Sunday 26 April 2015

Birds at Elmney Marshes

 
Birds at Elmney Marshes
 
Last week, I visited Elmney Marshes nature reserve in Kent. At Elmney, there is a narrow 2 mile  track leading from the main road ,across the marshes, to the reserve`s main car park. If you drive slowly along this track, with the car window wound down, and a bean bag over the car door,  it is possible to stop the car, and photograph Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank, and the other birds that you see on the marshes. You do need a long telephoto lens though,-sometimes with a 1.4x tele converter on, because the subjects do tend to be a distance away, although sometimes, they can be amazingly close.
 
Lapwing, of which there are quite a large population present . 
 
Lapwing
 
A couple of shots of a Lapwing bathing
 
 
 
Little Grebe
 
Redshank, which was very close to the side of the track.
 
Redshank
 
Hare. At first I did not notice this Hare, because I was photographing an Oystercatcher which was nearby. From a distance, in its crouched position, it looked just like a small mound of earth, but when the mound of earth `moved` ,I realised what it was. Unlike Rabbits, Hares do not live in burrows underground, but make a small `scape` or depression in the earth and crouch down low, using their natural camouflage to blend in with the background.
 
It eventually decided to sit up and clean itself, and then sit and `posed` nicely for me. These two shots were taken with an `old`  600mm lens, and 2x Mark 1 tele-converter, on my Canon 5D mark III .(Full frame senor).  The old Mark 1 converter is not that sharp in comparison to the newer Mark 3 version,  and I very rarely use it, but because this Hare was so far away, I had to use it on this occasion.  
 
Little Egret fishing
 
Oystercatcher
 
Oystercatcher `piping`
 
Oystercatcher having and afternoon `nap`
 
Coot on the nest


Thursday 23 April 2015

Pasque Flowres - Therfield Heath

 
Pasque Flowers - Therfield Heath
 
Last week I went over to Therfield Heath with Richard Revels to photograph the Pasque Flowers. Whilst not quite in the numbers that had been in 2013, there was still a good showing, and they made a brilliant display on the side of the hill.
 
 
 
 
 


Friday 17 April 2015

Brighton - A Day at the Seaside

 
Brighton - A Day at the Seaside
 
Last week, I had to give a short lecture tour of three clubs in the West Sussex area., Bognor Regis, Steyning and Eastbourne.  On the Thursday,  Mike Williams from Steyning Camera Club, very kindly took me into Brighton to show me the `sites` around the town and seafront. The following shots were taken with a Canon 5D mark III and 24-105 lens.

Typical deck chairs along the main pier
 
Alex, - one of the `models` I found around the narrow streets of Brighton. Alex is an `alternate punk` and I posed her against one of the many `graffiti` walls that can be found around the narrow back streets.
 
 Another portrait taken against a very striking graffiti wall.

Colour Version of pevious shot.
 
Alex
 
I normally carry some cards around with me with my email, web site  and `blog`address on. I had left them in the car this time, so wrote my email and blog address on Alex`s arm, so I could send on some of the pictures to her.
 
Pavillion along the front
 
An HDR shot , showing the burnt out framework of the old pier through the pavilion. HDR is not to everyone`s taste but I felt it worked O.K. for this image.
 
One of the many `faces` that can be found on graffiti on the walls in Brighton. I will make a panel of prints of the `faces` for my panel talk.
 
 
 
 


Sunday 5 April 2015

RPS Nature Group Exhibition 2015

 
RPS Nature Group Exhibition 2015
 
Had my results from this years RPS Nature Group Exhibition, and had my best result for a long time. Out of the 16 entries, I had 10 acceptances, one Gold Medal, one Selectors Award and a Highly Commended.  Theses are the images accepted.
 
Female and Male Adder  - Gold Medal
 
Soaking Wet Juvenile Green Woodpecker
 
Red Squirrel
 
Green Winged Orchids - Selectors Award
 
Close Up Detail of Military Orchid - Highly Commended
 
Heron in Flight
 
Soaking Wet Jay
 
Red Squirrel
 
Frog Orchid
 
Crested Cow-Wheat
 
Male Beautiful Demoiselle on Stinging Nettle