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behind the lens badge
upload_dateMar, 2014

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Awards

Contest Finalist in Show Snowflakes Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Celebrating Nature Day Photo Contest 2015
Contest Finalist in Animals Of The Winter Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Solo Animals Photo Contest
People's Choice in Wildlife portraits with personality Photo Challenge
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Absolute Masterpiece
Kuriene amanciocouto_0073 donnabrownfotofun MartinaD andrevondeling SandraStewartPhotgraphy myriamverne-soury +76
Superb Composition
christrabant Leresis RemySfosco catrionaroberts Maximusalex blacknightowscyaz richardalienhovland +61
Top Choice
JayneBug vitor CURUTCHET Chicagotreasure lablue ConnieFresn mariejosecouture +59
Peer Award
johnbeinecke andrewpowell_0479 bclumberjack Wm_Meier tigardanne Hov1s tmlakshmi +31
Magnificent Capture
GeoffreyScrufWatson SueClarkPhoto daydreamsbymary0710 iluv2shoot Margi Martien_Bakens whitperry +17
All Star
mcluck JGWphotography Badgrandad Red_Vixen duskydereuck tonychirino jules1580 +12
Outstanding Creativity
rosaposa pramodnikam WorldofBeauty AvidPhotographer ralphfrench arourer Sky_crawler +11
Superior Skill
shaundasmithroberts DELETED_tinawiley Barbpsp4 cerbervs jjbitner ritafayeadams staciestevens +1
Genius
patriciasstauffer chrisholcroft marymwarnerthomas Meelux A_Leister_Photography
Great Find
sammccready MarCole Athena_B
Jaw Dropping
christinegeddes SVPhotos
One Of A Kind
kathleenweetman
Love it
Foxyphotos

Emotions

Impressed
bclumberjack

Top Ranks

The Eyes Photo ContestTop 20 rank
The Eyes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Finding Reflections Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Finding Reflections Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Apes Photo ContestTop 20 rank
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Apes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Winter Wildlife Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Winter Wildlife Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Wildlife And Water Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Wildlife Photo Contest 2018Top 10 rank
Wildlife Photo Contest 2018Top 10 rank week 1
The Animal Eye Photo Contest vol1Top 10 rank
The Animal Eye Photo Contest vol1Top 10 rank week 1
Snow Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Snow Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Snow Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Animals And Water Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Animals And Water Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Monkeys And Apes Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Monkeys And Apes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Monkeys And Apes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Red Color In Nature Photo ContestTop 30 rank
The Marine Wildlife Photo ContestTop 20 rank
The Marine Wildlife Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Wildlife Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Wildlife Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Wildlife In The Snow Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Our National Parks Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Our National Parks Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
We Love Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
We Love Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Show Snowflakes Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Show Snowflakes Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
The Animal Eye Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Animal Eye Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
The Animal Eye Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Evocative Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Evocative Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 3
Evocative Wildlife Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Evocative Wildlife Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Living Creatures Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Living Creatures Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 3
Living Creatures Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Living Creatures Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Get Wet Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Get Wet Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Animal Kingdom Photo Contest Vol 1Top 20 rank
Using Zoom Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Animal Kingdom Photo Contest Vol 1Top 10 rank week 2
Using Zoom Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Animal Kingdom Photo Contest Vol 1Top 10 rank week 1
Cold vs Hot Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Cold vs Hot Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
One Is Enough Photo ContestTop 10 rank
One Is Enough Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Cuteness Overload Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Cuteness Overload Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Celebrating Nature Day Photo Contest 2015Top 20 rank
Celebrating Nature Day Photo Contest 2015Top 20 rank week 1
Animal Eyes Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Animal Eyes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Animal Eyes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Celebrating Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Celebrating Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Animals Of The Winter Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Glitter Dust And Fireflies Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Glitter Dust And Fireflies Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 2
Solo Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Solo Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Solo Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Beautiful Eyes Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 3
Beautiful Eyes Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 2
Blurry Backgrounds Photo Contest v1Top 10 rank
Natural Light Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Natural Light Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Blurry Backgrounds Photo Contest v1Top 20 rank week 2
Natural Light Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Blurry Backgrounds Photo Contest v1Top 10 rank week 1
Amateurs Vol 4 Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Amateurs Vol 4 Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Animal Kingdom Photo Contest by BrenthavenTop 10 rank
Animal Kingdom Photo Contest by BrenthavenTop 10 rank week 2
Animal Kingdom Photo Contest by BrenthavenTop 10 rank week 1

Categories

14 Comments |
heathermcfw
 
heathermcfw April 15, 2014
Beautiful, love his expression, this is on my bucket list...
kathleenweetman
 
kathleenweetman September 26, 2014
Another meeting with this little guy...He is terrific...voted
cghalford Platinum
 
cghalford January 08, 2015
Your photo has reached the top 3% of my wildlife portrait with personality challenge (1394 now 40) great capture
cghalford Platinum
 
cghalford January 08, 2015
Your photo has reached the top 3% of my wildlife portrait with personality challenge (1394 now 40) great capture
KatieMcKinneyPhotography
 
