WAB photographers - tell us all!

[rlchew]

There are many WAB members who are active photographers and the WAB website has nearly 7000 photos in the gallery …. or it did the last time I looked!

Photographers …. tell us all ….

1. Has there been one thing that you feel has made a big difference to your wildlife and/or landscape photography?
   
   
2. What gets you outdoors with your camera?
   
   
3. What has been your best photography moment?
   
   
4. What is your best piece of advice to pass on to fellow WAB photographers?

For me, the answers to my own questions are ….

1. Learning to take the lens cap off or ensuring that the camera has a roll of film or a CF card in it .
   
   More seriously, the purchase of a DSLR camera plus lenses in April 2005 has transformed my interest in photography and I believe led to an improvement in my capability although I still don’t understand most of the manual and my overdraft has increased .
   
   
2. Warm sunny weather in April and May always has me putting off the weekend chores and trying to get time off work .
   
   Everything is greener, birds are singing, summer migrants are arriving, etc. It is my favourite time of the year.
   
   
3. There are probably too many to list here if I count all those wonderful places in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland which I am fortunate enough to visit every year .
   
   However, the opportunities to see and photograph Pine Martens and Badgers at the Rothiemurchus/Speyside wildlife watching hide has to be right up there at the top somewhere albeit not my best photos due to the low levels of light as the evening progresses.
   
   
4. I have included some of my personal tips on my own website.
   
   I would say that out of all of those I would really emphasise the following .... expect the unexpected and be ready for anything.
   
   Photographing wildlife and landscapes can be both rewarding and frustrating due to the unpredictability of so many things such as behaviour, migration, weather conditions, etc. Be prepared when the moment occurs.

So what about the rest of you? Answers on a postcard or preferably via WAB!

And finally .... don't forget to keep sharing those photos in the WAB gallery!

Richard

[eeyore]

1) Buying a digital SLR - I now actually have three (although one is dead)

2) Waking up :-) I try to get out everyday regardless of what the weather is doing, I also have a digital compact (fuji F10) which goes everywhere with me, well nearly ;-)

3) Photographing Seals on Skokholm last July, it was amazing how close they let us get, one even hauled out too close to photograph with my bigma on. Feeding the giraffes at Marwell from the keepers gantry and going into the lions house at feeding time with the keepers at Knowsley (both on wildarena days) also rate pretty high.

4) Take as many pictures as you can, and grab every opportunity, Also don't worry about obsolesence when buying digital kit, just do it. We only live once so make the most of it

[paulthomas]

Originally Posted by rlchew

There are many WAB members who are active photographers and the WAB website has nearly 7000 photos in the gallery …. or it did the last time I looked!

Photographers …. tell us all ….


Has there been one thing that you feel has made a big difference to your wildlife and/or landscape photography?

Definitely going the DSLR route

Originally Posted by rlchew

What gets you outdoors with your camera?

Try keeping me in I'm out at very opportunity

Originally Posted by rlchew

What has been your best photography moment?

Hard to say. Encountering a herd of Red Deer hinds on Friday was pretty special even if the resulting photos weren' that great

Originally Posted by rlchew

What is your best piece of advice to pass on to fellow WAB photographers?

Patience, patience and more `patience. Oh and learn the basics of photography

[JM]

1) Getting a scanner (should get my 30d on Tuesday or Wednesday), plus getting 'L' glass

2) Seeing the birds in the garden, loads of them, all wanting there piccy taken

3) Having a Great spotted woodpecker to close too focus - less than 1.5m away - and not be afraid of shutter noise when he did move further away!

4) Keep your eyes peeled, move slowly and deliberatly

[Wolfhill]

1) Buying a Nikon D200 with my own money, I may be 14 and have no more money but I enjoy using the camera and since purchasing, Wildlife Photography has strengthened its foothold as my favourite hobby.

2)I'm quite the wee ornithologist so I thoroughly enjoy being out and about photographing wildlife(especially birds.....the ones with wings!!) Plus my Dad is a photographer so every time I go out I learn something new.

3)My best wildlife moment has to be at the highland wildlife park near Kincraig about 3 years ago. It involved a certain famous grouse... Anyway i was taking photographs through the wire, they came out awful but the experience was unforgetable. The male grouse began to warble, and so just for a laugh I tried to copy the call. For the next half hour the grouse strutted up and down in front of me going crazy at me because he seemed to think i was competition for him and his mate. My dad sat there laughing at my awful attempts to copy the call during this time.

4)My tips would a) be to carry a camera around with you even if your just driving to work as you never know what you might see.
and b) enjoy it, as this is the most important thing besides not stressing out wildlife you might try to photograph.
Fergus

[Ollie]

1/ Buying a DSLR

2/ Just my love of nature in general and being outdoors

3/ Getting a good shot of a Common Buzzard perched

4/ Go quietly, early morning I find is the best time. Wear clothing if possible that blends with the surroundings, greens, browns, dullish colours.

Ollie

[Fourwings]

1/ Going Digital 4 years ago. my first digital camera, the finepix 4800 zoom, transformed the way in which I took pictures, it made macro work easy.

2/ The sun, if it's out then I'm out with a camera - even when I'm at work!!

3/ Photographing a Dragonfly emerging for the first time, a stunning spectacle that everyone should try see at least once.

4/ Get to know your target species, if you know where to find it and how it behaves then you are always going to be in a better position to get that image.
And finally learn good fieldcraft it doesn't matter how good your camera gear is, if you don't practice this then your chances of success will be greatly diminished.

[glsammy]

1. Getting my 20D.

2. When ever the sun shines, I'm out with the camera.

3. Every picture that comes out better than expected..

4. Listen to and learn from those that know better than you...

[Alan]

1. Having a family that are genuinely interested in my photography, and a brother who's into wildlife and wildlife photography - great for working as a team and borrowing gear!
   
   
2. Being inspired by photographers I know, books/magazines I read, plus the images on this website.
   
   
3. Having the opportunity to photograph a Wildcat in the wild. Even though it was a rehabilitated one that was released back into the wild, it is still an experience that I'm probably unlikely to reproduce - but you never know!
   
   
4. Read all you can about photography and the behaviour of the wildlife you want to capture on film/digital. Take notice of the experiences of the photographers on WAB. Set yourself a project, it can be seasonal or a continual process - it will increase your skills more than just going out and trying to capture the creatures as you find them. Try to be original.

[pxl8]

Originally Posted by rlchew

[*]Has there been one thing that you feel has made a big difference to your wildlife and/or landscape photography?

The accessibility of it I guess. It's so easy to nip into the garden or to one of the local parks and rattle off a few shots.

Originally Posted by rlchew

[*]What gets you outdoors with your camera?

Any few minutes of time on my hands in reasonable weather and you'll find me heading out the door.

Originally Posted by rlchew

[*]What has been your best photography moment?

Probably working out a good technique for capturing hoverflies in flight.

Originally Posted by rlchew

[*]What is your best piece of advice to pass on to fellow WAB photographers?

When shooting animals and insects don't forget to relax. It's easy to get excited and that's when you rush things and make mistakes. That or learn your subject's behaviour, that way you can put yourself in the right place at the right time.