Robin in hawthorn
This friendly little robin almost posed for me and at one point flew down around me and nearly landed on my shoulder!
This friendly little robin almost posed for me and at one point flew down around me and nearly landed on my shoulder!
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Dec, 2015Views
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Awards
Winner in Colourful Tree's Photo Challenge
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Love it
Absolute Masterpiece
Superior Skill
All Star
Categories
kcozy
December 30, 2015
great shot. I love all your wildlife and scenery shots. I myself love to shoot them better than people. Nature is just so beautiful
countryside
January 14, 2016
A beautiful photo a lovely Robin :-)
Would you like to enter my tree challenge here is the link :
viewbug.com/challenge/colourful-tree039s-photo-challenge-by-chinaclowns
Would you like to enter my tree challenge here is the link :
viewbug.com/challenge/colourful-tree039s-photo-challenge-by-chinaclowns
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken at Chew Valley Lakes near Bristol (Southwest England) , somewhere I visit regularly, about 20 minutes' drive from where I live. The lake is a reservoir for the city and has wonderful wildlife and lovely views. I watched this robin for a few minutes and in fact at one point he flew right towards me and I almost thought he was going to land on my shoulder!Time
I took this just before midday, having spent a couple of hours walking near the lakes and photographing ducks and swans, just as I was heading back to the car. I love robins and heard this one singing in the bushes. I thought I might be able to get a nice shot in the hawthorn, with the autumn berries and the robin making a lovely strong colour combinationLighting
It was a beautiful clear sunny autumn day which brought out the colours in the bird and the bush. It also provided some pretty bokeh effects.Equipment
I used my trusty Nikon D5100 with the 55-300mm telephoto lens. No tripod, flash or filters.Inspiration
Robins are one of my favourite birds and I've taken pictures of them throughout the year. I'm always on the lookout for images that show the season, so was really pleased to get a photo with the autumn berries. I've contributed to local calendars, so bear it in mind whether an image will suit a calendar and so I think perhaps this image may be good for one of the autumn months. (The robin was voted as peoples' favourite UK bird last year)Editing
I did some minimal cropping, contrast adjustment and a little Orton effect using PicasaIn my camera bag
As I have health issues, I'm limited in what I can carry so often I don't have a bag with me , just in the car nearby. The bag always has my Nikon D5100, sometimes the kit lens but more usually the telephoto Nikkor 55-300mm lens. I always, always, have a spare battery and SD cards which I tend to carry with me in my jacket pocket. I have an Olympus TG-1 which is waterproof which I carry for macro shots and if the weather is bad and I think my big camera is a too much risk of getting damaged. I also have a Nikon J2 which I tend to use for more wide angle shots rather than have to keep changing lenses (arthritis makes that a little tricky!) I do have a tripod and a monopod which travel in the car but aren't used all that often as they are one more thing to carry!Feedback
I think knowing your subject is a really important start, I've been birdwatching since I was a kid and I recognise bird calls. It also means I know where to look for wildlife. Patience is also key, but if, like me, you have difficulty standing/sitting somewhere for significant periods, sometimes you have to be an opportunist instead! That does mean being flexible and ready to change settings etc. I practise Mindful Photography which means that I try not to have too fixed an idea of what I want to shoot, instead I aim to set out with the attitude, Hello world, what are you going to show me today? This has meant some very interesting encounters and I do think serendipity is a wonderful thing!
