Falconry Photo Workshops

Black Kite Portrait, a photo by TheApertureMan on Flickr.

The first evening photography workshop has now been organised for the 15th of June 2013.

I’ve now been appointed as Resident Photographer for Sion Hall falconry Centre, Kirby Wiske, nr Thirsk.

Full instruction will be given regarding shutter speeds, apertures, composition etc, all with the aid of ensuring that you get the best photographs possible on your visit.

An experienced falconer will be flying birds on the evening and helping me with poses for static displays etc

Sion Hall is the best falconry centre I’ve ever been to and I’m happy to be helping the centre out in any way I can. The birds are superbly looked after and handled

The night will run from 17.30 until around 19.30 and the cost is £40.

Please contact the centre on 01845 587522 or click the following link to their site where you can book online

http://www.falconrycentre.co.uk/photocourses.php

If you would like to see some of the typical shots you will be able to take, please visit my galleries at

http://www.aperture2000.com/sionhallfalconrycentre

As an added bonus, if you want to come for the whole day. You can pay the normal entrance fee and I will be there all day for questions / advise on taking shots of the static displays and during the 3 demonstrations the centre have each day.

Sparrowhawk Photography

Sparrowhawk 7, a photo by TheApertureMan on Flickr.

What an awesome day Mike and I had in a private hide photographing this woodland specialist, the Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Latin Name Accipiter Nisus. We were blessed with amazing light all day and superb views of this awesome bird.

Most people’s sightings of a sparrowhawk are little more than a flash of grey / blue as the hawk flies through their gardens hoping to grab a little bird off their garden feeders.

This bird has been nicknamed Mad Max and he certainly lives up to his reputation, he is fearless and while eating, will happily sit in front of the hide for 20 minutes or so.

Alan McFadyen has painstakingly built a woodland hide in Scotland specifically for photographing this beautiful bird of prey. All of his efforts are now paying off with Mad Max making daily visits through this woodland area. There is nowhere else in the UK where you can get this close to the sparrowhawks and get these sort of photographs.

It should be stated that Mad Max is a totally wild bird and it’s his choice that he makes these visits. Alan did say that if Max nails a blackbird or other bird of similar size then he is done feeding for the day, and thus, like all nature photography, alot of luck is needed to get shots of these amazing birds.

Alan does his absolute best to give photographers the best chance of photographing elusive birds. The various feeders around the hide site are teaming with little birds which are part of the Sparrowhawks daily diet.

I highly recommend anyone wanting great shots of this stunning bird to contact Alan and book a day in his hide, you will not be disappointed. Alan is a great guy and will really look after you during your visit.

More shots are available to see and purchase at my website:

My Sparrowhawk Gallery

Or Book your place here, you will not regret it.

www.naturephotographyhides.co.uk.

Spirit of the Jaguar

Jaguar on the prowl

Nikon D3
Nikon 500 F4 VR lens
Gitzo Tripod and Wimberly Gimbal head

Cheetah family

Mike Nicholas, Vic Nicholas and Myself spent a weekend down in Wales / Chester Area photographing Red Kites, Chester Zoo and Red Squirrels.

One of the highlights, for me, was the 10 week old Cheetah Cubs at Chester Zoo.

We got to the zoo before they opened on the Sunday morning and as soon as they opened the gates at 10am we went straight to the Cheetah’s. Light quality was great with the sun in the right location so all we needed were the Cheetahs to perform for us.

It wasnt long before the Female came out into the open and laid in the sunshine right in front of our viewing position which was unhindered by fencing etc. No sooner had she sat down but the 4 cubs came out and laid down next to her cuddling into her side.

We spent the next 4 hours photographing this Cheetah family resting, eating and playing.

This shot is one of my favourites but if you would like to see some more there is a gallery on my website.

Click here to go straight to the gallery

thanks for looking

best wishes

Colin

Red Fox

-_ND30222-16-07-2011-Edit.jpg, a photo by TheApertureMan on Flickr.

It was a really wet day, but you never know what you are going to find. We sat in a hide most of the day waiting for something interesting to happen and it never really did.

Well as we were about to leave we spotted this fox wandering around the visitors centre. The RSPB have set up bird feeders and of course this attracts rodents eating the seeds etc that the birds have dropped.

This fox became the highlight of the day and didn’t seem too bothered about being in close proximity to us.

This is one of my favourite shots from the days shoot. There are a few more on flickr, if you would like a look. Just click on the photo to take you to my flickr site.

This shot was taken with a Nikon D3 camera and Nikon 500mm F4VR lens handheld.

I will also be putting some shots on my website in the next few days.

thats all for now

best wishes

Colin.