Rachel's photos remind me so much of the art of Japan in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I hope she continues to follow her passion. Enjoyed this presentation.
As someone with a delicate back perhaps you could try using a gimbal on a tripod to hold your camera (a bit like an aircraft gunner). If you balance it right the camera would feel almost weightless. And as a bonus you would get smoother panning shots. The con is that it would restrict you a bit but it sounds like a price worth paying if you can get some shots you would otherwise not be able to. I've seen a guy do this with a Hasselblad and huge lens and it worked really well for him.
nice video Nigel...heres a tip for you when using a big tele, don't hold the camera with lens attached hold it by the lens or you risk damaging the lens mount, great video
The birds are sublime The setting is so stunning and romantic. And then your guest is an absolute gem. She knows her craft and is an artist with a camera. Pretty nice day for you. The prints are fantastic. Thanks.
The gannets at Bempton are great, and you got some good shots. The pair you showed near the start included one with a black iris to its eyes. They have found this means it has had - and obviously survived - bird flu, which killed so many of our gannets last year.
Nigel, when you start chasing around warblers and other small birds, you have officially crossed over to the dark side 😂!!! Oh and be cautious about lens weight and your back ( you mentioned it early in the video). I did a 200km walk over 10 days just carrying a 120-400 Sigma lens and ended up with months of 'tennis elbow' and lower back pain. I now use a black rapid sling and that helps a lot.
Brilliant video. I live 20 mins from Bempton and have taken 1000 and 1000 of images, but Rachel's (out of the box) and high key images has given me a totally new approach. thank you so much
Nigel, just want to say that lately your channel has blown me away. Been following you on & off, long before your bad back… thanks for the content and lessons learned.
"Reasonably good at landscape photography"...Your being so modest 😛 Great to see you experimenting into another kind of photography! The result is amazing!
After landscapes, bird photography is my second favourite. My Z7II with the 200-500 works so well and I love the shots. One thing, hold the camera by the tripod collar to safeguard the mount. Lovely to see Rachael’s work and something different.
Thanks Nigel. Birds are one of my favourite subjects. For a few years they have managed to get in my view for a photograph. And when COVID started and we were all getting worried, I remembered what Jesus said, "Don't be anxious... Look at the birds..." So I took it to heart. I set myself a goal of capturing as many species as I could. Today I have over 160 species of Australian birds in albums in my Google photos. I feel blessed to have found so many. I don't have a big camera with the big lenses. I shoot with a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ70. Does a pretty decent job for a smaller camera, and for beginners.
Not often am i part of the first few to watch a video due to living in America, always pleased when I am though. Love the effort and passionate journey you take us every time. Keep it up bud!
Very nice video, and great to see you exploring other areas of photography. When I got back into it after many years I was puzzled by the sudden classifications of "I'm just a (fill in the blank) photographer." In the late 70's/80's we all just seemed to call ourselves just plain photographers and enjoyed capturing what gave us a joy or a challenge. Great shots for a noob and I'm sure having Rachel as your tutor didn't hurt. Thanks for introducing us to her as I want to check out her other work as well.
Since everybody now always carries at least one camera (smartphone) and even an old DSLR will easily exceed the quality of what professional photographers could do in the 70s, owning proper camera gear and calling yourself a "photographer" without any additional word in front of it automatically implies you're a professional. Which can have serious consequences with all the regulations and limitations and the climate we are in right now. I've never had as many people come up to me and defend their "privacy" as in the last couple of years. God forbid you happen to have someone's kid in your shot. This is why I will always immediately tell everbody I'm just a hobby photographer, even if I don't look like it, and mostly stick to pictures without people on them.
Wow loved this! I love bird photography, I am an obsessed birder and beginner photographer. This was a wonderfully informative video and so happy you are doing some bird photography. I don't have all the equipment but it's just getting out in the bush and watching the birds. I do hope you do some more wildlife and bird photography! Your photos were stunning as are Rachael's. Thanks so much for venturing into this genre!!
Excellent. I'm more into sports than nature / birds but two years ago had a chance to visit the Saltee Islands off Wexford on the south coast of Ireland. It was stunning and there's LITERALLY Puffins running around within three to four feet of you - thousands of them. There's also Gannets, Razorbills and numerous other birds. All have their own 'section' of the island where they nest and breed so you can move between them and concentrate on whichever you choose. Well worth a visit if anyone is ever passing by between April and July/August.
Great video. Love all the learning points you can add to enhance any landscapes with wildlife in. High key shots were lovely. Amazing shot of kittiwakes in flight as they are so fast. Take care though as it is addictive. I am not very strong and have size 6 and a half hands so I find a monopod with monopod gimbal really helpful with weight of camera and lens while still giving freedom of movement. Linda Di Maio
Wow,my most favorite is the two in flight like they are talking to each other and touching wings! The others wow great as well, so much character there!
