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Posts by photoherper: |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15  View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 23 Feb 2006
Topic: Reptile Digital photography
As a new member I thought it would be good to chip in a little about good photography. Whilst it is essential to have a nice piece of kit and a nice macro lens there is an even more important item which is essential if your to get a decent sharp image. A TRIPOD !! Too many images are shown on sites where the image has been spoilt because there is movement due to camera shake. Trying to hand hold whilst photographing in macro mode is poor practice and if you are trying to get the image published it needs to be pin sharp. Another key is to get the subject to look natural as too many images are obviously set up and false.......a little like some of the "snake expert TV shows" yawn yawn. With so many people taking average to reasonable images you need to make sure that the ones you take are top quality if others are to see them. Good Kit +nice lens + good light + tripod + lots of time + luck = good image |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 23 Feb 2006
Topic: Snake Gloves, handling
PLEASE listen to Tony Phelps.......Don't ever free handle any vemomous snake. Its stupid and it always ends up in adverse press. Personally if it wasnt for the bad press it would be really funny 
if all the new boys/girls on the block got a real bite to teach them
that herping cannot be bought through a quick field course or
meaningless letters after there names.
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 24 Feb 2006
Topic: Reptile Digital photography
Two Interesting repiles though the used of a wide aperture will I assume give you a very narrow depth of field. If this is the case then you have an even higher risk of getting an image where the bulk of the animal (any) could be reasonably sharp and the eye soft ......thus a poor image. Only a thought and not I'm not dissing people trying. I still stick with a bean bag or a tripod to ensure that your in with a fighting chance. Additional assistance can be that the tripod can be used to keep rather lively hots (forest cobra) at bay.  Tripods also extra usefull for walking in tough rainforest terrain and battering robbers. |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 25 Feb 2006
Topic: ASRA??
I have recently heard on the grapevine that ASRA have folded for good. |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 26 Feb 2006
Topic: 2006 is comino to life!
No signs of any frog activity up here on the Scottish Borders......NONE AT ALL ? |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 27 Feb 2006
Topic: Reptile Digital photography
I'm in agreement that the elbows and belly make for a great tripod. Sounds like fun on Africa!!! |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Mar 2006
Topic: 2006 is comino to life!
Am I missing something or isnt the easiest way to sex this species by examining the tail? |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Mar 2006
Topic: Reptile Digital photography
The long winter goes on and on, but I went out to a local adder site with my new toy (Nikon D200) for its first use. With the air temp being 3c and snow all over I didnt expect much but was pleased to find 5 male adders out basking in areas where the snow had melted.  |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 05 Mar 2006
Topic: Reptile Digital photography
This shot was taken with Fuji S3 pro, 105mm Macro Lens, bean bag, Macro Speedlite (not a ring flash) diffuser and rear curtain setting.  |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 06 Mar 2006
Topic: Reptile Digital photography
When undertaking macro type photography and in particular herps I always try to go for a decent depth of field. As a direct result unless to live in the sahara where you have intense bright lite you will usually be limited to a slow shutter speed (even with flash). You need to be rock solid if your to avoid and camera shake. A bean bag will do nicely ( bag of rice up the amazon does great sand in the gobi and so on) or a tripod. If you have a benbo type tripod it should be straight foreward to get it in the correct position and with the camera the correct way up ! Take a lot of practice but I'd rather have one pin sharp and no shake than lots of very slightly soft images. I'll post some others to show what I mean. |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 08 Mar 2006
Topic: 2006 is comino to life!
As antcipated todays very wet and very mild weather has brought the first flush of Common Frogs out in the north. Just been out moving them of local roads saved plenty but sadly too too many flat females. Going back out once a coffee is had !!!!!!!!!! |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 11 Mar 2006
Topic: 2006 is comino to life!
With the sudden cooling in weather and the severe weather forecast for this weekend the 40 or so frogs in my pond had taken heed and vanished again!!!! Looks like they are going to reappear and probably join the toads when they emerge. Still a few hardy adders around when the sun comes out. |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 14 Mar 2006
Topic: Reptile Digital photography
Hi Tony, Quite some time since i last met you down in the new forest, sore finger that day as I remember, trust your keeping well !! As I've only just taken delivery of my 2 D200's (only take a few shots) its hard to say much. The build quality is up to that of the F5 and it feels great. The weather has been particularly unkind to UK herping and the past few days heavy snow and sub zero temps have even scared off all the frogs. I did get a chance to try out the D200's at Crufts at the weekend. Met with a specialist doggy photographer (no puns please) and had the chance to compare shots. He was using a D100 with a 200mm F4 and I used one of the D200's and a trusty 105mm Micro as a portrait lens. Lighting in crufts is shockingly low and very unforgiving. The Noise on his D100 at 1600ISO was noticable and unkind to shots whilst the D200 at the same setting was crisp and virtually invisible. So as soon as the herps come to life I'll give is a good try. Regards Photoherper |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 18 Mar 2006
Topic: 2006 is comino to life!
Up here in northshire we aint got any amphibian breeding yet. My ponds at home have been abandoned sine the snow of two weeks ago. We still have temps at around 3-4c and this is forecast through until wednesday. By that time thje mild weather and lateness of the season is likly to result in frogs and toads breeding at the same time (as they did last year). |
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photoherper Member Joined: 23 Feb 2006 No. of posts: 15 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 25 Mar 2006
Topic: 2006 is comino to life!
well finally we hve some spring weather and after an absence of frogs in my pond they have arrived and are appearing to be desperate to breed. In bright sunshine on a dyr morning we have paired frogs crossing our road !!!! Got the family out moving them off the road and into the pond. This is the latest we have ever had frogs starting to breed. Perhaps we will have some spawn by later today. |
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