Curlews in the Fog

After half an hour sat in the car in semi-sleep, I decided I might as well get out and take my chances. The fog was so thick that visibility must have been down to about thirty feet. Still, I had bothered to drive here, so it was a waste not to try something. Walking slowly through the fields, I saw little, apart from the occasional woodpigeon or flock of crows resting in the tree tops. Suddenly I heard one of the most distinctive calls in my memory banks; that of the curlew. I turned quickly to see a lone bird appear out of the fog, calling as he flew past.

Around twenty minutes later I was treated to an even better sight - a pair of curlews that did a circuit around the field, giving me ample time to compose and track them in flight. The dense fog made for an interesting low contrast image, and great atmosphere.

I am currently looking to arrange farmland wildlife photography workshops on this farm in Yorkshire so watch this space or keep an eye on my photography course website www.naturephotographycourses.co.uk

www.naturephotographycourses.co.uk    www.paulmiguel.co.uk

Dancing Grouse

Dancing Grouse, a photo by Paul Miguel on Flickr.

I photographed this agressive male as he chased a younger bird. He was a real brute!!

Landscape Photography in Ribblesdale

When I first started offering photography workshops I wasn't too sure how much I would really enjoy it. Over the past few years running various photography courses in Yorkshire, I've learnt a lot and met many new people. I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoy spending these days with like minded people, creating images within some of the best scenery in the U.K.  The following images were taken on a landscape workshop in Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales. We visited three locations during the day - each one with a completely different feel, demanding different techniques. The limestone pavement was shot at Winskill near Langthwaite, a cracking location high above the valley with a classic lone hawthorn tree.

Down in the valley at Stainforth Force, I did something I never do. I had a go with some black and white! Now, I don't think I will ever be an Ansel Adams, but it's good to experiment; move out of your comfort zone, and try something different. That's one of the things about doing workshops - it often prompts you to be a little more creative, and I do believe that all photographers can only benefit from watching others and how they work...

www.naturephotographycourses.co.uk  www.paulmiguel.co.uk