Thanks Nigel & Rachel! This was awesome and I love the final images. Anyone thinking this is easy, even with modern cameras and lenses really hasn’t tried it. I’ve been learning photography whilst photographing wildlife and birds for about 9 months now, as a new photographer and it is anything but simple. You need the subject, the light, the skills to find the wildlife, patience and understanding of your subject. Observing behaviour is essential - and if you’re starting out then the birds on your local walks or at a pond are a great way to practice. I can’t tell you how many images I have of robins -because they’re obliging and relatively easy to spot on a branch. Through training my eyes to look for them, and learning more about their behaviour and habits through observation - I can now always get some good (or good for me 😂) photos. And, by getting my ‘eye’ in I now see more birds when I’m out, when previously I would have missed them. Combining wildlife and landscape photography seems a natural fit, and watching wildlife is great way to pass the time whilst waiting on the light for your scene. Do be prepared for the image count on your camera to sky rocket though 😊.
Love this! Bird photography is my main love with landscapes as a secondary pursuit, so I very much enjoyed hearing from Rachel and watching your experiences photographing these beautiful birds. You made some truly lovely images. Wonderful video! Thanks for bringing us along with you.
There are a lot of videos on settings, cameras, lenses, etc... but what I find lacking is the footage that you gave us, where you are taking the photos of birds. It's good to know it's normal to have trouble when starting out to catch a bird in flight in your view finder, and it's normal to be whipping your camera back and forth trying to accomplish that. Thanks for showing us what it actually looks like to take the pictures, along with all of the great tips and info!
What an exciting opportunity to learn from a pro bird photographer! Bird photography is such a fascinating field, capturing the beauty and unique behaviors of birds in their natural habitats. I bet those secret tips are incredibly helpful, especially for anyone keen on improving their photography skills or simply appreciating the art of capturing wildlife. The patience and skill required to get just the right shot of these magnificent creatures is truly admirable. It's always wonderful to see professionals sharing their knowledge and passion with others! 🐦📸✨
I love the gannets. I still have a couple of scars on my hand from when I saved one on the beach. It had gotten tangled up in fishing net. Stuck around the neck and deep in the open beak. Watching it fly away unharmed was fantastic.
Enjoyable as ever. Have shot at bempton many times. A word of advice with long lenses. Be careful just lifting using the body and having the full weight of the lens on the connecting ring of the camera body. It can weaken the body and lose connections with the lens. I know because it happened to me😱
I use APS-c Fuji XH2/XH2s with the 150-600 for birds although the fuji lens is a bit restricted to a maximun f8 but the setup is light and easy to use. Some are using the same cameras with a Nikon 500mm f5.6 PF with a Fringer adapter and I have seen some amazing results from this set up which probably only weighs a little more than my setup so FF not really needed to get good shots.
Thanks to both of you - Awesome as usual. I fully agree with buying used. I got a F-Mount Sigma 150-600 Sport with an FTZ converter from MPB to use on a crop-sensor Zfc (imagine!!). With decent light, the Zfc did an amazing job. To quote your friend Mads, good glass on an OK body can make some great images.
Your Videos are amazing and entertaining because they are so full of enthusiasm. Getting ready to take my conversion up to Scotland I can't wait for the campervan vids. Keep doing the things you love
Great Vlog Nigel and Rachel, I don’t profess to being a wildlife photographer but I have managed some fabulous shots of Puffin in Iceland and Razorbill, Gannets, Cormorants on Orkney using a quite elderly Nikon D3300 and a standard kit lens (55-200mm) they are probably some of my best images. Most of them I must admit are stationary but I have managed Gannets on the wing with the sea as a background, so it is possible with even elderly gear and kit lenses. I have taken on board Rachel’s tips for my upcoming trip back to Iceland and hopefully improve my in flight images 🤞thank you both 👌👍
I watched the video before my Bempton Cliff trips this weekend and now after. What a great experience. I captured som amazing shots and had fun learning the sea birds.
While it's not bird photography I recently had the opportunity to shoot a large horse roundup in NW Colorado. As a landscape guy I struggled with proper settings and taking good, clear images of running horses but I did learn a few things. I managed to get some great shots and can't wait until next year to try again.
Love this!!! Shooting birds is what made me fall in love with photography and I still enjoy it although have branched out from there. One counter balance to the full frame point - crop sensors can help with reach, so a 300mm on micro 4/3 gives you 600mm equivalent with a lot less weight to carry! Could be handy for you with your back Nigel
wouldn't mention micro 4/3 Jimi for some reason all these so called pros use the full frame camera's and i get the impression that they think of micro 4/3 as a amateur mans camera and of course if you can afford the newest camera and lens but most people can't and I am sure there is plenty of people using older camera's and micro 4/3 that are getting just as good a results, I have the G9 which is a great tool but like anything else you need to practice and that is more important than having the best gear, This is my opinion and not a go at the the video's presenters.
Come on Nigel this was your best video in my opinion in the last few month and Rachel seems to be such a good teacher because the images you got are just awsome. Thank you very much.
Great video, and a nice change to see you with someone else, and to discuss a different genre. I really enjoyed it! - I do have one question and that is how to expose correctly for the blacks and whites. For example in the one with the razorbill - exposing so you don't blow out the highlights of the sky, or the white of the chest... but still have enough detail in the blacks? - It's something I've been struggling with for a while now.