KatieMcKinneyPhotography February 16, 2015
Congrats on the awards! Well deserved :)
TheoShilton
TheoShilton February 16, 2015
Thank you very much wildorchid!
RobinV
 
RobinV February 17, 2015
congrats with your contest finalist
TheoShilton
TheoShilton February 17, 2015
Thank You Robin!
dorothypierini-rodgers
 
dorothypierini-rodgers February 17, 2015
That expression is wonderful!
TheoShilton
TheoShilton February 17, 2015
Thanks Dorothy!
TheoShilton
 
TheoShilton February 18, 2015
Feel free to follow me at:

https://www.facebook.com/TheoShiltonPhotography
cmorisset PRO+
 
cmorisset February 28, 2015
Just an amazing capture, quite the expression... Congrats!
TheoShilton
TheoShilton February 28, 2015
Thank you cmoriset! :D
leighlofgren
 
leighlofgren March 16, 2015
Really beautiful and I will be there in Feb 2016 - cannot wait. Congrats
TheoShilton
TheoShilton March 16, 2015
Thanks Leigh. It's an amazing place have a great time!
Arzhtatiana
 
Arzhtatiana April 12, 2015
Nice capture! Congratulations!
TheoShilton
TheoShilton April 12, 2015
Thank you very much Arzhatiana!
estercastillo08
 
estercastillo08 May 12, 2015
Congrats !
RuwanFonseka PRO
 
RuwanFonseka June 28, 2015
Voted.
TheoShilton
TheoShilton June 28, 2015
Thank you Ruwan!
patriciasstauffer
 
patriciasstauffer December 09, 2016
That look you give your co-worker when they say they are leaving early on a Friday. lol

Submitted to Photo Contests
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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo at the Snow monkey National Park near Nagano in Northern Japan. A short bullet train ride from Tokyo I spent a half day photographing these monkeys in their surroundings. The character of the monkeys and the almost magical surroundings make it impossible to not find inspiration when looking through your viewfinder.

Time

This was taken in the morning at around 11am. The light was really good for half of the shoot and then a blizzard came in. Although the results in the blizzard were something special! The cold was pretty brutal as we were at the tail end of winter in Nagano. I came with 4 layers on but that didn't stop the cold getting to me. By the end of the shoot I could barely move my fingers but it was worth it for the range of images I was lucky enough to capture.

Lighting

I never use flash when shooting wildlife as I don't want to startle a subject or make them feel uncomfortable. For me wildlife photography is about capturing an animal in a natural state not something manufactured. Because of this I always use the light available to me on the day and then adjust my settings accordingly. Due to the need of a fast shutter speed you always need a wide aperture which hopefully allows you to have a low ISO and reduce any potential noise in your image.

Equipment

This shot was taken using a Nikon D7000 body and a sigma 150-500mm lens. I really like the flexibility you get with the large focal range and I didn't find myself wanting at any point during the shoot. I didn't use flash as I wanted to avoid startling any of the monkeys so I found a large aperture was the best way to go. All of these shot were handheld, which is no mean feat when lugging around a 150-500mm lens. My arms definitely got a good work out on this ones

Inspiration

The character of these monkeys is spectacular. You can capture a really broad range of emotions and facial expressions during a shoot at the hot springs and its impossible not to be inspired by their charm. The moment i shot this image I was drawn to the expression of the monkeys face but also those huge eyes. I am really pleased with the outcome and the character portrayed is brilliant.

Editing

I rarely do a lot of post processing with wildlife images. I firstly put the image into photoshop for a very minimal tweak with the curves tool then imported into Lightroom. In Lightroom I firstly adjusted the clarity and sharpness a bit and increased the contrast slightly. The light on the image was fairly good from the RAW file so I minimally adjusted the highlights to give the shot a slightly crisper look. Finally I applied a vignette to the image to create a stronger focus on the monkeys face and expression.

In my camera bag

I usually carry two main lenses for wildlife work a sigma 150-500mm and a Nikon 18-300mm. I find that a combination of both of these focal lengths rarely leaves me caught out when shooting animals. I also carry a 10-20mm lens for architectural and landscape work which is always my go to lens for these kinds of shots. Finally I have three fish eye lenses for street and architectural shot when I find myself wanting at the 10mm limit. My fish eyes are fixed focal lengths and are 8mm and 6.5mm rectangular lenses and a 4.5mm circular lens.

Feedback

Be patient and be prepared to wait around in cold temperatures. In winter Nagano is extremely cold so dress well for the shoot. I had 4 layers on and still felt the cold. Follow one subject at a time and wait before firing the shutter. You will miss a lot of shots if you move the lens around around a lot and with the unpredictability of wildlife you maximise your chances of capturing that perfect moment by following one subject at a time. In terms of settings I advise using a fast shutter speed of at least 1/125 and a wide aperture of at least 5.6 (preferable, 3.5) and a low ISO of between 100 and 320. This will ensure you don't get any motion blur in your image and should not jeopardise the clarity of your shot. Good luck and if you are ever fortunate enough to go to Japan I cannot recommend this place enough!

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