Summer Returns!

With temperatures increasing to a completely unseasonal level, I managed a couple of productive days photographing agricultural landscape images. Many of the fields had been cut, providing lovely tramlines of fresh green grass running throughout the landscape. The lines were so powerful I decided to return early the next day to capture the scene at dawn. The forecast was accurate and the sky clear. Composition was the hardest part of this photography shoot; so many different angles. As often is the case - the simplest composition seemed to be the best..

Later in the day I was treated to a wonderful wildlife sight; an adult fox casually wandering between the tram lines, investigating the green mounds in search of food. I love to capture natural images like this one - something that says more about the animal, rather than a straight portrait... Funnily enough I had just been talking to a guy who had described badgers doing this very thing during the last hours of daylight.

Photographing Insects - Hand-held Photography

In terms of wildlife, insects are probably my least photographed subject, so this year I really wanted to try and get some decent images - namely butterlies, dragonflies and bees.A recent trip to a nature reserve proved to be a little quiet for butterflies and dragonflies, but there was a good number of buzzing bees and hoverflies to practice on.

There are different techniques when it comes to insect photography: some photographers prefer to search for their insects early in the morning and get up close whilst they are still resting. This approach is great - if you can find the insects roosting! The other method is once its warmed up - by waiting by a productive spot, then capturing the insect as it visits a flower head or returns to a favoured perch. Whichever method you choose, insect photography is a real challenge. Shoot at first light and you can find yourself with very low shutter speeds - and moving in a tripod can easily disturb the subject. Photograph later in the day and you almost certainly have increased breeze, along with much more active subjects making them difficult to track. Lighting is an issue too: once the sun is high in the sky, the light becomes too harsh for my liking. After a couple of days photograping the same patch - I think I've decided my prefered technique. The best conditions, I believe, are warm days with high cloud. This gives good quality of lighting whilst still giving you reasonably fast shutter speeds. In addition - the insects seem to slow down, as opposed to a day of bright sunshine. On one particular afternoon the light was rather overcast, but it was still very warm. The many bees, hoverflies and gatekeepers were still active, but they definitely seemed to show slower movements, making it much easier to get close.

 Hand-holding the camera is simply the best option in this kind of situation. Even if you are waiting by a favoured patch of flowers, you never quite know where the insect will land - and you may want to adjust your position for a better composition. Rating the ISO at about 400 can give you an aperture of around f8 with a shutter speed of around 1/250 if the light is right.

 These images were taken in more overcast conditions with shutter speeds down to 1/100 second in some cases. Even then - with little breeze, a lot of care and continuous firing, I was able to gain some pin sharp images which proves that it is possible to capture insects without extremely fast shutter speeds - and hand-held.

Photographing Red Squirrels

I actually photographed these red squirrels back in March, but it's taken me til now to process the images. At a private site I had the privilege of spending almost a whole day with a small group of reds, at the edge of a pine wood. These squirrels are so confiding that some would scamper right past my feet - I even had one that took an interest in my camera bag..! They really are one of the most beautiful of all our British wildlife - so dainty; so nimble, and a wonderful character.

Many thanks to the landowner for allowing me to spend time photographing these wonderful little mammals - it is much appreciated.

To Photograph Wild or Captive..??

The subject has been written about many times - by many amateurs and professional photographers alike. Is it right to photograph captive species..? Personally I don't think the question should be: is it right; but rather - what's the reason for doing so.? Yes, I have spent a fair number of hours photographing captive species, including falcons, hawks, owls, hedgehogs and red squirrels. These subjects are constantly in demand, and as a professional wildlife photographer I need to have them on file. In fact, my reason for shooting these types of images is often not in the expectation that they will sell as invidual pictures, but rather in their use to illustrate my written articles on nature. In this way I guess it's more of a journalistic approach. I'm not naive in the reality of just how many of these pictures are available, so I know that it will take some luck for one to find its way onto a greetings card or calendar.