Hi Nigel. Just watched your Bempton vid. One of my favourite places for bird photography. I have been going there from Lincolnshire since about 1960! I still go there but very recently I abandoned the heavy 5/600mm big glass stuff and went for (still excellent quality) micro four thirds using the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk 2 with 300mm (which is of course equivalent to 600mm) + a 1.4 TC. I don't feel I have lost quality but I have lost a ton of weight using this new system. If you haven't tried it yet give it a go and it will also make a fine vid. After all these years behind a camera I finally published my book YOUR WILDLIFE JOURNEY published by Blurb books, it is aimed at those just starting out in wildlife photography. Naturally there are some Bempton images in it! Thanks Nigel, I enjoyed your vid.
Nice work! Please remember, however, 17:00, shutter speed has nothing to do with focusing. High shutter speed helps with “freezing” the subject in motion. F-stop number is a fraction. f/4 is a larger aperture than f/9. One opens up to f4 from f9, or stops down to f9 from f4. It is confusing to beginners to say “to up the f-stop” when you are suggesting them to stop down from f/4 to f/9. Nice video regardless. Nice images and pleasant people. Keep up the good work! Take care!
Thank you for trying bird photography. The level of difficulty is so under appreciated, especially for those of us with older cameras that do t have the eye recognition! Birds are everywhere, majestic mountains, rivers and landscapes not so much.
Nigel and Rachel, I just purchased a 500mm f/4 and learning a lot. Something I found with the 500mm is that it has made me SEE even more. Maybe it is the wildlife subjects that make that happen, but I think the focal length certainly has something to do with it. Finding the subject is so challenging, especially with the compressed depth of field. Anyway, won't bore you ~ thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Thank you for your that video and the good advices . May I suggest that to carry a camera with a heavy lens is better by taking the lens instead than the camera . The weight of the lens on the camera produce problem of focus at the end..
Very entertaining!!! The game changer for me was a 1x 5moa red (green) dot scope on a custom hot shoe rail with ZERO PLAY (search the internet to find one for one for a specific camera). I normally shot an OM1 with 840mm equivalent field of view and it makes birds in flight absolute child's play. Also, pre capture to raw at 50fps with continues autofocus (or 120fps without C-AF) is also very very useful.
Watch out Nigel, It’s so addictive!! So jealous of that gorgeous Gannet shot … I always try to catch the personality of whatever bird I’m shooting! Could spend all day watching birds…so relaxing and challenging at the same time!
Everything you touch with your camera turns to gold! I loved this! The landscapes where I live are lacking in pizzazz so I do bird photography too! This was a fabulous Sunday morning diversion! Thanks for taking me along.
New to the channel! I’ve been shooting for close to 2 years, but I would find it helpful to see the exposure that you use for the photos. It’s really helpful in my learning process. I’m still learning, especially how to be more creative, or intentionally doing high key! Thanks
Bird photography is amongst the most difficult of photography genres to master. Patience, repetition, bird spotting skills (binoculars are a must for spotting), mastering your camera settings, learning to pan smoothly (gimbals save your back!!), peace and quiet away from daily tourists (early mornings are best!), and sharpening up those post processing skills are all key to improvement. More wildlife trips now and again, please!
Okay Nigel. Don't go selling yourself short as a bird photographer. A lot of the creative tips you offer in your landscape tutorials apply here also and it's obvious that you're using them almost as a second nature in a different kind of photography. Quite successfully too. Really a great video that I'm sharing with my birding/birding photography friends.
Birds photography is a world apart, because you have to know birds behaviour, breeding seasons, and stuff like that, and to be the first time, you got amazing photos. Great Nigel!
An interesting departure from your norm Nigel. Thank's for sharing. Bempton is an amazing place which I visited once and got to appreciate how "difficult" good bird photography is - well for me at least! Definitely need the longer lenses in my opinion. Your enthusiasm is always contagious.
Hello Nigel, I was there last week, with my Z9 and TC 1.4x on a 100mm-400mm zoom lenses. It was my first time there for years. Did not get as far around as you but now I now whats there I may well try next time. The Z9 did work so well I think I missed focuse on about 20 images out of the hundreds I took. It is a lovely place.
Great video! Just one question; What about use of a tripod and gimbal? I see a lot of videos where this is used. So just wondered why you opted not to use it? :) Waiting for my 600 mm f/4 to arrive in a couple of weeks, and this video really gave great tips!
Hello... Your video with Rachel is just on time for me. I bought Nikkor 200-500 last week. I'm hobby landscape photographer and animals are mostly part of the landscape for me. But also I live in the area where I can meet quite a lot species of birds, so I decided to buy sth longer. I must say the world looks different through 500mm 😁 thank you for the tips. You took beautiful pictures and Rachel's style is amazing.
For those on a budget the Nikon D500 + 200-500mm f5.6 is a superb combination for bird photography. Lots of used DSLRs available now with many photographers switching over to mirrorless. Spend the money you save on a trip to Shetland!
For canon users the sigma 150-600mm is incredible for less than £1000. Any camera with a good autofocus, good fps, handles high iso well and is nice to use for cheap will do
Great video. I am patiently waiting for the upcoming Z 200-600mm lens. To be honest, I thought you were previewing it based on your comment last week. LOL. Regardless, it was great to see you two on the shore capturing fantastic shots. And Rachel's shot from ~15:10 was a great use of negative space.
