Photography Quick Tips, Shooting through Wire Fences

Painted Hunting Dog
taken through a wire fence

Just a few tips on shooting through wire fences at Zoo's and Wildlife Parks with a DSLR.

1. I would recommend a 300mm lens and up but this all depends on how close you can get to the fence, most places have a barrier stopping you from getting too close.

2. On full zoom try and get as close to the fence as possible, try and avoid any part of the fence that has direct sunlight on it because this will increase the chance of it showing up in your shots, so pick a spot that's in shade.

3.Manual focus on static subjects if your auto focus is picking up the wire, on moving subjects I use AI servo (continuous) focusing on my Canon 7D.

 

 



On this Jaguar shot that was taken through wire fencing moving towards me i was holding my camera in the portrait position, i chose a focal point closest to the eyes and put my auto focus on AI Servo to keep the Cat in focus.
                                                                                               Hope this helps.
Thanks for looking.

 





Bird Photography Tips

On the right is a shot of a Common Starling

Probably the most hated bird in Britain due to a group being able to clear a feeder
from full to empty in 60 seconds. This image was shot in my garden from the shed window, the camera was loosely mounted on a ball headed tripod giving me freedom to focus and recompose. So what do I like about this shot? I am going to break the shot down and hopefully your going to get something from this to help you get better bird and wildlife shots.

1. Composition: The bird is positioned on the left with negative space to the right where the beak is pointing. Always try and leave negative space for the animal to look or move into. ( A no,no for me would be to put the bird in the middle and have the beak nearly touching the edge of the image).

2. Background: Clear background with a nice bokeh affect from the sun hitting the leaves behind the bird, shoot wide open this was at f5.6 to blur backgrounds.(Try not to have branches cluttering up the frame, hard to do this with bird shots I know).

3. Lighting: This was shot in the shade to minimise any problems with highlight and shadows due to it being a very sunny day, still enough light to bring out the plumage colour on the Bird.

4. Interest: I usually look for several things, expression, on birds wait for the head tilt, when the bird gives you the eye press the shutter, catchlight in the eye always makes for a more pleasing shot, that goes hand in hand with eye contact. Try and shoot at eye level if possible and focus on the eyes or the eye closest to you.

Put all these things together and you should have a great image on you hands.

This Starling shot has been Published in Digital Photographer Magazine issue 149 it is also in RSPB Give Nature a Home 2015 Calendar and as had over 40 million views on my G+ Page.

May

What I've been up to in May.

Cheers Al.

03/05/2014
First a flying shot of a Tufted Duck

Taken at RSPB Old Moor.

12/05/2014
Just got this Sigma 105mm Macro to try,
hopefully i'll get some pics with this soon.

18/05/2014
Here are some shots from my second ever
 visit to RSPB Bempton Cliffs
and this time the sun made an appearence.

Gannet

Puffin

More info and shots from this trip HERE...

European Robin in the Garden

European Robin

Equipment used Canon EOS 7D

and Canon 100-400mm L lens & Tripod

Location: Rotherham,UK

Photographer: Alan Hinchliffe

Thanks for Looking.

Little Grebe with the Catch of the Day

Picture of a Little Grebe after catching a fish.

Taken from behind the Reedbed Screen at RSPB Old Moor,Barnsley,UK.

Original Raw file was Cropped for composition and saved to jpeg using Canon's DPP.

Adobe Photoshop for fine tuning levels/contrast/saturation and sharpening.

Camera: Canon 7D.

Lens: Canon 100-400mm

Photographer: Alan Hinchliffe

 Manual Mode

Aperture: f5.6

ISO 400

Shutter: 1/800

Focal Length: 400mm

Manual Mode

Aperture: f5.6

ISO 400

Shutter: 1/800

Focal Length: 400mm

Thanks for Looking.

Jackalphotography ( Big Cats )

Here is a selection of big cat  pics from our website with links below the image if there is anyone interested in

purchasing a fullsize or 1080p digital image.

The fullsize shots vary but are listed in the image description.

Terms & conditions are also on the site.

Amur-Tiger-jackalphotography

Lioness-jackalphotography

Amur-Leopard_001-jackalphotography

Amur Tiger_005-jackalphotography

Lion_004-jackalphotography

Amur Tiger_snow-jackalphotography

Lioness_002-jackalphotographyl

Lions_001-jackalphotography

Thanks for looking

Regards Al.

December Photo Highlights

Firstly,here are some shots of Paddy taken in the shed,he is on an old tv stand with an old

brown fleece blanket clipped behind and underneath him.

Next up some shots of a Squirrel monkey taken at the 

Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

and lastly some shots from woodland 

about 10minutes drive from me.

Nuthatch

Blue-tit

Great-tit

and a Robin

Thanks for looking.

Al.

October Photo Highlights

Well October was wet and mild and i really didn't get out much at all.

The first outing was to Studley Rodger near Fountains Abbey,Ripon,North Yorkshire.

 Sika Deer Stag

 Fallow Deer

Red Deer Stag

Next an after lunch walk round RSPB Old Moor,Rotherham,South Yorkshire.

Didn't get much,a couple of Dragonflies.

Saved the best for last a trip to Wentworth Castle Parkland,Barsnley,South Yorkshire

Was there about 3hrs in the afternoon.

 Fallow Deer one of my favourites from the afternoon

a heavy crop due to the distance.

Fallow again,the light and the grass made the shots in my opinion.

Some Red Deer now.

This was the biggest stag i saw on the day and i didn't see any competition

for him at all,shame really.

Again thanks for looking,much appreciated.