera will then select the appropriate shutter speed dependent on the available light and the ISO. Because you are using a wide aperture and letting more light in, this means that the shutter speed will be higher to balance it. The other benefit of selecting a wide aperture yourself is that it will help blur the background and make the subject stand out more clearly. ISO is also a factor here, so if you’re not sure about this then try the following as a guide: select between ISO 200 and 400 on bright days and between ISO 800 and 1600 on overcast days..

Tip Number 4: Avoid Underexposure

A common problem is when photographing a subject against the sky – resulting in dark, underexposed images. This is because the light reflecting back through the viewfinder causes the camera to reduce the exposure. To fix this, if you’re using Aperture Priority (or Shutter Priority) you need to find the plus/minus button; press this down and use the dial to increase the exposure, i.e. make it brighter. You need to go in the Plus direction; try around +1 as a guide. Each camera will vary how this works but there is usually a dial on the top, or perhaps a wheel at the back.  If you want to understand more about exposure, watch this Exposure Tutorial Video

Tip Number 5: Continuous Shooting

When photographing birds and animals is advisable to shoot continuously, rather than one shot a time. You’ll increase your chances of a better image. Find the Drive setting and switch to a Continuous Frame Rate; you may have options of L and H which is low and high; this will vary enormously from camera to camera. It’s not always necessary to shoot at the highest frame rate. I’d suggest starting with a lower rate continuous mode which might be 3 or 5 frames per second. Wildlife is always moving so the more images you take the greater your chance of a pin sharp photo, and/or a particularly pleasing pose.

Tip Number 6: Extra Tip and Most Important!

Please put the welfare of wildlife first! No picture of a bird or animal is more important than its welfare. Try to learn not just about photography but also about the habits of your subject. Use your instinct and back away if you feel you’re disturbing it. Remember, the more time you spend with a wild bird or animal, the more you will learn – and the more it will come to trust you. If you find a great opportunity for regular photographs of popular species such as owls, or rare birds… don’t tell everyone! You can soon find the quiet location literally heaving with photographers, some who may not have the subject’s best interest at heart!

I hope these 5 tips helped you out if you’re just getting started in Nature Photography. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for future Tutorial Videos. Happy Shooting!

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Photographing Red Grouse in Yorkshire

photographing red grouse

Ever since my first visit to Swaledale many moons ago I’ve been in love with Red Grouse. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve visited over the years. One particular location provides reliable opportunities with Grouse frequenting the roadside heather. Every day is different but it’s not unusual to get extremely close views if you use the car as a mobile hide. I recently spent a winter’s morning up on the moors, using my Canon 500mm f4 Mark i lens. The technique is fairly simple – just wind down the window and use a good quality beanbag as your camera support. Beanbags provide particularly good support for long lenses and I personally prefer this to using a tripod.

To increase stability I also push down slightly on the barrel of the lens with my left hand; with good technique you can use surprisingly slow shutter speeds if the bird is relatively still. Red Grouse are beautiful birds but they seem to have that kind of plumage that camera’s don’t like! If you’re using off centre focus points and the camera is struggling, try switching to the centre focus point and recomposing – you might find the focus more accurate. Above all try to spend as much time as you can when you find a photogenic bird: capturing some kind of behaviour will really lift your images.

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Serbian Owls Images

serbianowls

A number of my images from my Serbian Owl project made it into BBC Wildlife this month, December 2018. I’ve been visiting Serbia, and in particular Kikinda, for a few years documenting the remarkable owls roosts.

serbianowls

Every winter huge gatherings of these birds arrive across towns and villages of Vojvodina. It’s an incredible experience and I’ve been lucky to spend time with these fascinating birds. Check out my Blog Post on Long eared Owls including my twilight images. If you’re interested in joining me for a winter bird watching and photography tour in Serbia Click Here 

Watch the video below on my Serbian Owl project.

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Canon 400mm 5.6 Lens Review

Canon 400mm 5.6 Lens Review

This is my review of the Canon 400mm EF f5.6 USM lens, having professionally used this lens for wildlife photography for a number of years.

When it comes to choosing the right lens for wildlife there are a number of considerations. It’s important to take them all in to account and also to think about the situations you are most likely to use the lens in.