I am not a bird photographer, but the best shot I ever got in that genre was of an osprey. I saw it while I was breaking my tent down and, my ex from a long ago relationship on a road trip we decided to take as friends, was groaning about why I was not helping. I spotted the osprey in a palm tree and was sure it was going to move, of course it would. And I'm standing there for 5 minutes with my arms shaking with my mamiya 645, and she came beside me, put her arm around me; at that perfect moment, the bird took wing, I took the shot, and it was one of the best experiences of my life in so many ways. And the shot is amazing. Just like her, and our past relationship. That is my bird photography moment. It's funny, because her father is a pro bird photographer, and I sent it to him, and after almost 2 years, he didn't respond. Even after I showed him picture of his daughter so happy on the beach. I think he is mad at me in so many ways, like not marrying her, Sarah. Not right. Sorry Ronald.
Nice video Nigel, some great tips from Rachel. Just to echo you don't need lottery money to get a decent wildlife/bird set up, I have a Canon 6d and an Ef400f5.6 both bought used from MPB and I am very happy with the images achieved with this set up.
I loved this video Nigel! I’ve just recently got into wildlife photography so watched this video on my way down to Bempton Cliffs. I used some of the techniques in the video and they helped massively!!
Rachel is an amazing photographer, her recent shots of Polar Bears are insane. I lol'd at your remark at around minute 15. Sooo many misses, but with a lot of patience and missed shots it will work out eventually
Such a wonderful video!! Thank you, Nigel for providing, yet again, a video with wonderful information for photographers like me who love to explore new genres and who love to "stretch our wings." Much respect from Canada🇨🇦 Kim
4:30 I like the discussion on using the 600. I've got the Nikon Z800 F6.3 and it really is a challenge with the narrow width of field to get the critter in the viewfinder. Especially on the wing. This really makes super zooms of value. My Z 100-400 with TC is much easier to use than the 800 prime. But the prime is oh so sharp compared to 100-400 with 2xTC.
Brilliant video from both of you. Really love bempton Cliffs, I've been going there for years so I knew most places you stood apart from the beach location. Some stunning shots you got as I now how hard it is. 👍🏻
The best tip for shooting flying birds is to fit a properly collimated Olympus EE-1 red dot sight or similar, along with a reasonably wide AF area. No need to use the constricted FoV of a viewfinder.
Really enjoyed this video. Glad to see you give bird photography a go. Truly not as easy as someone like Rachel makes it look! I do really like your Gannet and Razorbill inages. Nice work!
Really great video, with some amazing photos. I mainly do aviation photography, but some of the tips are still relevant. Interesting point in the aperture setting, I will be trying that out next time to try and get sharper shots.
I think its one of the best time to get into these. We now have 40fps cameras and recent denoise AI updates are making a huge traffic that people keep saying that cropped sensor are no longer that much inferior when considered for shopping, at least in the light gathering and noise side of things Also, 14:50 triggered my PTSD for a lack of anti-air system as a mere human.
Great video that has opened my eyes to the high key style--very intriguing. I could listen to Rachel all day. I tend to shoot song birds, so I'm always trying to get more length--crop sensor and the longest lens I can manage to hold. Maybe I should switch to larger birds haha.
d7200 or above + nikon 300mm af-s non vr puts you at 420mm f6 incredibly razor sharp for cropping and wonderfull colors with soft background for around 700-1200$ second hand and great autofocus performance (which is crucial for birds). If i started again that's what i'd get and that's what i would recomend to anyone starting out... plus, it isnt nearly as much heavy as 150-600's either
I’m glad there are people willing to cart around the Hubble Telescope so we can see their cool bird photos.
Rachel's photos remind me so much of the art of Japan in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I hope she continues to follow her passion. Enjoyed this presentation.
As someone with a delicate back perhaps you could try using a gimbal on a tripod to hold your camera (a bit like an aircraft gunner). If you balance it right the camera would feel almost weightless. And as a bonus you would get smoother panning shots. The con is that it would restrict you a bit but it sounds like a price worth paying if you can get some shots you would otherwise not be able to. I've seen a guy do this with a Hasselblad and huge lens and it worked really well for him.
nice video Nigel...heres a tip for you when using a big tele, don't hold the camera with lens attached hold it by the lens or you risk damaging the lens mount, great video
Well I think this was one of your best videos to date. Not just because of the subject but collaboration with other experts. More of the same please.
The birds are sublime The setting is so stunning and romantic.
And then your guest is an absolute gem. She knows her craft and is an artist with a camera.
Pretty nice day for you.
The prints are fantastic.
Thanks.
The gannets at Bempton are great, and you got some good shots. The pair you showed near the start included one with a black iris to its eyes. They have found this means it has had - and obviously survived - bird flu, which killed so many of our gannets last year.
Yes - there were a lot with black eyes... such a shame but they made it
Nigel, when you start chasing around warblers and other small birds, you have officially crossed over to the dark side 😂!!! Oh and be cautious about lens weight and your back ( you mentioned it early in the video). I did a 200km walk over 10 days just carrying a 120-400 Sigma lens and ended up with months of 'tennis elbow' and lower back pain. I now use a black rapid sling and that helps a lot.
