Wildlife Photography across the Water: Chancing my luck

Thursday, 1 October 2009

Chancing my luck - not very well

Last night when I got back from my run - yes still at it - I was just cooling down outside in the back garden when I saw a bat flying close by and very slowly.

It was quite light at the time, and I watched it for a while, and then thought, why not!!

So with the 70-200f2.8L - needed the fast light gathering of that lens to give the AF a fighting chance, popped the 580EX on, set a manual exposure and tried to capture it.

First few goes weren't too good - only had single AF point set, but then I closed down the aperture to give me a DOF chance in the darkening skies, and relied on the power of the flash.

Set the ISO up to 1600

First one isn't so good - second one is a bit sharper.

Well I learned a bit from this and will try again.

I will use the 300f2.8L as it is about the fastest focussing lens I have, plus I won't need to crop so much (these were big crops), I will set AF points to all, plus all assist points, as there is only sky for background so nothing to confuse the AF points, and I will get out there earlier when it is lighter.

So watch this space for future attempts.

Not classic usable images - but good fun trying

Martin

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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.