[clackers]

Good morning, all. I got a book the other day from the library on Stockholm Syndrome.

I didn't like it at first, but by the end I thought it was great!

In other news, my youngest son accidentally swallowed a bag of Scrabble tiles.

His next trip to the bathroom could spell disaster.

This week I want to talk about how a beginner can start bird photography. The key to wildlife photography is proximity, even for the National Geographic guys with their 600mm f4 lenses.

Someone just starting can use any lens, though, my shot below was with the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro.

The targets at first should be larger domesticated or tame birds, like swans or ducks at your local park. The key is to bring the strategies and tactics of professionals to your own shooting.

If you can see your own shadow in front of you, the conditions are ideal. That means the light angle is low, and will illuminate your subject - you want details in feathers or fur in animals (high ISO destroys texture that is ultimately not retrieved by noise reduction, it gets smoothed out instead to looking like plastic) and if possible a glint in the eye, just like a portrait of a person.

If the conditions are not right, move around if that makes a difference, or come back at another time, another day as necessary. Shoot something else at the park. We want to be rewarded with sharpness and lighting suiting our focus systems - and they want to see distinct lines, not a grey blob.

As you become more experienced, you'll actually plan when walking into the wild up and down a path to take the dark side so that the target will be in the light, you'll shoot up and to the side.

You can't always get away with doing what you like in the forest.

There's the story of the man caught, by a forest ranger, sitting at a make-shift campfire, and to the ranger's horror, eating a bald eagle. The man is consequently put in jail for the crime.

On the day of his trial, the conversation went something like this:

JUDGE: "Do you know that eating a bald eagle is a federal offense?"

MAN: "Yes I do. But if you let me argue my case, I'll explain what happened."

JUDGE: "Proceed."

MAN: "I got lost in the woods. I hadn't had anything to eat for two weeks. I was so hungry. Next thing I see is a bald eagle swooping down at the lake for some fish. I knew that if I followed the eagle I could maybe steal his fish. I caught up with the eagle who lighted upon a tree stump to eat the fish. I threw a stone toward it hoping he would drop the fish and fly away. Unfortunately, in my weakened condition, my aim was off, and the rock hit the eagle squarely on his poor little head, and killed it. I thought long and hard about what had happened, but figured that since I killed it I might as well eat it since it would be more disgraceful to let it rot on the ground."

JUDGE: "The court will take a recess while we analyze your testimony."

Fifteen minutes goes by and the judge returns.

JUDGE: "Due to the extreme circumstance you were under and because you didn't intend to kill the eagle, the court will dismiss the charges."

The judge then leans over the bench and whispers: "Look, I believed your story about it being a one-off accident. So, if you don't mind my asking, what does a bald eagle taste like?"

MAN: "Well your honor, it is hard to explain. The best I can describe it is somewhere between a California Condor and a Spotted Owl."

Next week: Tip 22 - Move The Subject

The rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com

[Michail_P]

The majestic rooster!

[aslyfox]

Good morning, all. I got a book the other day from the library on Stockholm Syndrome.

I didn't like it at first, but by the end I thought it was great!

In other news, my youngest son accidentally swallowed a bag of Scrabble tiles.

His next trip to the bathroom could spell disaster . . .

[ thanks for coming folks, please don't forget to tip the waitstaff on your way out ]

[CristiC]

The key to wildlife photography is proximity, even for the National Geographic guys with their 600mm f4 lenses.

Different people have different opinions on what qualifies as wildlife photography. Some say that the animals have to be wild & free, not at a zoo. In that case, getting close enough to the animal is a challenge, in addition to the special skillset needed for taking good pictures. I do not consider myself a wildlife photographer because I know some, who truly are. Their skillset is in a different league than mine. The effort they take is mind-blowing for city-dwellers like me.

For beginners I recommend places with lots of wildlife, where a tour guide or ranger finds them and knows both the proper (ethical) way to behave and also knows how to help photographers, with regard to position, light and opportunity.

Example for birding: get on a boat, to a guided birdwatching tour in the Danube Delta (in Europe). A 400mm tele is better than 300mm, no matter how far the bird happens to be - but the closer it is, the better.
After getting frustrated by the image quality that I got out of my consumer grade Pentax DA 55-300mm, the old version, I switched to a higher-priced lens. The new PLM version of the 55-300 may be better, some say.




Sometimes the wild animal is used to the presence of tourists and to snack opportunities, such as this fox that I shot with the Pentax DA 15mm Ltd. Let me be clear: DO NOT FEED wild animals! Let them do what they did for millions of years.





