A tick in place on my thigh
If you’re squeamish about creepy crawlies (especially the ones that feed on you) then click away now!
Ticks (on me!)
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Deer Photography – Part 1: Stealth
Red deer stag with spring antler growth – 140mm with 1.4x extender (196mm equivalent); ISO 400; 1/950 sec; f/4 (click image to view larger size)
Over the past few years, I’ve photographed the deer in Richmond Park on many occasions, so I thought I’d write some articles that may provide useful information to other photographers who might be interested.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!
Daffodil – ISO 400; 60mm macro; f/11; 1/125 sec (click image to view larger size)
In English, Happy St. David’s Day!
Being Welsh, I thought I would mark St. David’s Day with an image of a daffodil, the national flower of Wales. After all, I can still remember having a daffodil pinned to my jumper before heading off to school in the 1960s!
I didn’t want just any type of image though, I wanted to try a technique I’ve known about for a long time but never managed to get around to using before – creating a black background without actually using a physical background.
This technique uses nothing more than the absence of light. It’s quite simple really, once you understand the principle. You don’t need a studio or any fancy lighting gear (I certainly don’t have any), just a flash that you can fire off-camera.
The Devil’s Punch Bowl
Mist Over The Punch Bowl – ISO 800; 14mm; f/5.6; 1/60 sec (click image to view larger size)
I’ve paid two visits to The Devil’s Punch Bowl at Hindhead over the past two weeks, firstly on a scouting mission for walking routes and secondly to conduct a 1-2-1 workshop which was then followed by a 2-hour stroll to scout out some more trails.
Butterflies at RHS Wisley
Giant Owl (Caligo telamonius memnon) – ISO 1600; 60mm macro; f/2.8; 1/160 sec (click image to view larger size)
This week I paid a visit to the RHS gardens at Wisley in Surrey, where up to 6000 butterflies will be flying around inside the glasshouse. Officially opening on Saturday 14th January, I went a few days early after a tip from a fellow camera club member that they would be in place before the opening and hopefully not so busy. It certainly was fairly quiet and they may not have had all 6000 in flight, as I imagine most are still to be released into the glasshouse, but there were enough to provide a challenge at photographing them!
Surrey Photography Walkabouts
Stags at sunrise
I’ve not posted on here for quite some time (four months apparently, having checked my last post) and there’s a reason for that – a new venture that’s occupied a lot of my time over the past two or three months.
Sloane Square to Brompton Cemetery
Fate – 27mm; ISO 200; 1/250 sec; f/2.8 (click image to view larger size)
Last week I attended another photo walk with the Surrey & Hampshire Photography Group. A small group of about 15 walked a route that took us from our starting point at Sloane Square to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, down to the River Thames and over Chelsea Bridge, into and through Battersea Park, crossing back over the river on Albert Bridge, along the embankment, up through Chelsea and into Brompton Cemetery, around 5 miles in total.
In search of deer … and light!
Stag or Stick? – 135mm; ISO 400; 1/25 sec; f/5.6 (click image to view larger size)
One evening last week I took a stroll with my camera in Richmond Park, hoping to find deer in a pleasing woodland setting with some nice late sunlight. It was a venture destined with failure!
London Photowalk
Walk – ISO 200; 27mm; f/8.0; 1/420 sec (click image to view larger size)
I recently went along to a photo walk in London with the Surrey & Hampshire Photography Group. This was the first time I had attended an event from www.meetup.com and it was a very enjoyable day out.
The day I became a wildlife photographer **
Autumn in the Woods – (ISO 400; 250mm; f/6.7; 1/350 sec)
It started off just like any other photography outing. I was in Richmond Park before sunrise, a routine I had become well accustomed to.