Brilliant video. I live 20 mins from Bempton and have taken 1000 and 1000 of images, but Rachel's (out of the box) and high key images has given me a totally new approach. thank you so much
One of your best videos in a long time - really excellent. Looking forward to following Rachel
Nigel, just want to say that lately your channel has blown me away. Been following you on & off, long before your bad back… thanks for the content and lessons learned.
Such a great video! And what amazing shots! I didn't realize that Gannets were so graceful and tender in their interactions.
"Reasonably good at landscape photography"...Your being so modest 😛 Great to see you experimenting into another kind of photography! The result is amazing!
After landscapes, bird photography is my second favourite. My Z7II with the 200-500 works so well and I love the shots. One thing, hold the camera by the tripod collar to safeguard the mount. Lovely to see Rachael’s work and something different.
Thanks Nigel. Birds are one of my favourite subjects. For a few years they have managed to get in my view for a photograph. And when COVID started and we were all getting worried, I remembered what Jesus said, "Don't be anxious... Look at the birds..." So I took it to heart. I set myself a goal of capturing as many species as I could. Today I have over 160 species of Australian birds in albums in my Google photos.
I feel blessed to have found so many. I don't have a big camera with the big lenses. I shoot with a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ70. Does a pretty decent job for a smaller camera, and for beginners.
Not often am i part of the first few to watch a video due to living in America, always pleased when I am though. Love the effort and passionate journey you take us every time. Keep it up bud!
Well done!
Some beautiful shots Nigel really looking forward to episodes 2 and 3.
Thanks for sharing with us, and it's lovely to see you so full of enthusiasm.
Very nice video, and great to see you exploring other areas of photography. When I got back into it after many years I was puzzled by the sudden classifications of "I'm just a (fill in the blank) photographer." In the late 70's/80's we all just seemed to call ourselves just plain photographers and enjoyed capturing what gave us a joy or a challenge. Great shots for a noob and I'm sure having Rachel as your tutor didn't hurt. Thanks for introducing us to her as I want to check out her other work as well.
Since everybody now always carries at least one camera (smartphone) and even an old DSLR will easily exceed the quality of what professional photographers could do in the 70s, owning proper camera gear and calling yourself a "photographer" without any additional word in front of it automatically implies you're a professional. Which can have serious consequences with all the regulations and limitations and the climate we are in right now. I've never had as many people come up to me and defend their "privacy" as in the last couple of years. God forbid you happen to have someone's kid in your shot.
This is why I will always immediately tell everbody I'm just a hobby photographer, even if I don't look like it, and mostly stick to pictures without people on them.
Wow loved this! I love bird photography, I am an obsessed birder and beginner photographer. This was a wonderfully informative video and so happy you are doing some bird photography. I don't have all the equipment but it's just getting out in the bush and watching the birds. I do hope you do some more wildlife and bird photography! Your photos were stunning as are Rachael's. Thanks so much for venturing into this genre!!
Excellent. I'm more into sports than nature / birds but two years ago had a chance to visit the Saltee Islands off Wexford on the south coast of Ireland. It was stunning and there's LITERALLY Puffins running around within three to four feet of you - thousands of them. There's also Gannets, Razorbills and numerous other birds. All have their own 'section' of the island where they nest and breed so you can move between them and concentrate on whichever you choose. Well worth a visit if anyone is ever passing by between April and July/August.
Omg this location is so breathtaking! Amazing.
the fact that these photos were al handheld is amazing how good the stabilizer is
Great video. Love all the learning points you can add to enhance any landscapes with wildlife in. High key shots were lovely. Amazing shot of kittiwakes in flight as they are so fast. Take care though as it is addictive. I am not very strong and have size 6 and a half hands so I find a monopod with monopod gimbal really helpful with weight of camera and lens while still giving freedom of movement. Linda Di Maio
Wow,my most favorite is the two in flight like they are talking to each other and touching wings! The others wow great as well, so much character there!
Thanks Nigel & Rachel! This was awesome and I love the final images. Anyone thinking this is easy, even with modern cameras and lenses really hasn’t tried it. I’ve been learning photography whilst photographing wildlife and birds for about 9 months now, as a new photographer and it is anything but simple. You need the subject, the light, the skills to find the wildlife, patience and understanding of your subject. Observing behaviour is essential - and if you’re starting out then the birds on your local walks or at a pond are a great way to practice. I can’t tell you how many images I have of robins -because they’re obliging and relatively easy to spot on a branch. Through training my eyes to look for them, and learning more about their behaviour and habits through observation - I can now always get some good (or good for me 😂) photos. And, by getting my ‘eye’ in I now see more birds when I’m out, when previously I would have missed them. Combining wildlife and landscape photography seems a natural fit, and watching wildlife is great way to pass the time whilst waiting on the light for your scene. Do be prepared for the image count on your camera to sky rocket though 😊.
for someone who doesn't capture these stunning animals, you're still pretty good, bro. mad respect ❤
Love this! Bird photography is my main love with landscapes as a secondary pursuit, so I very much enjoyed hearing from Rachel and watching your experiences photographing these beautiful birds. You made some truly lovely images. Wonderful video! Thanks for bringing us along with you.