This brings me to my main point: just how sensible is it to shoot these images in the current climate.? Do a picture search with any photo libary and you'll find page after page of red squirrel, goshawk, red fox and the like.. So, yes these images are saleable - but where does it go from here..? As these types of images become increasingly common, they begin to lose impact; and there is a crucial part of the image missing - the story. For these images, there is no story - no background, no preparation, no tale of discovering a wild animal and working the site to finally achieve that special image. For me, it's not just about the ethics of shooting captive - it's simply about the surrounding story of how those images came to be. I make no apologies for photographing captive species and no doubt I will continue to do so on a relatively small scale. But I honestly believe that the future is in story-telling. Things often come full circle (look at some of the clothes out there these days) and photography is no different. Editors and readers are always looking for something new - and I think that the 'new' future will be once again in photographing completely wild animals in their natural habitat, and the stories of how photographers achieved the images.

This recent roe buck image illustrates my point pretty well. I could have photographed roe deer in captivity but would never have been able to capture the animal in this natural setting of a wild buttercup meadow. Shot in captivity - once asked how I got the shot, my answer would have been: "I turned up, used a telephoto lens, made the most of the light and composed the shot...oh, and I paid some money too.."

So how did I get this roe buck..? Answer -"I've been watching a group of roe deer for the last 3 months. I arrive at 5.00am and reach my usual check-point wearing camouflage. I spot a buck and hind towards the far end of the buttercup meadow and contemplate going for the stalk. The decision to stalk is made by weighing up the benefits of extra stability (stuck in one position) against potential camera shake (hand-held stalking). In this light I can use ISO 200 and get 1/1000 second - but I need to get damn close with a 300mm lens! I manage to get to the opposite side of the hedgerow in the adjacent field - there's plenty of cover, but it's a true crawl all the way. What the hell! In wet grass, I crawl around 50 yards trying to make zero noise all the time. I stop and look up. They're still there. Just get past these bushes and I'm close enough... My camouflage hood has netting with various grasses stuffed in to break up my outline, so I should be o.k.. The female has disappeared, but the male's still there making his way to the corner of the field. There's a barb wire fence in the way.. so I have to rise higher to get a clear shot. One click... the buck doesn''t even seem to notice! He moves forward and now the shot's there. I compose with the deer looking into space and have no option but to use the out of focus hedgerow as foreground. A couple more shots - perfect!!"

I'll continue to concentrate on wild subjects and have a story to tell. There are many pictures out there - but there are also many, many more that have never even been taken. It's only by putting in the time and gaining the knowledge that these will come about.

A great many thanks to Andrew and Fiona for allowing me the opportunity to watch and photograph these fascinating animals on your land.

Photograping wild Peregrine Falcons in Yorkshire!

Yorkshire has some truly fantastic sites for wildlife photography, but perhaps none quite as exhilarating as Malham Cove during the breeding season. Last Friday saw me on top of the cove watching a pair of wild peregrines flying against the perfect deep blue sky. These kind of mornings are what gets the blood flowing... truly inspiring... a special wildlife spectacle, played out in a majestic landscape. Peregrines have nested on the cove for the last few years, and whilst they are protected near the nest by law, here it's possible to photograph them from the public footpath.

These flight shots have only had slight cropping - showing just how close the peregrines can be! All were shot with a 300mm lens and 1.4 converter. I always think that trying to use a tripod or monopod is just a waste of time... these birds are so fast that you really need to handhold to follow them effectively. Still, it's tough..! A peregrine can be on the other side of the valley one minute and then right above your head the next. These images were taken on ISO 400 at shutter speeds between 1/1250 and 1/2000 of a second. I slightly decreased the aperture for some to increase depth of field - which seemed to improve the image a little.

Watching these birds drop like a stone then rise steeply above the cove is an incredible experience. I had a number of chances as both birds performed against the crystal clear blue sky - lit by bright sun.

The conditions were just perfect, and I'm itching to get back before the young fledge. Last year I pretty much missed the whole thing, so I'm more than happy to have these shots in the bag..

Next year I am planning to run a workshop concentrating on the bird life of Malhamdale - to include the peregrines. If you're interested in this wildlife photography workshop then send me an email or give me a call. It's certainly one of the most exciting wildlife shoots you'll ever have!!

Red Grouse Photography Workshop

I have added a new Red Grouse Photography Workshop in August as this is the perfect time to photograph these birds against the stunning carpet of purple heather. We will visit well known breeding grounds in Swaledale and Nidderdale - both are excellent locations for photographing grouse by the roadside along with many other upland birds. View the Yorkshire Dales Bird Photography page for more details.

