Autumn Roe Deer

A couple of weeks back I was out looking for roe deer again. It was during that ridiculously hot spell, and it seemed to bring a wave of wildlife activity. I don't think I have ever had so many quality views of wildlife in one day. From roe deer to foxes, red kites, hares and more.. It was wonderful.

This image shows one male roe deer chasing another male. Roe are funny animals; you never know what they are going to do next. At first they wandered casually into the field; then suddenly broke out into a frenzy of galloping. After a few seconds they were back to normality and carried on happily grazing together. I managed to stalk pretty close with a straight 300mm lens. Annoyingly the deer I was concentrating on didn't spot me at all; but the other one did..  One bark and they were both off, leaping away to safety and putting end to another morning's wildlife photography...

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.

New Photography Workshops Website on the Way!

Finally I am getting close to finishing my new website for photography workshops. As I am running an increasing number of workshops I decided to design a brand new website dedicated purely to this part of my photography business. This will include similar landscape courses to those I have run in the past along with wildlife: upland birds, woodland birds and birds of prey. I've also added some new subjects including water voles and red deer, plus a very affordable half day landscape photography course which includes a twilight shoot. The website will also include a client gallery consisting of many images taken by participants on different workshops.

The new website should be up in the next couple of weeks and will be at www.naturephotographycourses.co.uk

My current website will still be online and will also have a bit of a facelift, with new pictures.

Too close to a Roe Deer?

It's been a while since I've been out to photograph my roe deer, having other wildlife and landscape subjects to concentrate on. With a good forecast I decided to set out early in the hope of a successful stalk that would lead to good pictures. This particular morning I got lucky, spotting a lone buck resting in the long grass. I stalked nearer using the hedgerow, then carefully crawled between the barb wire of a fence. Finally I was at the edge of the meadow and could see that the buck was sleeping. I was already pretty close but needed to get a little nearer. A minute or so later, after dragging myself through the wet grass, I was ready. Now was the time to rise above the grasses. I rose up and made a noise. No reaction. I did it again. Nothing. Finally after getting louder and louder the deer opened its eyes and looked in my direction. By this point I was half stood, ready with camera. I fired the shutter as he looked my way, and then quickly he was up on all fours. I was in fact too close!! I fired just two frames before he fled, then watched him leap towards the wood, barking gruffly in annoyance. From the two clear shots I took, one had the antlers out of frame: the other was perfect. I had got lucky..

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.

Who says rain stops play..?

Heavy rain is usually my cue to get some more work done in the office - it's useless for pictures... right..? Well, not always. Wildlife photography is as much about capturing the surrounding atmosphere as it is about recording the actual subject. This afternoon was a perfect example - as I drove along the winding upland track near Grinton looking for red grouse. Some of the downpours were just torrential, and within minutues there were large puddles and temporary streams cascading across the road. No good for wildlife you might think. I've often thought just that - but today was different. I decided to photograph in the rain, to create more atmospheric shots... and to produce something different from the norm. Not only did the rain record beautifully, but the quality of the deeply subdued light gave wonderfully rich colours and superb detail. And on top of that - it was rather fun too...!

 I needed to be prepared to shoot in such soggy conditions and used my own waterproof cover for the camera and lens. This allowed me to shoot in extremely heavy rain from the car. At first I shot on ISO 250, then after securing some shots switched to ISO 100. Shutter speeds were ranging from 1/80 to 1/30 and in all cases the rain was recording as streaks... just the way I wanted. The majority of the grouse were young birds, and all were capable of fending for themselves. Pitty no other birds stuck around, but I just don't think they were able to tough it out like them grouse..!

Note that if you come on one of my Upland Birds Photography Courses and the weather looks atrocious - all is not lost..!!

Wildlife Photography Techniques: stalking mammals

I've recently spent a lot of time stalking a variety of wildlife including roe deer, brown hare and red fox - so here are a few tips that I've learnt that can make all the difference in getting closer:

1. Research your subject: not all animals have the same senses or see in the same way. Roe Deer for example see in monochrome - their sight is much more sensitive to movement and human outline.

2. Camouflage hoods are great, but it's still worth adding extra camouflage to break up the outline of your head. Stitch in green netting which can be stuffed with various grasses, bracken and even branches to make your head as un-human as possible.

3. Be aware of ground cover. Smaller mammals can be well concealed in summer - so you might need to keep a check with binoculars as you approach to be sure you're not being seen.

4. Stay low. It's hard work but keeping close to ground level is the best way to ensure you're not spotted.

5. Use AV mode so you don't have to worry about changing light as you get closer.

6. Try to use sunny days so you can use faster shutter speeds and hand-hold. Tripods/monopods can be very impractical in stalking situtations.