Weight

This is often not considered enough, but it’s a really important one. If you are likely to be carrying the lens for extended periods of time and in particular, hand-holding, then weight is big consideration. With a bigger more expensive lens you might find it feeling quite a burden. The Canon 400mm f5.6 is extremely light, weighing in at 1.25kg. This makes it perfectly easy to hand-hold for most people and can be carried around for hours. Being so lightweight I find it ideal for  flight photography –  no need for support, I can simply use my left hand to support the lens as I follow and fire. Comparing this to my Canon 500mm f4 IS Mark i, at a whopping 3.9kg, and you can see the benefit!

Image Quality

Of course there’s no point having a light lens if the image quality is poor. When I first bought this lens years ago I was significantly impressed with the sharpness. In my opinion it’s of professional standard quality when paired with a good quality camera body. I’ve created images with this lens with both a Canon 1D Mark iv and a Canon 1DX Mark i. A number of these photos have been supplied to professional picture libraries and been printed large on calendars and magazine covers. Sharpness is always a difficult one to describe, without providing complex tests. To get the most out of this lens try to stop down to f/7.1 or f/8 – it will improve the clarity. I rarely use it at f/5.6 but then I wouldn’t do anyway. Use this lens in good light with good technique and you really shouldn’t have any complaints.

canon 400mm f5.6 review
Robin on spade, Canon 1D Mark iv with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens at f/7.1

Speed of Focus

In good light this lens focuses quickly; you’ll have no problem for wildlife portraits. For action it performs pretty well in good light and I’ve made many sharp images of birds in flight, using a centre focus point and a small cluster. I also find changing the focus limiter switch to 8.5m – infinity can improve speed for flight photography. Where this lens begins to struggle is in poor light: in low sunlight or overcast conditions the focus definitely starts to struggle and you need to use the best technique you can. This is the main drawback of the lens for me. The minimum focus distance is 3.5m which is also a disadvantage in some situations. Note: this lens does not have any IS, however for me I don’t find it much of an issue.

canon 400mm f5.6
Arctic Tern in flight; Canon 1DX Mark i with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens, 1/1250 at f7.1, ISO 21600

Extenders and Extension Tubes

If you want to increase the magnification of the 400mm then you can attach extenders. I’ve never tried a 2x extender but have used the lens with the Canon EF Mark iii 1.4 x Extender. With older cameras you may use auto-focus completely. My current understanding is that Canon 1D and 5D bodies will accept the combination but only allow you a centre focusing option and don’t allow the choice of different focus points. You’ll also be down to f/8 once the extender is attached. Quality with a 1.4x extender is reasonable but it helps to keep the ISO low and even stop down the aperture a little more for optimum quality –  I regularly use f/9 or f/10. I wouldn’t want to use this combination in overcast light with a high ISO. 

In order to make small birds more frame-filling you can attach an extension tube. I’ve sometimes used the Canon 25mm extension tube with this lens in order to reduce minimum focusing distance and get closer. This also has the effect of diffusing the background slightly more. You lose a bit of light but still retain auto-focus and exposure control.

canon 400mm f5.6 lens
Blue Tit, Canon 1DX Mark i with Canon 400mm lens and 25mm extension tube

Price

At the time of writing you can get a brand new Canon 400mm f5.6 for close to £1000 and a used one near £500. This is massively cheaper than most competing lenses and makes it ideal for those on a tighter budget.

Other Options

There are many other options for bird photography. Heavier lenses with superior auto-focus include the Canon 500mm f/4 and 600mm f/4 and the Canon 400mm f/2.8. You could also opt for a Canon 300mm f/2.8 and use with extenders. There’s also the 400mm f/4 DO – light enough to hand-hold but with very mixed reviews. The Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-f5.6 Mark ii is also a serious contender due to flexibility, quality and weight. All of these lenses however come with an increase in price.

Conclusion

Remember that the best lens for you is the one that works for you. Are you likely to be sat in hides for hours with a tripod, or are you more likely to be walking around and shooting hand-held in the field.? It’s important to take this into account when choosing your lens. The Canon 400mm f5.6 should always be a consideration. It isn’t the fastest lens; it isn’t the sharpest lens. However it does offer a high level of quality for an amazing price. That’s why I’ve used it myself. The main drawbacks are reduced auto-focus speed in poor light, minimum focusing distance and lack of IS. If you can live without these things then buy it in a heart-beat – I still believe it’s one of the best lenses ever made by Canon for pure value

To see more of my wildlife photography visit the Gallery Pages on my website.

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