Bempton Cliffs Wildlife Photography Workshop

Photograph the spectacular seabirds at Bempton Cliffs

I will be running a photography workshop to coincide with the busiest activity at Bempton Cliffs on the Yorkshire coast on Sunday 26th June. Price: £100 per person. Maximum: 5 people. The site is home to twenty thousand pairs of gannets along with breeding puffins, guilemots and razorbills.
The opportunities along the cliff tops are endless, with non-stop birds returning to their nests and landing on rocky ledges. There are some particularly good viewpoints which give perfect opportunities for flight photography against the ocean backdrop. Tuition will be given on flight photography techniques, exposure and composition and also on predicting behaviour. The gannets will be our main target, but the site is also good for photographing guilemot, razorbill, puffin, kittiwake and fulmar. In addition there is a bird feeding station which regularly attracts farmland species including large flocks of tree sparrow throughout the year.

Itinerary (subject to slight changes)

10.00am: Meet and discuss the day over coffee.
10.30am: Set out to visit the west or eastern viewing point

2.00pm: Lunch at the White Horse Pub, Bempton

3.00pm: Visit bird feeding station then visit different seabird viewing area
Late afternoon/evening: If the light is good then there will be the option of photographing til sunset with time to have a break and a rest beforehand.

Equipment: Any lens from 200mm upwards is large enough here; tripod/beanbag (beanbags are preferable and can be rested on the fence post when photographing seabirds); plenty of memory card space!! Bear in mind the exposed cliff top can become quite cold even in mid summer so adequate clothing is advised.

Email me: paul.miguel@ntlworld.com or phone 07759485791 to book a place. (A £30 deposit is required)

Winter Photography Techniques

The current conditions give some incredible opportunities for photography. That said - it requires a lot of effort and planning to take perfect winter shots, so I thought I would post a few tips... not just the ordinary, but those little things that help me during the depths of winter.

1. BE PREPARED! Don't get caught out: think about clothing, keeping your gear dry, your phone charged...and are you prepared if you get stuck..?

2. Whilst driving, keep those extra socks warm by putting them in your pockets or stuffing them under your jumper..

3. Have some food with you: small but light; pieces of cake, flapjacks and chocolate are good ways of keeping your calories up...

4. Keep batteries warm - keep spare batteries in on your person (preferably inside pockets) - the warmth will help. Have at least 2 or 3 batteries as the cold can zap their strength quickly...

5. Make a waterproof covering for your camera if photographing in the snow. I have a sleeve made out of old waterproof trousers to cover my camera and lens when shooting wildlife in falling snow or blizzard...

6. Safety first. If the road looks too dodgy to drive on - don't try it. You are better off finding another alternative than getting stuck in the snow and ending up with nothing.

7. BE PREPARED!!

Winter Wildlife Photography

A couple of days ago I spent an incredible morning photographing the deer at Studley Deer Park near Ripon, as part of a 1:1 photography day with a client. The conditions were magical and we both got some stunning shots of the deer amidst the falling snow. Some of my shots were taken at ISO 800 where I had to hand-hold. Otherwise, I was able to make use of a tree to brace the camera and then reduce the ISO. The falling snow really adds to these wintry portaits. Every so often we would see two young males without antlers - kicking up the snow as they balanced on hind legs to box one another. What a privilege to capture this on camera.!!

Certainly a memorable day of deer photography and some of the best winter wildlife photographs I've ever taken.!

Photographing Damselflies

Yesterday morning saw me by a sheltered pond in West Yorkshire, literally teeming with insect life. It's a recently discovered location - and one that is brimming with butterflies, moths and damselflies. The conditions started off well: a lovely still morning with intermittent sunshine breaking through the low cloud. Damselflies were just everywhere, buzzing around the spiky grasses and resting on the low growing plants that fringe the pond. I've always found it difficult to get close enough to the damselflies - they seem particularly skittish.. But perhaps they were just beginning to warm up and not quite at their full speed. Either way, I was able to get extremely close to a number of them as they rested on various perches. I shot towards the light wherever I could, hand-holding the camera and shooting at about 1/250 at f7.1 on ISO 200. As the breeze picked up, photographing insects became increasingly difficult until virtually impossible... this is one of the virtues of an early start as it's the best time to achieve the the stillness that is so important for insect photography.