Another way to get close is to observe wildlife from the comfort of an observatory, such as a ”bear hide” where the cabin in the woods has a mirror window and the bears can't see you. Essentialy, you are the animal in a cage then.

[clackers]

Another way to get close is to observe wildlife from the comfort of an observatory, such as a ”bear hide” where the cabin in the woods has a mirror window and the bears can't see you. Essentialy, you are the animal in a cage then.

Yeah, ultimately, along with remote cameras, that's how the National Geographic guys get the best shots, even if the hide is a pop up camouflaged affair or simply a deer hunter's camo outfit. It's all about getting close, not having a long lens.

If you encounter a wild animal in its habitat, it runs away, so the art is to get there before it and set everything up, and wait. Of course it means you've got to know in advance, from a guide or Internet talk, about the location.

I will urge beginners to not skip a step. Master taking pictures of animals unafraid of people before moving onto wildlife, because encounters with them are fleeting and you really must have your techniques and knowledge of your camera worked out in advance. The park or zoo is the place to get those right. If you can't nail a rhinoceros in a concrete enclosure, a trip to Kruger National Park will be an expensive way to get additional experience!

[aslyfox]

this might be worth looking at:

An Intro to Telephoto Lenses for Wildlife Photography
April 8 2022 / by Luca Eandi

Wildlife photography may seem like an intimidating genre to get into, but you don't have to book a safari trip to capture great wildlife shots—you can start in your backyard or at the nearest park.

To take great images of animals in the wild, all you need is good timing and patience. Of course, having a long lens in your arsenal doesn't hurt either, so let's go through some factors to consider before buying a telephoto lens. . . .

An Intro to Telephoto Lenses for Wildlife Photography | Spotlight

remember folks, animals are on the look out for warnings: sounds, smells and movement

act accordingly

IMHO your goals should be to get the photo and not disturb the wildlife

I have been taught that wildlife has a flight/stay zone

too close and they move

not too close and they stay in place

it has to due with saving of energy

[aslyfox]

this may be worth the time to review:

Viewing wildlife first hand is one of the best reasons to head outdoors. If you’ve ever watched mighty bison grazing on the prairie, admired a golden eagle soaring overhead, or seen two bears tussling in the woods, you know the thrill of excitement that comes with wildlife sightings.

But occasionally, wildlife encounters can take an unfortunate turn for the worse, and adhering to the principle of leave no trace means that you should never disturb wildlife. After all, when you’re hiking, trail running or camping, you’re a guest in their house, not the other way round. Our guide to wildlife safety provides eight tips to help you avoid – and respond to – unexpected encounters, so that you can keep lacing up your hiking boots and pitching your tent in the woods without endangering yourself, other trail users, or the wildlife.

1. Do your research
First things first, before you set off on a hike or trail run in a new place, do your research about what kinds of wildlife you might expect to encounter. After all, you won't have time to Google "what to do if you encounter a wild boar" in the time it takes it to cross the clearing and maul you with its tusks. We’ve written extensively about specific wildlife safety protocols, but you really don’t need to know about rattlesnake safety if you’re hiking in Washington, mountain lion safety if you’re running in Vermont, or either of the above if you’re in the UK. . . .

MSN

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Last edited by aslyfox; 05-21-2022 at 09:06 AM.

[aslyfox]

having just returned from a trip to Victoria BC and Friday Harbor San Juan Island WA after several days of whale watching and wildlife tours here are some observations that might be worth relating to this topic:

1 if you determine prior to going that your trip will be successful only if you get the " perfect " wildlife photo or even seeing wildlife at all, you may be setting yourself up for massive disappointment

2 enjoy the experience of the " search " regardless of the outcome

3 if using the services of guides, do your best to learn all about what they are doing and why

4 learn the " history and habits " of your targets before you go if you can

[ perhaps you will get lucky like I did: mother and calf humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae in Salish Sea ]

[angerdan]

The judge then leans over the bench and whispers: "Look, I believed your story about it being a one-off accident. So, if you don't mind my asking, what does a bald eagle taste like?"
MAN: "Well your honor, it is hard to explain. The best I can describe it is somewhere between a California Condor and a Spotted Owl."

[photogem]

The judge then leans over the bench and whispers: "Look, I believed your story about it being a one-off accident. So, if you don't mind my asking, what does a bald eagle taste like?"

MAN: "Well your honor, it is hard to explain. The best I can describe it is somewhere between a California Condor and a Spotted Owl."

That already made my day ... fantastic!