There are a lot of videos on settings, cameras, lenses, etc... but what I find lacking is the footage that you gave us, where you are taking the photos of birds. It's good to know it's normal to have trouble when starting out to catch a bird in flight in your view finder, and it's normal to be whipping your camera back and forth trying to accomplish that. Thanks for showing us what it actually looks like to take the pictures, along with all of the great tips and info!
What an exciting opportunity to learn from a pro bird photographer! Bird photography is such a fascinating field, capturing the beauty and unique behaviors of birds in their natural habitats. I bet those secret tips are incredibly helpful, especially for anyone keen on improving their photography skills or simply appreciating the art of capturing wildlife. The patience and skill required to get just the right shot of these magnificent creatures is truly admirable. It's always wonderful to see professionals sharing their knowledge and passion with others! 🐦📸✨
Rachel’s shot at 15:02 is fantastic! Learned a lot in this video, thanks!
I love the gannets. I still have a couple of scars on my hand from when I saved one on the beach. It had gotten tangled up in fishing net. Stuck around the neck and deep in the open beak. Watching it fly away unharmed was fantastic.
Enjoyable as ever. Have shot at bempton many times. A word of advice with long lenses. Be careful just lifting using the body and having the full weight of the lens on the connecting ring of the camera body. It can weaken the body and lose connections with the lens. I know because it happened to me😱
I use APS-c Fuji XH2/XH2s with the 150-600 for birds although the fuji lens is a bit restricted to a maximun f8 but the setup is light and easy to use. Some are using the same cameras with a Nikon 500mm f5.6 PF with a Fringer adapter and I have seen some amazing results from this set up which probably only weighs a little more than my setup so FF not really needed to get good shots.
Thanks to both of you - Awesome as usual. I fully agree with buying used. I got a F-Mount Sigma 150-600 Sport with an FTZ converter from MPB to use on a crop-sensor Zfc (imagine!!). With decent light, the Zfc did an amazing job. To quote your friend Mads, good glass on an OK body can make some great images.
Your Videos are amazing and entertaining because they are so full of enthusiasm. Getting ready to take my conversion up to Scotland I can't wait for the campervan vids. Keep doing the things you love
Your images were wonderful Nigel! Thanks for having Rachel on your channel and sharing your adventure!!
Great Vlog Nigel and Rachel, I don’t profess to being a wildlife photographer but I have managed some fabulous shots of Puffin in Iceland and Razorbill, Gannets, Cormorants on Orkney using a quite elderly Nikon D3300 and a standard kit lens (55-200mm) they are probably some of my best images. Most of them I must admit are stationary but I have managed Gannets on the wing with the sea as a background, so it is possible with even elderly gear and kit lenses. I have taken on board Rachel’s tips for my upcoming trip back to Iceland and hopefully improve my in flight images 🤞thank you both 👌👍
I watched the video before my Bempton Cliff trips this weekend and now after. What a great experience. I captured som amazing shots and had fun learning the sea birds.
Brilliant isn’t it!
While it's not bird photography I recently had the opportunity to shoot a large horse roundup in NW Colorado. As a landscape guy I struggled with proper settings and taking good, clear images of running horses but I did learn a few things. I managed to get some great shots and can't wait until next year to try again.
Love this!!! Shooting birds is what made me fall in love with photography and I still enjoy it although have branched out from there. One counter balance to the full frame point - crop sensors can help with reach, so a 300mm on micro 4/3 gives you 600mm equivalent with a lot less weight to carry! Could be handy for you with your back Nigel
wouldn't mention micro 4/3 Jimi for some reason all these so called pros use the full frame camera's and i get the impression that they think of micro 4/3 as a amateur mans camera and of course if you can afford the newest camera and lens but most people can't and I am sure there is plenty of people using older camera's and micro 4/3 that are getting just as good a results, I have the G9 which is a great tool but like anything else you need to practice and that is more important than having the best gear, This is my opinion and not a go at the the video's presenters.
Come on Nigel this was your best video in my opinion in the last few month and Rachel seems to be such a good teacher because the images you got are just awsome. Thank you very much.
Great video, and a nice change to see you with someone else, and to discuss a different genre. I really enjoyed it! - I do have one question and that is how to expose correctly for the blacks and whites. For example in the one with the razorbill - exposing so you don't blow out the highlights of the sky, or the white of the chest... but still have enough detail in the blacks? - It's something I've been struggling with for a while now.
Whilst I’m not in to wildlife photography, I really enjoyed this, and found it very informative. Nice to explore other genres.
Thanks - glad you enjoyed it
Hi Nigel. Just watched your Bempton vid. One of my favourite places for bird photography.
I have been going there from Lincolnshire since about 1960! I still go there but very recently I abandoned the heavy 5/600mm big glass stuff and went for (still excellent quality) micro four thirds using the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk 2 with 300mm (which is of course equivalent to 600mm) + a 1.4 TC.
I don't feel I have lost quality but I have lost a ton of weight using this new system.
If you haven't tried it yet give it a go and it will also make a fine vid.
After all these years behind a camera I finally published my book YOUR WILDLIFE JOURNEY published by Blurb books, it is aimed at those just starting out in wildlife photography. Naturally there are some Bempton images in it!
Thanks Nigel, I enjoyed your vid.
Nice work!
