So, with the Arctic Terns as number one priority, what would be number two?
I'd sworn it wouldn't be Puffins! In fact leading expert Mike Harris who happened to be in residency during my visit exclaimed "not after more Puffin photos are you?!" when we bumped in to each other. He's a right one to comment as he's spent a lifetime dedicated to the species!
Anyway, within minutes of arriving I'd taken my first photograph of a Puffin with Sand Eels in it's bill and over the week I was to take a lot more too!
I think as a UK wildlife photographer it's probably top of most peoples list of images they want to take. I have many such images now but still can't resist a few more if I happen to be in the right place at the right time. I wasn't too bothered about flight shots, well not like the ones I have taken in the past, but the combination of Puffin and water appealed greatly and was something still to experiment with.
The only accessible spot would prove problematic though as it was either backlit by the sun or in deep shade. Still, the light does interesting things with the feet!
The Puffin is a gold medal swimmer but when it comes to flying, especially landing, they are far from being the best.
That might look promising but....
elegant it isn't!
However, most of the time they are simply adorable to photograph
A bit of sea mist gave a softer image even if they were just metres away.
Change the water colour for something a bit different
Enough's enough!
Watching them clamber out of the water was fun as they had a game of "King of the Castle" trying to keep the one space on a newly revealed ledge as the tide went out.
Mark decided this was the best shot taken all week but I have to disagree.
It could have been but I should have used a smaller aperture to get a better depth of field. There are lots of elements that make it interesting but technically it's not as good as it should have been. Besides, Mark had taken an image I could only dream of, and he has given me permission to show it to you but that will be later!
Meanwhile he and I compared photographs and ideas , each feeding from the other although I ate better than he did !
Getting shots of birds in the rain was something we both had decided would be a bit different. The only problem was lack of rainfall! Well, except for just a short downpour one morning.
From our bedroom window I took a couple of shots.
before deciding to get out there myself.
Initially I chose the position for the background not realising a foot was obscured, and besides the lighter background doesn't pick up the rain as well.
By the time I was where I wanted to be the rain had eased off! Ah well, one for next time.
Mark had shown me some shots of a Puffin with it's bill illuminated by the setting sun. I tried to copy the idea.
Just as I did when I saw his take on group photos.
I failed to get anything like the ones he had taken, it takes a lot more skill and luck to get them. Much depends on how the group is standing, anyway, again something to work on in the future, meantime I decided to try with smaller numbers of birds and see what I could achieve.
Again, something for the future too.
But that's enough of Puffins.
Well maybe just one last one?!
A bit of Puffin interaction. More likely to be seen during the courtship period...now there's a thought. I must try a different time of year, who needs Sand Eels anyway.
TBC
I'd sworn it wouldn't be Puffins! In fact leading expert Mike Harris who happened to be in residency during my visit exclaimed "not after more Puffin photos are you?!" when we bumped in to each other. He's a right one to comment as he's spent a lifetime dedicated to the species!
Anyway, within minutes of arriving I'd taken my first photograph of a Puffin with Sand Eels in it's bill and over the week I was to take a lot more too!
I think as a UK wildlife photographer it's probably top of most peoples list of images they want to take. I have many such images now but still can't resist a few more if I happen to be in the right place at the right time. I wasn't too bothered about flight shots, well not like the ones I have taken in the past, but the combination of Puffin and water appealed greatly and was something still to experiment with.
The only accessible spot would prove problematic though as it was either backlit by the sun or in deep shade. Still, the light does interesting things with the feet!
The Puffin is a gold medal swimmer but when it comes to flying, especially landing, they are far from being the best.
That might look promising but....
elegant it isn't!
However, most of the time they are simply adorable to photograph
A bit of sea mist gave a softer image even if they were just metres away.
Change the water colour for something a bit different
Enough's enough!
Watching them clamber out of the water was fun as they had a game of "King of the Castle" trying to keep the one space on a newly revealed ledge as the tide went out.
Mark decided this was the best shot taken all week but I have to disagree.
It could have been but I should have used a smaller aperture to get a better depth of field. There are lots of elements that make it interesting but technically it's not as good as it should have been. Besides, Mark had taken an image I could only dream of, and he has given me permission to show it to you but that will be later!
Meanwhile he and I compared photographs and ideas , each feeding from the other although I ate better than he did !
Getting shots of birds in the rain was something we both had decided would be a bit different. The only problem was lack of rainfall! Well, except for just a short downpour one morning.
From our bedroom window I took a couple of shots.
before deciding to get out there myself.
Initially I chose the position for the background not realising a foot was obscured, and besides the lighter background doesn't pick up the rain as well.
By the time I was where I wanted to be the rain had eased off! Ah well, one for next time.
Mark had shown me some shots of a Puffin with it's bill illuminated by the setting sun. I tried to copy the idea.
Just as I did when I saw his take on group photos.
I failed to get anything like the ones he had taken, it takes a lot more skill and luck to get them. Much depends on how the group is standing, anyway, again something to work on in the future, meantime I decided to try with smaller numbers of birds and see what I could achieve.
Again, something for the future too.
But that's enough of Puffins.
Well maybe just one last one?!
A bit of Puffin interaction. More likely to be seen during the courtship period...now there's a thought. I must try a different time of year, who needs Sand Eels anyway.
TBC
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