photography The Photography Thread

[Mackie The Staggie]

Some cracking photos over the past few pages, there's a part of me that wants to get into landscape photography but honestly whenever I go out to try it just doesn't do anything for me and I struggle with finding any inspiration (I live in the bloody Highlands, it shouldn't be too difficult).

Thankfully, I keep myself going with the local sport scene.  I really think we should get into the habit of giving our photos titles.....I name this one "Ow!! My Face"

[Loonytoons]

The Eyes Have It

Not wanting to crap all over an absolutely stunning photo but was it a set up?
The rainbow looks deid in the pic.
Living trout's eyes look down when they're out of the water, chap them and they go like the eye on that rainbow.

[The Mantis]

11 hours ago, Loonytoons said:

Not wanting to crap all over an absolutely stunning photo but was it a set up?
The rainbow looks deid in the pic.
Living trout's eyes look down when they're out of the water, chap them and they go like the eye on that rainbow.


 

Hahah, I have this argument every week with a grumpy old guy in our camera club... he only does still life and he has no idea how difficult this is.

Sure, it's set up at a fishery, taken from a hide. But it's a live fish OK.

It's a life and death struggle. The bird has to rotate the fish to fly with it. The fish is fighting for its life so it's probably mucho confused, being out of its element for the first time, and the birds often drop them in the struggle. I've been doing this for 5 or 6 years and if anybody uses dead fish for Ospreys I've yet to witness it. They use dead mackerel on Sea Eagle boat trips but they have to, because it's at sea. For Ospreys you need a small pond (or loads of luck).

Another thing is, search the internet for photos of the Osprey striking the fish. You won't find many/any, because it happens so fast, you can't predict where it'll come in. If it was a dead fish you could just focus on that all the time.

I think I've got more pics further back in this thread but this is the only time I've got it flying right at me. Usually they're side on or you only get their erse...

[Sergeant Wilson]

12 hours ago, Loonytoons said:

Not wanting to crap all over an absolutely stunning photo but was it a set up?
The rainbow looks deid in the pic.
Living trout's eyes look down when they're out of the water, chap them and they go like the eye on that rainbow.


 

It's  resting.

[Loonytoons]

Hahah, I have this argument every week with a grumpy old guy in our camera club... he only does still life and he has no idea how difficult this is.
Sure, it's set up at a fishery, taken from a hide. But it's a live fish OK.
It's a life and death struggle. The bird has to rotate the fish to fly with it. The fish is fighting for its life so it's probably mucho confused, being out of its element for the first time, and the birds often drop them in the struggle. I've been doing this for 5 or 6 years and if anybody uses dead fish for Ospreys I've yet to witness it. They use dead mackerel on Sea Eagle boat trips but they have to, because it's at sea. For Ospreys you need a small pond (or loads of luck).
Another thing is, search the internet for photos of the Osprey striking the fish. You won't find many/any, because it happens so fast, you can't predict where it'll come in. If it was a dead fish you could just focus on that all the time.
I think I've got more pics further back in this thread but this is the only time I've got it flying right at me. Usually they're side on or you only get their erse...

I wasn't having a pop, just interested. I've seen rigs set up for kingfisher dives before and, as I said, the eye has that "dead" look hence the query.
I'm not even sure if they'd actually go for a dead fish either tbqhwy.

Regarding ospreys fishing, I've seen plenty in my time the most memorable being a young bird hooking up with something that was way too big for it. Mum and dad were going nuts as it was in the water for ages. I thought my boat partner and myself were going to have to rescue it but it let go and eventually got out before it became waterlogged.

Another involved one which didn't even hover, it was just flying then a dive and up with nothing, a quick shake and did exactly the same again with the same result then it flew off [emoji1]

[The Mantis]

1 hour ago, Loonytoons said:

I wasn't having a pop, just interested. I've seen rigs set up for kingfisher dives before and, as I said, the eye has that "dead" look hence the query.
I'm not even sure if they'd actually go for a dead fish either tbqhwy.

Regarding ospreys fishing, I've seen plenty in my time the most memorable being a young bird hooking up with something that was way too big for it. Mum and dad were going nuts as it was in the water for ages. I thought my boat partner and myself were going to have to rescue it but it let go and eventually got out before it became waterlogged.

Another involved one which didn't even hover, it was just flying then a dive and up with nothing, a quick shake and did exactly the same again with the same result then it flew off

 

 

No it's fine, never thought you were having a pop, the old guy gets on my tits though  I'd quite like to film one of these dives as it would show more of what happens, but sometimes you have to wait about 3 or 4 hours and it's a waste of a photo op. This shot was back of 4 in the morning, the light was poor, and they stopped coming about 6am.

Yeah some young Ospreys have to learn their trade which is quite good for photos as you know they're coming back for another shot if they miss.

I hear the Edinburgh Photographic Society (or maybe some other club) has stopped allowing Kingfisher shots altogether in competitions, I think down south they've got setups where the bird dives into a glass tank in the river or something, and hurts itself.

If you go back in this thread I think I've got a Heron taking a rainbow at the same pond, but it couldn't swallow it.

Edited June 27, 2022 by The Mantis

[Loonytoons]

No it's fine, never thought you were having a pop, the old guy gets on my tits though [emoji1787] I'd quite like to film one of these dives as it would show more of what happens, but sometimes you have to wait about 3 or 4 hours and it's a waste of a photo op. This shot was back of 4 in the morning, the light was poor, and they stopped coming about 6am.
Yeah some young Ospreys have to learn their trade which is quite good for photos as you know they're coming back for another shot if they miss.
I hear the Edinburgh Photographic Society (or maybe some other club) has stopped allowing Kingfisher shots altogether in competitions, I think down south they've got setups where the bird dives into a glass tank in the river or something, and hurts itself.
If you go back in this thread I think I've got a Heron taking a rainbow at the same pond, but it couldn't swallow it.

