Photographing Nocturnal Species

[TheSeagull]

Hi,
Just wondering what methods and techniques WABers use when photographing nocturnal animals? I have had a few attempts at hedgehogs with all ending in utter failure due to blown eyes and red eye, I of course respect the welfare of the animal. Anybody got any special techniques?

[pressld2]

I've managed a few reasonable shots of hedgehogs by using a bracket to get the flash gun off the camera. The further away the flash is from the lens, the less chance of red-eye.



None since March though as my hogs have disappeared.

Dave P.

[Ukwildlifeo]

'Words' has a blog where he photographs foxes in his garden, so hopefully he'll be along at some point to give some tips. If not you can probably link to his blog from his profile.

[Words]

Yes I take a lot of night shots, and nearly always use flash. With foxes I find the best way of avoiding eye-shine is to get close. Any great distance and their eyes are like beacons and there's very little that cna be done to correct it. Sometimes the eye's shine a green or blue. That can be adjusted with the colour replacement tools in photoshop (I mask the eye and use adjust colour > replace colour > lightness... taken all the way to the left which darkens it). The same technique can be used on most red-eye. Of course if the fox is asleep, it helps

(I seem to have uploaded thumbnails... but you'll get the idea of what's possible from these)