Wildlife Photography across the Water: Use Protection-Be Safe

Wednesday 29 April 2009

Use Protection-Be Safe

Now that spring is with us and summer is around the corner the weather is warming up and the bugs are coming out to play, we need to get our sensible heads on, Firstly we spend alot of time outdoors and need to take precautions against the sun, Cancer is a real threat and sunburn is just plain uncomfortable, Make sure high factor sun cream is applied regularly and take a cloth to keep your hands as dry as possible, Sun cream and cameras don't work to well, I had a Canon 5D -yes film- years ago that i took travelling and the hand grip peeled due to coming into contact with suncream and bug spray, So that brings me onto bug spray-nearly every country now has mosquitoes and not all of them are night time fliers, Early mornings and evening sessions become a pain in more ways that one, When shooting badgers in used to wear a wide brimmed hat and a net over my head to get some peace from the most annoying things on the planet, When shooting in foreign countries you may also need malaria tablets as well, Bug spray can help keep all biters at bay but most sprays and cream tend to be scented so be careful when trying to shoot animals like deer and downwind will be the only way to get close enough to shoot, If you are approaching a deer and he suddenly lifts his head and licks his nose then he knows you are around, As mentioned bug spray and camera gear don't work so either use gloves-i use a think cotton camo pair in the summer-or take a cloth and keep as much off of the cameras as possible, Whilst talking of bugs lets mention Ticks, Now they are not that common in the UK but they are around and where you find deer you will find ticks and ticks that can carry Lyme disease this is a very real danger to your health, Here in the USA Lyme disease is wide spread and not nice-flu like symptoms that if left untreated will cause lasting health problems, Get a friend or partner to check you for ticks, I have had them on me in Switzerland, France and India , Care is needed when removing them so as not to break the head off, I use a tick remover that i bought from a vets for my dog,Its like a minute claw hammer that you slide under the tick and slowly pull and twist at the same time, I was told that a tick breathes out of its rear end as its head is buried so a blob of vaseline over the tick will make it reverse out as it tries to get air, Sensible clothing with long sleeves and a wide brimmed hat will all help keep you cool and safe

Dave

1 comment:

Peter Edge30 April 2009 at 14:52
Hi Doctor Dave
I had Lyme disease from a tick picked up in France. You have to take a special antibiotic to clear it up. It The symptoms are a terrible flu and they clear up on their own but dont be fooled they come back at regular intervals with serious consequences.
Very nasty
Pete the Patient
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Bio's

David Courtenay, a self taught wildlife and nature photographer, has been capturing images for over 30 years. He has had a passion for wildlife since early childhood and remembers being glued to the television whenever Survival, Wildlife on One and other natural history documentaries were shown. In the 2006 he swapped his established career for the life of a wildlife photographer, such a move demands a measure of uncompromising passion and commitment.

David has travelled extensively throughout Europe as well as spending more than 7 months in India working with local guides and trackers in search of Bengal Tiger, Asian One horned Rhino and Asian Elephant. He has also photographed Wildlife in Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra, Africa, Canada and America. Working closely with Conservation companies he tries to raise funds to help Wildlife that has been put on the endangered list by poaching and habitation loss

Martin Dyer has had a passion for avian wildlife since childhood, particularly raptors. Photography was also another keen interest and it was with the specific availability and control of the whole process that digital offers that Martin was then able to combine the two in 2003. Based in the UK, Martin is a regular visitor to Scotland, specifically the Isle of Mull to watch the Eagles resident there. Other trips to Europe and around the UK are usually part of Martin’s agenda in a typical year.

However, as a firm believer on making the most of the local patch, Martin has spent a lot of time and hard work creating a wildlife garden which is reaping the rewards with many new species and varieties of wildlife. A keen member of a number of wildlife photographic groups, Martin is keen to expand his portfolio into other areas of wildlife, and has already established a wide portfolio of images of fungi.