Hopefully off to try for my local short eared owl again this evening... fingers crossed!!

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 Deer Photography Workshop

Photograph majestic Red Deer during the Autumn Rut

I will be leading a wildlife photography workshop on red deer at Studley Royal in North Yorkshire on Sunday 23rd October. Price £85. Maximum 4 people. The date is timed to coincide with the annual red deer rut that is at its peak during October. Here stags vie for position as they hope to establish dominance over the female herd. Stags are at their best during autumn and provide one of nature's greatest wildlife spectacles when engaging in full blown battles with clashing antlers.

The species are not limited to red deer and we will also be able to photograph fallow and sika amidst the grounds. The changing colours of autumn will provide a colourful backdrop for this wildlife photography workshop.



Itinerary

8.00am: meet and discuss the day

8.30am: begin photography

12.00am: Lunch at the Lakeside cafe; learn from images

1.00pm: more deer photography

3.00pm: finish

Equipment: Ideally a 300mm lens or longer; plenty of memory card space; tripod optional; please do not wear full camouflage clothing

To book a place contact me: paul.miguel@ntlworld.com or 07759485791 (£30 deposit required)

Photography Contract with FLPA Picture Library

I have just finished getting together my first photography submission for FLPA which offered me a contract just a couple of weeks ago. FLPA are one of the top natural history picture libraries in the UK, reaching a wide range of clients in the editorial, commercial and advertising world. I am delighted to be one their nature photographers and will be submitting new material on an ongoing basis. It's been a long time since my last blog post, so new wildlife/landscape photography posts to follow very soon... I promise..!

BBC feature on Paul Miguel!

I was recently interviewed by BBC Leeds for a website feature on winter wildlife photography. Click: Snow is Good News for Wildlife Photographer to see the article on the BBC Leeds website.

The conditions continue to be amazing here in Yorkshire... today with the most stunning and widespread hoar-frost I have ever seen. Hopefully there will be a good few more days of opportunities for sub-zero photography with plenty more snow and ice.!

Best wishes to everyone for Christmas and the New Year.

Wildlife Photography Competition Finalist!

Another successful competition entry! This time in the Wildlife Extra wildlife photography competition. Click Here to view my image and other finalists. Unfortunately I didn't manage to win the birds category but still pleased to have got so far.

The photo was shot at Adel Dam nature reserve near Leeds, a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve. It was taken from the lake-side hide early one summer morning. Herons are often present, as are kingfishers. Foxes and roe deer are regularly seen at the woodland edge and this was the second time I had seen at least one fox snoozing close to the lake. I followed this particular heron as it waded through the water in changing light. As it neared the foxes I expected a stand-off; instead both foxes and bird carried on regardless, providing this unusual wildlife image. I think both knew where they stood: the heron was safe enough in the water and the foxes knew the heron was aware of their presence... or perhaps the heron was a bit too big to tackle. !

Image shot with Canon 20D; 300mm lens plus 1.4x converter; f5.6 at 1/320; ISO 200; beanbag

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.!

Woodland Birds Photography Courses

My wildlife photography courses for 2011 can now be booked via my website http://www.paulmiguel.com/ The woodland birds photography course is filling up quickly already so early booking is advised! The workshops take place at Golden Acre Park and Adel Dam near Leeds. We will be photographing the incredibly tame birds there including three species of tit, chaffinch, nuthatch, blackbird... and Jay! Adel Dam also offers a good chance to see kingfishers along with possible roe deer and fox. Further details at Bird Photography Courses

Other nature photography courses are available including: birds of prey days, bluebell woodlands, yorkshire dales birds.

A Misty Morning by the Lake

An early start this morning at 4 a.m. and another visit to my favourite patch of water near Fairburn Ings, Yorkshire - to photograph wildfowl. The early start was well worth it and I was treated to some wonderful conditions with a subtle blanket of mist hanging above the water.

Although the light rarely broke, the conditions were still good for capturing some more swan portraits. Shot from ground level, the best opportunities are typically where a single bird swims head on towards the camera. This happens frequently and there is no need to provide any food at all to coax them to perform. In fact throwing out tons of food only leads to a frenzy of birds and a loss of calm reflections... not to mention the difficulty of isolating single birds in the mellee.

I'm still waiting for that 'perfect' swan picture, but the early morning conditions made for some relaxing wildlife photography.