Ill have a look back for those.
Youtube footage of heron swallowing a gopher I think.
I've also seen them up in the trees taking young crows on the Tay and in Dundee on the roof after young gulls. They will eat anything.

[tamthebam]

11 hours ago, The Mantis said:

Usually they're side on or you only get their erse...

See also: photographing cats

 

 

[Stevo Fife]

First time I've managed to see Orca never mind grab a photo. Heavy rain and a bit cropped but what an amazing sight.

65's Pod with "Busta" the bull Orca. Apparently his dorsal fin is 6` tall. 

[Stevo Fife]

Puffins!

[Rizzo]

Have you been up to one of the islands or John o groats Stevo? 

We are heading to Mull on Saturday. My SLR gave up on life last week.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Rizzo

[Stevo Fife]

4 hours ago, Rizzo said:

Have you been up to one of the islands or John o groats Stevo? 

We are heading to Mull on Saturday. My SLR gave up on life last week.

Orkney mate. Spent 9 nights going between Orkney mainland, Westrey and Sanday. Weather was crud but stunning islands.

Mull is brilliant for wildlife. You'll see loads. If you get a chance book a slot on the Sealife Mull boat trip (used to be sealife surveys). You'll only need a 100mm lens as the common dolphins (thousands of them) swim right up to the boat. I took a 500mm which was a mistake! 

Edited July 18, 2022 by Stevo Fife

[Rizzo]

29 minutes ago, Stevo Fife said:

Orkney mate. Spent 9 nights going between Orkney mainland, Westrey and Sanday. Weather was crud but stunning islands.

Mull is brilliant for wildlife. You'll see loads. If you get a chance book a slot on the Sealife Mull boat trip (used to be sealife surveys). You'll only need a 100mm lens as the common dolphins (thousands of them) swim right up to the boat. I took a 500mm which was a mistake! 

We went on one of these trips the first time we went to Mull and have always tried to rebook them but had bad luck with weather the one other time we were on the island. Will need to see if they do dug friendly cruises though as I don't trust new dug to be alone in the accomodation.

There were lots of common dolphins around at the time we went out as well, along with a lone minkie whale, which I missed completely, but my OH managed a few decent snaps of. Lots of wee common porpoises out as well but they were a nightmare to try to photograph as they dont hang about at the surface long.

[Stevo Fife]

5 minutes ago, Rizzo said:

We went on one of these trips the first time we went to Mull and have always tried to rebook them but had bad luck with weather the one other time we were on the island. Will need to see if they do dug friendly cruises though as I don't trust new dug to be alone in the accomodation.

There were lots of common dolphins around at the time we went out as well, along with a lone minkie whale, which I missed completely, but my OH managed a few decent snaps of. Lots of wee common porpoises out as well but they were a nightmare to try to photograph as they dont hang about at the surface long.

Sea Life Mull take dogs. We took our Lab on. Martin at Mull Charters does his best depending on how busy it is. We saw the Minke whale as well but just humps so didn't bother processing the images. Good to see though.

[Rizzo]

1 minute ago, Stevo Fife said:

Sea Life Mull take dogs. We took our Lab on. Martin at Mull Charters does his best depending on how busy it is. We saw the Minke whale as well but just humps so didn't bother processing the images. Good to see though.

My absolute wildlife dream sighting would be the last two members of the West Coast orcas.

I figure I'm giving myself the best chance by booking a week's holiday on the West Coast of Mull every year.

Good to know Sealife take dogs, will see if we can book a trip while we're away.

[Stevo Fife]

1 minute ago, Rizzo said:

My absolute wildlife dream sighting would be the last two members of the West Coast orcas.

I figure I'm giving myself the best chance by booking a week's holiday on the West Coast of Mull every year.

Good to know Sealife take dogs, will see if we can book a trip while we're away.

John Coe and Aquarius is the ultimate Orca sighting. Would love to see them before it's too late. Mull and Ardnamurchan are always a good bet.

[The Mantis]

Dragonflies and Damselflies and some Damselfly action...

[tamthebam]

4 hours ago, The Mantis said:

Dragonflies and Damselflies and some Damselfly action...

Posting hard core zygoptera porn on here, shocking!

I like dragonflies and damselflies - was the location Vogrie?

[The Mantis]

11 hours ago, tamthebam said:

Posting hard core zygoptera porn on here, shocking!

I like dragonflies and damselflies - was the location Vogrie?

Never actually tried Vogrie Tam (plus it's 3 quid to park and full of kids ). I've got the pond at Mavisbank House near where I live, also Straiton Pond. A few mates have got good results at Leadburn but I've never been. These were taken on a day out at Argaty that one of the mates organised. They booked it mainly for the Red Kites and squirrels but I thought it was poor for Kites compared to Bellymack in D&G where I've been a few times.

Edited July 22, 2022 by The Mantis

[tamthebam]

2 hours ago, The Mantis said:

Never actually tried Vogrie Tam (plus it's 3 quid to park and full of kids ). I've got the pond at Mavisbank House near where I live, also Straiton Pond. A few mates have got good results at Leadburn but I've never been. These were taken on a day out at Argaty that one of the mates organised. They booked it mainly for the Red Kites and squirrels but I thought it was poor for Kites compared to Bellymack in D&G where I've been a few times.

I went walking at the back of Durisdeer in D&G, there were kestrels, red kites and a couple of buzzards circling round a hill. I could have watched them all day. 

I like the way Red Kites take no shit off crows, unlike buzzards.