Woodland Birds - First attempt at an Audio Visual

 

 Woodland Birds - First attempt at an Audio Visual 

Because we are in Tier 4 lockdown in Colchester, I decided I needed a new project. Never having produced an audio visual before, I decided to give it a try using the PTE Studio software that I use for producing camera club talks. The subject I chose was `Woodland Birds`, and I have posted it on YouTube. 

It was surprisingly easy to do, and I found that the Barry Beckham YouTube videos explain the process very easily. 

I think audio visuals can become quite boring if they go on for many minutes, so I have kept this one very short - its only 1min 40secs long. All of the pictures in the show were taken with Olympus cameras, - either the EM1 MkII, or the EM1X, and mostly with the 300mm F4 lens, although two of them were using the 40-150mm F2.8 lens. 

Woodland Birds - A short Audio Visual - YouTube

Here is one of the pictures form the AV 

Fungi at Arger Fen - Autumn 2020

Fungi at Arger Fen - Autumn 2020 

A few recent images of Fungi taken in Arger Fen Reserve, Suffolk.  All taken with the Olympus E-M1 MkIII , and either the 60mm F2.8 Macro lens or the 40-150mm F2.8 + MC14 Converter (focal length 210mm)  All at ISO 250. On a tripod and mostly shot between apertures of F5.6 - F11. 

 

 

This last one was taken using the 9-18mm F4.5-5.6 wide angle zoom to show the fungi in its habitat. 

 

Photographing Dippers at Dovedale, Peak District

Photographing Dippers at Dovedale, Peak District

Last week we went away for Alison`s 60th birthday for a short breat to the Peak District. This was primarily to get a few landscapes and also to shoot some slow shutter speed shots near Padley Gorge. 

We came home on the Monday, and on the way back we stopped off at Dovedale to try for a Dipper. Arriving at about 9.45am, the car park was reasonably empty which was ideal. We stood a lot better chance of finding an approachable Dipper before the crowds started to arrive. Fortunately we found a Dipper within a short distance of the car park. This is probably the best place to photograph them because it is more open in this spot, and the lighting is better. 

The Dipper obviously had a stretch of the river that it patrolled regularly because it did not venture that far away from this area. Although it did tend to keep towards the other side of the river. 

Using the Olympus E-M1 MkIII and the 300mm F4 lens coupled with the MC14 converter, I could still easily get within range to get some decent shots. All shots taken at ISO 800. Some hand held, and others on a tripod. Shutter speed varied between 1/320sec and 1/15th sec . All shot at F5.6. 

After I had taken a number of shots and felt I had some decent images `safely in the bag`, I experimaented by trying some shots using a slower shutter speed. This was to get some motion blur in the water. The only problem is that you will get a lot of images ruined by the bird `dipping ` up and down constantly. If you persever, you should be able to get one or two that are sharp.  This one was ISO 800. 1/15th sec at F13. Obviously on a tipod. 

For a time it flew up into a tree directly in front on me and sang for about 10mins. 

At one stage it even came on the side of the river where I was standing and I had to back away to get the bird in the frame. In this shot it had caught what looks like a gudgoen. 

After about an hour, more people arrived and it started to become busy. Two couples turned up with their dogs and decided it was good fun to throw sticks into the river for their dogs to retrieve. Once this happened, the Dipper flew away and we decided to call it a day. 

Beewolf Wasps

Beewolf Wasps

Last Saturday I went with my good friend Richard Revels to photograph Beewolf wasps at the Pinnacle at Sandy. Not the easiest things to photograph but I managed to get some reasonable shots. 

All taken with the E-M1 MkIII and the 40-150mm F2.8 lens +MC14 converter. ISO 800, and varying shutter speeds between 1/1000thsec and 1/25000th sec, all at F8. They were taken hand held whilst laying down on the sand. Not the easiest photography to do, because as good as the focusing on the Olympus is, its not easy to `lock on` to very small flying insects.  I used a combination of Continual Autofocus, and Pro Capture Low. 

These last two shots are Pantaloon Bees 

  

Orchids and Sundews

Orchids and Sundews 

A few images of Orchids and Sundew plants from a visit down to two nature reserves in Kent during mid June.

 All taken with the Olympus E-M1 Mk II and either the 60mm F2.8 macro lens, or the 40-150mm F2.8 + MC14 converter. Some images are straight one shot images, while others are using the `in camera` focus stacking that is on the Olympus cameras.

Fragrant Orchid 

Greater Butterfly Orchid 

Heath Sotted Orchid 

Heath Spotted Orchid

Lady Orchid

Lady Orchid Detail 

Bee Orchid 

Sundew Plants - probably the most difficult plants I have ever photographed. They are hug the ground so small, -only about 1/2-1" in height.  

The following are a few Orchids from last year. Again, all taken on the E-M1 mkII and the 40-150mm F2.8+MC 14 Converter

This wide angle shot was taken with the 9-18mm F3.5-4.5 lens

Nature in Macro Talk

Nature in Macro Talk 

This talk shows how I go about photographing the wide assortment of butterflies, moths, damselflies, dragonflies and other insects that we have in the countryside. It also covers reptiles, amphibians, wild flowers, orchids and fungi. 

In the talk I explain what equipment I use, and how I go about  photographing each of the different types of subjects. It covers focus stacking, aperture, depth of field, and shows how to get sharp pictures when conditions are difficult. It also shows how to get close to subjects and also how to find them.  In the second part of the talk, there is a quiz where the members have to pick out of 10 images which image was taken under controlled conditions in a studio set up. 

The following are shots from the talk.