Macro Photography Workshops with Oliver Wright

A few weeks ago I took part in a Macro Photography Workshop run by Oliver Wright. This was somewhat different from my usual photography as it involved purely macro, and artificial light. Whilst I've done a fair bit of macro over the years, I've always used natural light. Here it would be diffused flash, angled appropriately to provide effective lighting. The day started over a coffee with Oliver going over some key details of macro photography. There was plenty of time for questions from clients and some healthy discussion. This was an important part of the day as everyone knew what to expect, rather than being thrown in at the deep end. Then it was on to our first subject...

This was the first tarantula of the day and one which I used to 'get my eye in'. The biggest challenge I felt, would be in achieving a good enough depth of field. I tried to focus on the eyes or the body most of the time, but when a tarantula brought up its legs so you couldn't see the body, I focused on the legs themselves.

The lighting was kept care of, with Oliver making any necessary adjustments of strength and direction. We worked in a couple of groups giving plenty of opportunities and time to review images before carrying on shooting. The handler for all these critters was Sean - a very knowledgeable chap which made the day even more interesting. The variety of subjects was incredible - a number of tarantulas, two snakes, mantids, a scorpion and a beautiful leopard gecko.

The reflection shots are a master stroke. Using a black ceramic tile you can achieve perfect reflections to create some really unusual images of equally unusual creatures. We were also able to vary settings and backdrops, some of which Oliver has expanded on to create completely natural looking images for future workshops.

It was a great day, with unique images created - and an enjoyable experience too. It's clear that Oliver has put a lot of time and thought into these days, not just in the set-ups but also in his introduction to the session. If you want to give these Macro Photography Courses a go visit www.oliverwrightphotography.com  I'm sure I will be back again.!

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

Bird of Prey Photography Workshops 2014

It’s an exciting time for our Birds of Prey Photography Workshops. Falconer Ben Potter, who I’ve known for many years, has recently moved to a farmhouse in Newsham in the Richmondshire District. It’s everything he’s always wanted – a good location; out-buildings (including a massive barn) open fields, hedgerows and even a pretty little stream at the edge of his land. I visited a few days ago and was amazed at the work he had already done. The barn is being kitted out for his birds and conifers have been cleared to provide an open area for flying.

There are some great opportunities here for future workshops, including potential permanent set-ups for specific birds. The natural surroundings are ideal with hawthorn bushes, a beautiful stone bridge and numerous aging posts and fences to pose the birds. The barn is particularly useful as it means we always have somewhere to avoid bad weather. It’s also not a bad place for lunch!

Ben’s new home is well situated for travel – just about 6 miles from the A1 (Scotch Corner) on the A66. There’s also a hotel just up the road – ideal for staying over when travelling a long way.

Both myself and Ben are looking forward to creating some unique opportunities in 2014 and hopefully we can push the boundaries of what’s possible with these captive birds.

For further information on workshops and booking visit the Bird of Prey Photography Course web page.

Bird of Prey Photography Workshops 2014

Farmland Bird Photography Reflection Pool

2014 saw the opening of a new Reflection Pool for bird photography. Last year’s pool proved successful in attracting a variety of species including jay and great spotted woodpecker and I had a number of clients who enjoyed fantastic bird photography. To attract a greater variety of species I decided to move the pool to a new location on the farm. It took a few days to get everything moved and prepared, along with the dome hide. Feeding started around late November and after a few weeks I was getting the usual birds visiting the site.

My main reason for choosing a different location was to encourage finches onto to the reflection pool – namely bullfinch, goldfinch, yellowhammer and reed bunting. With this in mind I chose a spot by a hedgerow often frequented by these species. Situating the pool within around ten feet from the hedgerow would make some of the warier species feel more comfortable and the nearby bracken and bramble gave extra cover too. By Christmas I had succeeded in getting three species of tit, chaffinch, robin and blackbird onto the pool edge. Now in mid-January these birds are regularly visiting and extremely comfortable on the pool end. An exciting addition in January has been a regular pair of reed bunting and occasional male bullfinch. Goldfinches continue to visit sporadically to feed on nyger and will hopefully make the leap onto the pool soon.! Redwings and fieldfares regularly fly over head , so an offering of apples will hopefully coax them down.