Please remember, however, 17:00, shutter speed has nothing to do with focusing. High shutter speed helps with “freezing” the subject in motion.
F-stop number is a fraction.
f/4 is a larger aperture than f/9. One opens up to f4 from f9, or stops down to f9 from f4.
It is confusing to beginners to say “to up the f-stop” when you are suggesting them to stop down from f/4 to f/9.
Nice video regardless. Nice images and pleasant people.
Keep up the good work!
Take care!
Lovely video, with the incredible Rachel. Glad to see you saw the resident Bempton barn owl too.
Thank you for trying bird photography. The level of difficulty is so under appreciated, especially for those of us with older cameras that do t have the eye recognition! Birds are everywhere, majestic mountains, rivers and landscapes not so much.
Nigel and Rachel, I just purchased a 500mm f/4 and learning a lot. Something I found with the 500mm is that it has made me SEE even more. Maybe it is the wildlife subjects that make that happen, but I think the focal length certainly has something to do with it. Finding the subject is so challenging, especially with the compressed depth of field. Anyway, won't bore you ~ thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
She is an absolute joy. Loved this episode.
From the set of prints,I loved the first picture and from Rachel's prints I loved the second pic...beautiful location
Thank you for your that video and the good advices . May I suggest that to carry a camera with a heavy lens is better by taking the lens instead than the camera . The weight of the lens on the camera produce problem of focus at the end..
Very entertaining!!! The game changer for me was a 1x 5moa red (green) dot scope on a custom hot shoe rail with ZERO PLAY (search the internet to find one for one for a specific camera). I normally shot an OM1 with 840mm equivalent field of view and it makes birds in flight absolute child's play. Also, pre capture to raw at 50fps with continues autofocus (or 120fps without C-AF) is also very very useful.
Watch out Nigel, It’s so addictive!! So jealous of that gorgeous Gannet shot … I always try to catch the personality of whatever bird I’m shooting! Could spend all day watching birds…so relaxing and challenging at the same time!
Everything you touch with your camera turns to gold! I loved this! The landscapes where I live are lacking in pizzazz so I do bird photography too! This was a fabulous Sunday morning diversion! Thanks for taking me along.
Just love Rachel - wonderful video Nigel of the two of you thanks.
Can you please bring Rachel to more videos. She makes the videos very fun to watch.
New to the channel! I’ve been shooting for close to 2 years, but I would find it helpful to see the exposure that you use for the photos. It’s really helpful in my learning process. I’m still learning, especially how to be more creative, or intentionally doing high key! Thanks
Interesting to see you trying something new. Rachel has some very good advice to offer.
Great video Nigel, I enjoyed watching and learning from Rachel - she is very talented and her work is stunning!
Love your black background image of the Gulls. Thank you for sharing Nigel truly inspirational x
Bird photography is amongst the most difficult of photography genres to master. Patience, repetition, bird spotting skills (binoculars are a must for spotting), mastering your camera settings, learning to pan smoothly (gimbals save your back!!), peace and quiet away from daily tourists (early mornings are best!), and sharpening up those post processing skills are all key to improvement. More wildlife trips now and again, please!
Okay Nigel. Don't go selling yourself short as a bird photographer. A lot of the creative tips you offer in your landscape tutorials apply here also and it's obvious that you're using them almost as a second nature in a different kind of photography. Quite successfully too. Really a great video that I'm sharing with my birding/birding photography friends.
Birds photography is a world apart, because you have to know birds behaviour, breeding seasons, and stuff like that, and to be the first time, you got amazing photos. Great Nigel!
Very nice bird photos they you printed up… looks like a genre that’s you are a natural at!
So glad your getting into wildlife photography, I love your landscape work, hope to see more like this, wildlife photography has taken over my life👌
Just learning bird photography so chuffed you did this. Amazing shots.
Your bird photos are as captivating as your landscape. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks for doing this video. Loved her and found her really interesting. She is great.
An interesting departure from your norm Nigel. Thank's for sharing. Bempton is an amazing place which I visited once and got to appreciate how "difficult" good bird photography is - well for me at least! Definitely need the longer lenses in my opinion. Your enthusiasm is always contagious.
Very refreshing to see something different then only landscape, woodland og product reviews, Thanks
Stunning photos & great video. And who’s inspiring Rachel? Love this human transmission of knowledge & passion.
Hello Nigel, I was there last week, with my Z9 and TC 1.4x on a 100mm-400mm zoom lenses. It was my first time there for years. Did not get as far around as you but now I now whats there I may well try next time. The Z9 did work so well I think I missed focuse on about 20 images out of the hundreds I took. It is a lovely place.
Great video! Just one question; What about use of a tripod and gimbal? I see a lot of videos where this is used. So just wondered why you opted not to use it? :) Waiting for my 600 mm f/4 to arrive in a couple of weeks, and this video really gave great tips!
Thanks for sharing your experience with Rachel discussing getting started photographing birds. You obtained some very lovely images. Hope you do more.
Thank you so much! Such beautiful pictures - both of you
Great video, pictures and confirms my decision to go MFT and the OM1. Far more practical for this type of birding.
