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SimonArron

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Hermann Layher in action with his 1909 Blitzen Benz at the 75th Goodwood Members' Meeting, Sussex, UK. Lens: Sigma 70-200 f2.8

In his final British Superbike Championship meeting before he relocates to the United States, James Ellison balances his Yamaha at the exit of Surtees

Snapped in Weyhill, UK, at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, which rescues and repatriates injured raptors. Taken with Pentax K-5 IIs and DA300mm f4.

You wait ages for one bike racer to pull a wheelie, then three turn up at once: the Kawasakis of Mathew Waldron and Nick Williamson sandwich Chris Pop

The Egyptian geese in Kelsey Park, Beckenham (UK) have a habit of producing late broods. For the second straight year they conjured goslings in Septem

Our local male swan is a complete psychopath - and it seems that Mrs Swan is similarly unhinged. She is pictured attacking a Canada goose that has tak

Manfredo Rossi (part of the Martini & Rossi dynasty) racing his Martini-liveried Brabham - a BT42 with BT44 bodywork - in the Masters Historic Fes

Robin at full volume in Kelsey Park, Beckenham, UK, May 2012. Lens: Sigma 150-500.

Captive great grey owl taken at Marwell Wildlife, Hampshire, UK, with Pentax K-3 and DA300mm f4. Wildlife isn't renowned for understanding photog

This is logged in my filing system as a motor racing photograph, which is not as bizarre as that might sound... It was taken at Interlagos, São Paulo

Tulip in Kelsey Park, Beckenham, UK. Taken with Pentax K-5 and - I think - Sigma 150-500mm, then converted partly to mono with whichever version of PS

Snapshot from a vintage air display at Oulton Park, Cheshire, UK, during the sumer of 2015. This was the engaging prelude to an afternoon of racing or

Full of purpose, a tufted duck along the perimeter of Kelsey Park Lake in Beckenham, UK. Lens: Nikkor 300mm f4

This looks as though it could have been taken in the heart of the British countryside, but Heathrow Airport lies just a few miles beyond the sunflower

Croydon has an unfortunate reputation - in 2013 it was voted the second worst place to live in the UK, ahead only of London's East End - but it h

The last of Kelsey Park's 2017 cygnets practising the art of flight. Shortly after this was taken it crashed into a tree, without apparent harm,

Looking west along the River Thames from Battersea Bridge, January 2015. Can't recall whether I used a tripod, gorillapod or simply balanced the

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Humpback whales are renowned for their charismatic, awe-inspiring behaviours above and below the ocean’s surface.

Humpbacks frequently launch th by Rejean_Biron

The San Mateo Bridge, in San Mateo, CA..... by lauriesearch

This giraffe contrasted beautifully against the pastel colours of the savanna sky. by VladDzavik

Something from my Studio and my neighborhood by RuneHolthen

Romsdalen, Norway. The very strong wind necessitated iso 800 in order to freeze the foliage - one exposure is blended in for the highlights. by olehenrikskjelstad

This image was taken at an aquarium in Boston. by CAGIRONPHOTO

Trip to my favourite English coastline by LloydEvansPhoto

Beautiful model Xenia. Only natural light. by art2foto

Siren call

The robin's distinctive trill abounds in the UK at present, as the breeding season looms. Unperturbed by loitering humans, this one was taken in Kelsey Par...
Read more

The robin's distinctive trill abounds in the UK at present, as the breeding season looms. Unperturbed by loitering humans, this one was taken in Kelsey Park, Beckenham, UK. Lens: Nikkor 300mm f4
Read less

NIKON D800

settings

Aperture f/4 ISO 400 Shutter 10/25000 Focal Length 3000/10

upload_date

Mar, 2017

Views

755

Likes

+155

Awards

Peer Choice Award

Contest Finalist in Birds On Branches Photo Contest

Peer Award

+49

Top Choice

Superb Composition

Absolute Masterpiece

Magnificent Capture

All Star

Outstanding Creativity

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 20 rank

Top 10 rank week 2

Top 10 rank week 1

Behind The Lens

Location

Kelsey Park, Beckenham, UK - a hub of natural beauty that lies just 20 kilometres from central London.

Time

Just after midday. At weekends it's essential to visit Kelsey early to have the best chance of capturing small birds, because it's popular with families and from about 10am it becomes quite busy and, consequently, noisier. Ducks and geese hang around to be fed, but songbirds (even customarily brazen robins) tend to become more reclusive. You have more of a chance during the week, when things are a little less boisterous, and this was taken on a Monday.

Lighting

My movements around the park are usually governed by the availability of natural light - nothing terribly technical.

Equipment

Nikon D800 and Nikkor 300m f4, hand-held.

Inspiration

Since rediscovering cameras (in 2008, after more than 20 years away), I have often been drawn to robins for the simple reason that they are photogenic, easy to locate and often bold enough to allow you to shoot them without needing a 600mm lens and 2xTC. Sometimes, they can come too close for a 300mm lens, so I have to walk away from them to frame the shot...

Editing

Crop, autocorrect in PS Elements (to see whether that makes a positive difference, which it doesn't always), upload...

In my camera bag

Two Nikon bodies - D800 and D700 - plus Nikkor 300mm f4, Sigma 70-200 f2.8, Sigma 24-105 f4 and Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro. That apart, I have a few spare batteries and cards and two Storm Jacket rain covers, which are absolutely brilliant.

Feedback

Keep your ears open... Many birds are heard before they are seen and the robin's distinctive song is a common soundtrack throughout the UK. Once I've heard a robin, I usually pause awhile to pinpoint its location, then move slowly towards it - still maintaining a sensible distance - to assess whether it is perturbed by humans. If it flits into the bushes, I know the answer and leave it to its own devices. If it carries on as before, I will watch for a minute before gently raising my camera and taking a few shots - always one at a time. The sound of photographers using a machine-gun technique irritates me and I suspect would have the same effect on birds. I nearly always shoot at about f4, to reduce the depth of field and separate the subject from potentially distracting background elements.

See more amazing photos, follow SimonArron

SimonArron

SimonArron

Same photographer See all Info Behind The Lens

Discover more photos See all

Siren call

The robin's distinctive trill abounds in the UK at present, as the breeding season looms. Unperturbed by loitering humans, this one was taken in Kelsey Par...
Read more

Views

Likes

Awards

Top Ranks

Categories

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

Behind The Lens

Location

Time

Lighting

Equipment

Inspiration

Editing

In my camera bag

Feedback

See more amazing photos, follow SimonArron

SimonArron

Same photographer See allInfoBehind The Lens

Discover more photos See all

Siren call

The robin's distinctive trill abounds in the UK at present, as the breeding season looms. Unperturbed by loitering humans, this one was taken in Kelsey Par... Read more

Views

Likes

Awards

Top Ranks

Categories

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

Behind The Lens

Location

Time

Lighting

Equipment

Inspiration

Editing

In my camera bag

Feedback

See more amazing photos, follow SimonArron

Same photographer See all Info Behind The Lens

The robin's distinctive trill abounds in the UK at present, as the breeding season looms. Unperturbed by loitering humans, this one was taken in Kelsey Par...
Read more