A large dome hide is set up next to the pool with a shallow pit dug to get a lower level. The hide is much larger than the standard dome hides which gives plenty of room (5 foot square; 5′ 8″ high) for one person and lots of equipment. At a squeeze it is possible to fit two people in the hide. The hide is North facing with the sun coming gradually over the hedgerow in the morning and then uninterrupted sun until late afternoon. The site is in Thorner, between Leeds and Wetherby, a couple of miles from the A1.

If you would like to book the hide for a day visit the Reflection Pool Hide page. Any questions please contact me at paul@naturephotographycourses.co.uk

Farmland Bird Photography Reflection Pool

Beginners Wildlife Photography Workshops Yorkshire

I’ve been spending a lot of time recently at the nearby Nature Reserve St. Aidans near Castleford in West Yorkshire. Run by the RSPB, St. Aidans is proving to be a wonderful place for wildlife photography – and the ideal location for a Wildlife Photography Course The open nature of the site (formerly an open cast mine) lends itself to some cracking light at both ends of the day. With reed beds and intersecting water channels the reserve is perfect for landscape photography, with stunning reflections and evocative sunsets.

All year round there are good numbers of wildfowl – with ideal access to the water’s edge allowing for low level images with the camera literally a few inches about the water surface. This gives some wonderful reflections, particularly with the obliging swans that regularly dabble close to the edge.

What’s exciting me the most about this location, is the opportunities at twilight. At dawn and dusk, ducks, geese and swans can be seen flying over the lakes, and lapwings rising up in large groups. In addition, a starling flock continues to grow in number, wheeling around at dusk before dropping into the reed beds. This mini-murmuration is one of the spectacles of St Aidans and an amazing thing to photograph. But the star species has to be the elusive bittern, which can be heard ‘booming’ from the reed beds in early spring.

To share the wildlife of St. Aidans with others, I’m running Wildlife Photography Workshops at the reserve in 2014. These are half day courses aimed at beginners, but more experienced wildlife photographers can benefit from my knowledge of the reserve and capture evocative twilight photos including the starling murmuration. For any more information contact me at paul@naturephotographycourses.co.uk

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

Beginners Wildlife Photography Workshops

Autumn in Close Up

The other day I indulged in some very relaxing photography. With no particular goals in mind, I set out to my local nature reserve to see what I could find; I simply wanted to photograph what I wanted without any pressures or specific markets in mind. 

What first leaped out at me was the light, very overcast but not too grim. This proved perfect for seeking out the first signs of changing colour on the hedgerows and trees. I set about shooting some wider shots before turning my attention to more close up images. I soon became hooked. As a nature photographer, I find that the best images are often taken when you go with the flow, seeking out what's there and allowing yourself to be guided by the subject and the conditions at the time. This was certainly the case here, as I realised how perfect the conditions were for creating close up images with a long lens.

It was a long time since I had done this kind of photography properly. Literally years.! I started with some hawthorn leaves that presented themselves well against the shaded background of dark reflections in the canal. Technique is really important for this type of photography. I was using a 300mm lens to concentrate on specific compositions, using the shallow depth of field to blur the background. The wind was low with just a gentle breeze, but even so it was paramount to do everything possible to maintain stability. My tripod is great for this - a big sturdy gitzo, capable of extending to around seven feet. Closing the aperture down to around f9 for enough depth of field in the subject meant that shutter speeds were around 1/50 second - fairly slow with a big lens - even on a tripod. I used mirror lock up, and for even more stability, wedged a spare battery between the tripod head and the bottom of the lens. It was then a case of careful focusing and waiting for the minimal movement in the breeze.