Hello... Your video with Rachel is just on time for me. I bought Nikkor 200-500 last week. I'm hobby landscape photographer and animals are mostly part of the landscape for me. But also I live in the area where I can meet quite a lot species of birds, so I decided to buy sth longer. I must say the world looks different through 500mm 😁 thank you for the tips. You took beautiful pictures and Rachel's style is amazing.
For those on a budget the Nikon D500 + 200-500mm f5.6 is a superb combination for bird photography. Lots of used DSLRs available now with many photographers switching over to mirrorless. Spend the money you save on a trip to Shetland!
Total price pls
I bought mine a few weeks ago for around 1500€ in almost perfect condition
@@GTAGJimbo I paid 1600 but got a 50mm and tripod too
For canon users the sigma 150-600mm is incredible for less than £1000. Any camera with a good autofocus, good fps, handles high iso well and is nice to use for cheap will do
wow her work is incredible
Man that second of the high key with the two birds was incredible!
Great video. I am patiently waiting for the upcoming Z 200-600mm lens. To be honest, I thought you were previewing it based on your comment last week. LOL. Regardless, it was great to see you two on the shore capturing fantastic shots. And Rachel's shot from ~15:10 was a great use of negative space.
I am not a bird photographer, but the best shot I ever got in that genre was of an osprey. I saw it while I was breaking my tent down and, my ex from a long ago relationship on a road trip we decided to take as friends, was groaning about why I was not helping. I spotted the osprey in a palm tree and was sure it was going to move, of course it would. And I'm standing there for 5 minutes with my arms shaking with my mamiya 645, and she came beside me, put her arm around me; at that perfect moment, the bird took wing, I took the shot, and it was one of the best experiences of my life in so many ways. And the shot is amazing. Just like her, and our past relationship. That is my bird photography moment. It's funny, because her father is a pro bird photographer, and I sent it to him, and after almost 2 years, he didn't respond. Even after I showed him picture of his daughter so happy on the beach. I think he is mad at me in so many ways, like not marrying her, Sarah. Not right. Sorry Ronald.
Your narrative is really good btw 👌
Too much info.
I think a mamiya 645 is probably the worst camera for bird photography I can think of 😅
Thanks! I have a lot to learn with my new camera, but appreciate the tips.
Nice video Nigel, some great tips from Rachel. Just to echo you don't need lottery money to get a decent wildlife/bird set up, I have a Canon 6d and an Ef400f5.6 both bought used from MPB and I am very happy with the images achieved with this set up.
Beautiful Birds !!! Outstandingly sharp that ALWAYS eludes me :) Nigel, great to see you out and about!
I loved this video Nigel! I’ve just recently got into wildlife photography so watched this video on my way down to Bempton Cliffs. I used some of the techniques in the video and they helped massively!!
Rachel is an amazing photographer, her recent shots of Polar Bears are insane.
I lol'd at your remark at around minute 15. Sooo many misses, but with a lot of patience and missed shots it will work out eventually
Such a wonderful video!! Thank you, Nigel for providing, yet again, a video with wonderful information for photographers like me who love to explore new genres and who love to "stretch our wings."
Much respect from Canada🇨🇦
Kim
4:30 I like the discussion on using the 600. I've got the Nikon Z800 F6.3 and it really is a challenge with the narrow width of field to get the critter in the viewfinder. Especially on the wing. This really makes super zooms of value. My Z 100-400 with TC is much easier to use than the 800 prime. But the prime is oh so sharp compared to 100-400 with 2xTC.
Brilliant video from both of you.
Really love bempton Cliffs, I've been going there for years so I knew most places you stood apart from the beach location. Some stunning shots you got as I now how hard it is. 👍🏻
The best tip for shooting flying birds is to fit a properly collimated Olympus EE-1 red dot sight or similar, along with a reasonably wide AF area. No need to use the constricted FoV of a viewfinder.
Excellent video with lots of great advice. Thanks for posting
Really enjoyed this video. Glad to see you give bird photography a go. Truly not as easy as someone like Rachel makes it look! I do really like your Gannet and Razorbill inages. Nice work!
Really great video, with some amazing photos. I mainly do aviation photography, but some of the tips are still relevant. Interesting point in the aperture setting, I will be trying that out next time to try and get sharper shots.
Bempton is an amazing place. I love Flamborough as well. Stunning views and wildlife.
I think its one of the best time to get into these. We now have 40fps cameras and recent denoise AI updates are making a huge traffic that people keep saying that cropped sensor are no longer that much inferior when considered for shopping, at least in the light gathering and noise side of things
Also, 14:50 triggered my PTSD for a lack of anti-air system as a mere human.
Great video that has opened my eyes to the high key style--very intriguing. I could listen to Rachel all day. I tend to shoot song birds, so I'm always trying to get more length--crop sensor and the longest lens I can manage to hold. Maybe I should switch to larger birds haha.
Very nice video ! Stunning shots from both of you ❤!
d7200 or above + nikon 300mm af-s non vr puts you at 420mm f6 incredibly razor sharp for cropping and wonderfull colors with soft background for around 700-1200$ second hand and great autofocus performance (which is crucial for birds). If i started again that's what i'd get and that's what i would recomend to anyone starting out... plus, it isnt nearly as much heavy as 150-600's either
This is the best wildlife photography video I have seen in 6 months!