November
Welcome to another gripping episode of my photographic exploits over the past month.
In November I decided to concentrate on the Autumn colours which makes it one of the favourite seasons for many photographers.
Turkey Vulture with a Autumnal backdrop. Hawk conservancy.
The flying displays at the Hawk conservancy in Hampshire are great in Autumn as the birds of prey often fly in front of the trees which give you a very colourful backdrop for your images.
Eagle owl in the leaf litter.
Any local park at this time of year can yield great seasonal images. Even taking shots of leaves by your feet can make great images. I tend to use my mobile phone as I don't like changing my lenses when I'm out and about.
Fallen leaves after rainfall make good images. The rain makes them shine.
Bushy Park is a great place for wildlife and the colours of Autumn. With a bit of thought and planning you can combine the two to create great seasonal photos. There are plenty of deer there which don't move very fast. This time of year they will be feeding up after the rutting season so are very easy to photograph. Spend a bit of time looking for a good background close to grazing deer and more often than not they will move into 'shot'. If you stay still and quite in your chosen spot the animals will be less stressed and carry on with their business.
Fallow buck in Bushy Park
Squirrels make good shots in the Autumn. At this time of year they are collecting and caching food for the Winter months. I know grey squirrels are not a native species to the UK and most people prefer the reds but they are here to stay. They still make great subjects to photograph!
Grey squirrel foraging in the leaf litter.
Capturing the Autumn colours reflected in water can be very rewarding too. Photographing ducks, geese or swans gliding across a pond with reflected colours can make great images. It works best when the water is calm and you take a low shooting position.
Teal duck with Autumn colours reflected. A low shooting position makes the subject more imposing in the frame.
It's not just the colourful turning leaves that make interesting backgrounds. At this time of year there are plenty of berries which squirrels and birds will feast on. I'm afraid it's a case of finding a tree or bush full of berries and waiting for the wildlife to turn up!
A Redwing feasting on Hawthorn berries.
Grey squirrel dining on Rose hips.
At this time of year it tends to rain a lot. Especially in the UK! Photographing wildlife in the rain with a slow shutter speed of around 1/160th of a second can make an interesting image. This low shutter speed gives the raindrops a 'streaking' effect. I use this for birds that are perching. Herons are ideal subjects as they will stay still for long periods looking for food.
Grey heron in the rain. A slow shutter speed of 1/160 sec gave a 'streaking' rain effect.
At the end of December I will be publishing my review of the year blog. Something to look forward to as there will be nothing but repeats on TV over the Christmas period!
Thank you all for reading my latest blog and thank you all for your support and kind comments.
Please continue to upload your photographs to my Photo's Page. There are some great photographs being posted.
Many more of my images can be viewed on my Instagram gallery page.
Thanks
Steve