The light was just magical. In the wider world it looked flat and boring, but up close... it was sheer perfection. The whole time I was shooting towards the sun and the hazy soft light couldn't have been better for bringing out the colours and textures. I've lost count of the number of people who have walked past me during similar photo-shoots. "What are you photographing..?" they ask. It seems obvious to me - something glorious and uplifting, an amazing combination of colour and light - all for free..! Most just don't get it - carrying on past and looking slightly perplexed at how I could possibly be excited by the scene..!?

If you would like to learn the techniques for this kind of photography then join me for a One to One Photography Workshop photographing Nature and Wildlife

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

Focus On.. Blog linked to Facebook & Twitter

This Focus On.. BLOG should now be linked to Facebook and Twitter providing automatic updates on both social networking sites.

Focus On.. Blog linked to Facebook & Twitter

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Farmland twilight

Farmland twilight, a photo by Paul Miguel on Flickr.

A colourful and evocative shot of farmland on the outskirts of Leeds. This was photographed after sunset using the subtle hues of pinks and purples. The after-glow really seemed to pick out the green colour in the newly sown young crop.

The exposure was about 4 seconds for this one on a sturdy tripod, with a ND grad attached.

Autumn Fruits...

It's been ages since I've been out with the camera. In fact, with arranging workshops and building a new web site, I haven't taken a picture for nearly two weeks..!  So I took the opportunity this morning to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and see what I could shoot.

I decided to concentrate on some of the autumn fruits, and the hedgerows were just stunning - full of berries showing some really deep colour.

Judging by the redness of the hawthorn we may be in for yet another cold winter.!!

I usually prefer to shoot these types of images in softer light, but the blue sky was ideal for contrasting colour and providing a constant backdrop.

It was work this morning, but I really enjoyed it too. I think it did my soul some good...

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

Farmland Photography Workshops Updated

I have now updated the pages on my website for Farmland Wildlife & Landscape Workshops and Wild Owl Photograph Sessions

Both workshops take place at the same farm in West Yorkshire on private land. Get in touch if you are interested in photographing some of the superb farmland wildlife.

Farmland Photography Workshops Updated

A Glorious Grouse...

This image was taken by one of my clients, Julie Butterworth, on a Red Grouse Photography Workshop in North Yorkshire. It was so good that I just had to post it. It really is a stunner..! Good light makes a real difference, but the main thing is being in the right place at the right time and making the most of an opportunity. Well done Julie.. well worth the early morning start.!

A Glorious Grouse...

Focus On... Red Grouse Photography

Wildlife Photography is far from easy in the U.K., but Red Grouse can be a relatively easy subject to photograph. At a well know location in Yorkshire, these hardy birds can be photographed from the car, often at incredibly close range. With such reliable subjects I use the venue for my upland birds photography courses.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve photographed these birds, but a visit this August proved to be the best yet. I arrived early – around 6.00am. I wanted to make use of the early morning light that makes such a difference to the resulting images. It was only a couple of bends up the steep moorland track and straight away there was a stunning male right by the roadside in glorious heather. I slowed down, but alas, he was off… a good opportunity missed. Never mind – you have to put in the work to get good wildlife images and I wasn’t disheartened. I soon found a group of grouse sitting in the heather and captured some rather creative images by tilting the camera down and including the out of focus foreground heather. Perfect.!!

The rest of the morning offered few really good chances – apart from one. A couple of males were posturing on opposite sides of the road and I was lucky enough to get close enough to one of them. I could see him running towards the road and luckily he stopped for a couple of seconds.

The position was just wonderful (not like mine as I was contorted round shooting almost backwards out of the window..!) – the heather was perfect and the background was the distant shaded hillside, giving a beautiful bluish tone. Three shots and it was over. I was quite pleased with myself for holding it all together and capturing it in time. One of the best grouse images I’ve taken to date.

If you want to photograph these wonderful birds on the upland moors, book a Red Grouse Photography Workshop through www.naturephotographycourses.co.uk

Focus On... Red Grouse Photography