Photographing Upland Birds

I recently led another photography workshop photographing upland birds in Nidderdale. The morning was superb - not just for birds but also for perfect weather. We had a great day and managed to bag a number of shots of lapwing, red grouse and meadow pipit - some of which posed perfectly for us by the roadside.. You can view some images taken on my Flickr group: Yorkshire Wildlife and Landscape Photography

A week ago I was back again (I just can't keep away from this fantastic location!), and once more I experienced cracking weather... in fact I can't ever remember it being so still up here on the moor. The grouse are certainly the easiest birds to photograph here and make great subjects during spring.

I was particularly happy to get images with more interesting lighting as I shot towards the early morning sun. The resulting shots make such a difference to the atmosphere.. Now I know the best spots for backgrounds I think it's a case of waiting by these places for something to happen in order to get an extra special image.

Lapwings are also confiding - a particular patch of open grass often proves fruitful for these stunning birds. I was even lucky enough to photograph a chick as it ran by the roadside before finding a hole in the stone wall to step through...
Meadow pipits continue to give me the run-around, but occasionally one will stop long enough for me to get a clean shot. What's really surprising me up here is the more unusual species that have come close to the car. Wheatear is definitely possible, and add to that the ring ouzel... a really difficult bird to shoot. As always it's a case of putting in the time! Next year I plan to run the same wildlife photography course. View Uplands Birds Photography Course to see the details.

Location, location, location

Wildlife, water and perfect light: this is a combination that's guaranteed to provide good pictures. A recently discovered fishing pond has given me the chance to endulge in some very enjoyable photography of the resident ducks and swans. Nothing too unusual, but the surrounding backgrounds and reflections along with the perfect angle of light make this place a real treat. Getting down to the water surface makes all the difference, and here it's possible to shoot from literally inches above the pond. This gives stunning low level images with beautiful liquid colour and attractive waves ahead of the birds' breast as they push through the water. This viewpoint provides much more attractive portraits, and there's also the potential of capturing action too...

Simply watching the water birds preen and wash is the best way to predict the action. Birds will often cover themselves in water before stretching up and flapping their wings. A fast shutter speed of at least 1/500 second will freeze the action.
Although it might seem fairly simple to photograph mallards, swans and geese - achieving spot on portraits isn't all that easy. The main problem is the movement. The birds are constantly swimming or drifting making them more difficult to photograph. There are a number of different techniques for focusing: the servo mode can work well as a bird swims directly towards you; with the one shot mode try focusing on the bill then firing a series of shots as the bird's head passes through the zone of focus. White or black birds can be trickier. Coots are one example, where the focus may struggle to lock on - in this case you could use manual focus by focussing slightly ahead of the bird and again firing as it moves through the zone. It's worth trying all these techniques... ultimately it depends on the movement, speed and the species in question. The other consideration is the focus point. Use the central focus point and you will miss out on reflections, whilst a higher focus point will allow you to compose with the birds head towards the top of the frame and a full reflection below. Calm conditions can create almost perfect reflections for these images.
I'm a great advocate for concentrating on species close to home. With a perfect location you can return again and again to improve your images, using the varying seasons to create intimate and colourful images. And like all wildlife photography, the more time you put in, the greater your chance of capturing special behaviour to set your images apart from others.

A Ton of Food - and a Ton of Birds

The last couple of months have been fantastic at my feeding station. The cold weather kept the birds coming in and it was particularly busy. Up to 5 species of tit came to feed, with the marsh tit a fleeting but welcome visitor. I've been through numerous perches: hazel catkins, alder, lichen covered branches, logs, and stumps - all to provide interesting perches for the birds. The good activity also provided excellent opportunities for those who came on my bird photography courses to photograph the birds.

Light levels sometimes made life difficult, but although difficult to obtain a truly sharp image, the resulting detail and colour remind me just how useful this lighting is - I would shoot in this light all the time... if it were possible! Fast moving birds just don't really allow this..
This year was particularly good for woodpeckers. Both male and female quickly took to my 'woodpecker feeder' and it was rare not to see one during a session in the hide. They can become wonderfully comfortable once they get used to the food, and are completely used to the camera shutter. At times they simply clamp themselves onto the food and clear the lot. It's such a privilege to watch these birds at such close quarters... On every woodland bird photography workshop I ran, everybody managed to get a shot of this colourful and vibrant bird.
As always, I strive to capture something a little different, whether it's unusual behaviour or a creative setting and backdrop. With this in mind I used a fallen sweet chestnut (kept in the freezer) and filled the inside with fat ball mixture in order to add some shape and colour. The resulting images are perhaps a little too set up, but experimenting is always worth a try, and it allows you to make those extra tweaks and changes that eventually might just lead to that 'perfect shot'..

Next year I hope to run the same nature photography course at the same location.