Wildlife Photography across the Water: Autumn

Thursday, 10 November 2011

Autumn Colour - UK Style

After Dave's great post of Autumn Colours, and as mentioned in recent blogs by me, here is my take on Autumn Colours.

Taken nearly a couple of weeks back at Westonbirt Arboretum, which is where the Autumnwatch programme was coming from at the time.

I have been to this place many times in my past as I used to live about three miles away for a few years so it was a local haunt. I have been back about three times before, specifically for photography in recent years, but I cannot remember a year as good as this for colour. Maybe the mixed up weather has played a positive part. The downside being that the duration of the colour has been short.

Anyway, the forecast the night before I went was looking to be what I needed. Foggy/misty and then sunny, and quite cold - perfect.

Some of the pictures that I got this time around I had seen in my mind for a number of years, and it still feels like a great adventure setting out in the car in the dark, and travelling a good distance to get the image you only see in your mind.

I wasn't disappointed - just the sorts of images I was looking for.

Walking the reverse direction around the Autumn colour walk, it meant that I was constantly walking into the sun rather than have it behind me. Perfect for what I was looking for.

Not bothering with a tripod, filters or other paraphernalia, I was able to work in a free form style, quickly and capturing the changing moments fast, and avoiding the traditional photographers setting up wide shots around me with the sun behind them on their tripods. I did respect their work though and ask before I walked across the front of their lenses.

Using the 5Dmk2 and my trusty 24-70 f2.8L lens, I really enjoyed the photography.

Here are a few of the images that I got that morning. I will do another post with a few more next time around.

All of these images were taken in the aptly named Acer Glade, a wonderful collection of Maples from around the world.

Martin

Wednesday, 6 October 2010

Autumn Spectaculars

Dave recently mentioned that with fall comes some great opportunities for the autumn colours.

Here is the UK, one such location that is always wonderful in October is the arboretum at Westonbirt. This year they have a great little photo blog so you can keep an eye on the colours yourself and judge when to go. It will probably be in a couple of weeks time when they are at their best. I usually try to go for early doors first thing, and get there before the crowds and if you can make it a weekday then even better.

On the other side of the country in North Norfolk, this coming weekend is one of the best for the Knot Spectacular at RSPB Snettisham. I am quite happy to tell you all about this, as I will not be heading that way as I have other plans. The Knot Spectacular only happens a few times a year and is dependant on the highest tides pushing thousands of birds off the tidal estuary of the Wash and onto the land. There used to be a special photographers hide there for two people set very low. It was closed at the end of 2008 due to some photographers not abiding by the rules to go in and out at certain times/states of the tides, resulting in the disturbance of the birds, and spoiling the day for the other watchers in the main hides. Once again, a few spoiling it for the majority, which is a sad state of affairs, but not untypical of some photographers of wildlife, rather than wildlife photographers who will always consider their subject before the photograph.

As for my plans? - well you will have to wait and see what I write about and post next week.

Martin

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.