Mrs Kingfisher with the catch of the day
Mrs Kingfisher just after she caught Nemo
Mrs Kingfisher just after she caught Nemo
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Nov, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Abeford, West Yorkshire. Wildlife is a tough subject but with some careful planning and word of mouth about locations, the results speak for themselves.Time
This was taking on the morning of November 1st 2015 around 9.30am. I had been set up for most of the morning and the area was covered in a low and dense fog. Given the fact i had waited for the most of the day just 24 hours earlier i was prepared to call it off. Just as the fog started to clear was when i got my first appearance of this beautiful female kingfisher!Lighting
The lighting was very tough on the day and there was not much i could do about the conditions apart from pray! The morning was very foggy but it lift as the midday sun approached. Just be sure to fire away a few test shots when the action is at a minimum to check your exposure so you are ready for the subject to come back.Equipment
A Tripod is required for the long hours a of waiting! If you are in a man made hide then i suggest buying a small bean bag to rest your lens on. Avoid using your flash as that might startle the subject and since you want to be a quiet as possible then i recommend not making many sudden movements. When photographing Kingfishers or any birds for that matter you will want to be shooting from a fair distance away so you dont disturb them. My main go to lens for Wildlife is the Tamron 150-600mm.Inspiration
For me it was a personal challenge! Ive taken a lot of wildlife photos over the past year but i never considered myself a Wildlife photographer until i had a photo of a Kingfisher! It took over 3 month of going to regular spots where they were sighted on a weekend to be able to see my first one. Though the photo wasn't very good, i was happy that i had seen my first Kingfisher. The next challenge was to get a photo that i would be happy with and i knew this would put my skills to the test. On the weekend this photo was taken i think i waited around 10 hours for the first sighting. She was back and forth all day along the bankings and sometimes it was just nice watching her. I she a routine of eating the first 2 fish she caught and then turning the 3rd one round and flying off back to her mate. She wasnt a very good hunter though since more often or not she was dive and drop the fish she grabbed. Her mistakes were very advantageous for me since i was able to get more photographs of her.Editing
Not much post processing ! a slight touch up in exposure, contract and sharpness! I was surprised how little processing i needed given the conditions of low light and fog through out the day but i took a number of shots when she wasnt there to get the settings right as the conditions changed.In my camera bag
On a Wildlife trip my bag will consist of: Nikon D750, Manfrotto travel tripod, Tamron 150-600,Sigma 105 Macro, Knee pads, Bean bag, water bottle, snacks, Hat and gloves. The knee pad are a great addition for when i need to be stationary on my knee and the bean bag works a charm in hides or leaning or a wall.Feedback
I know people keep saying that " you just have to keep trying " which is true in a sense but you need to plan! check out some RSPB forums for recent sightings or have a look at some of social groups on Facebook. The hours of waiting will test a persons patience but i guarantee the results are worth the wait! You also have to understand that these are very seasonal birds. I was very lucky to capture mine in such a late month during the year but i think this was due to a late breeding season. One of the most popular breeding times is during the spring when you might even see the whole family on a fishing trip :)
