Just a short message to wish all those viewing my blog a “Happy New Year” and Best Wishes for 2018.
Hopefully during the year we can again push the case for non sexual “natural ” nudity and show people just how normal naturism is.
At the same time share knowledge on other topic as well as preview the kind of photography that you can take in place near to you.
Let’s hope 2018 is a good one !
“Here’s a few tips when taking wildlife photos in your garden !”
This is a repost : Original Post
When you think about wildlife photography, most people would think of visiting a wildlife reserve, national park, or just getting out in the wilds. However, you can take great wildlife photos much closer to home.
There are quite a few benefits of photographing wildlife in your garden. The most obvious one being that you don’t have to travel anywhere to get there. It’s also much more comfortable – if you get thirsty or hungry you can just pop inside for a drink or snack. You don’t need to carry a large amount of equipment with you – you can just fetch what you want when you want it.It also enables you to do a quick bit of wildlife photography whenever it’s convenient. Of course you can’t guarantee that there will always be an obvious subject out there whenever you want it. But that would be just the same if you were traveling many miles to a nature reserve.
In nature, habitats tend to cover large areas. But in your garden you can have a wide range of habitats in just a small area. A couple of trees can become a woodland, the lawn becomes fields, and a small pond becomes a lake (well maybe not quite, but near enough). This allows you to attract a large variety of different wildlife to your garden. When thinking about wildlife photography in your garden, you need to think about the type of wildlife you would like to attract, and then plan your garden appropriately. If you want to photograph birds, then trees / shrubs for them to perch / hide in, water to drink and wash in, and a good supply of food will all help bring them to your garden.
You can go further than this, if you’re looking to photograph a particular type of bird, for example. Look up what it likes to eat, what sort of habitat it likes, and then make sure that your garden will cater to its needs.Enticing animals into your garden to feed can certainly help you get some photos of them. But if you can get them to live in your garden, then this opens up even more regular photo opportunities. Putting up nest boxes for birds or bee houses for solitary bees, for example.
Do be mindful not to disturb animals when they’re nesting though. For example, if you’re not usually out in the garden much, but then go out when you get some nesting birds with chicks, the adults will be very wary of you and may stay away from the nest. This could result in the chicks missing out on vital feeds, or even the adults deciding to abandon the nest altogether.If you’re out in the garden regularly though before they choose the nest site, then they’ll be much more likely to tolerate you being around, so long as you keep your distance.If you’re after frogs, then a small (or large) pond is a great idea. Put piles of rocks nearby that the frogs can hide under – they don’t spend all their time in the water. A pond is also great for many insects, such as dragonflies, damselflies, and hoverflies. And these in turn attract other animals that feed on them.
A corrugated metal sheet laid out in an area that gets some sunlight can prove a magnet for snakes and lizards. As they are cold blooded, they need to warm up at the start of each day. The sheet heats up much faster in the sun than the surrounding ground. This makes it an ideal place for them to hide under, out of the sight of potential predators above.
For butterflies and caterpillars think about the types of plants you have in your garden. While flowers attract butterflies with their nectar, think also about plants that the caterpillars eat. Many have quite specialized tastes. By planting their foodplants you can attract butterflies looking for somewhere to lay their eggs. And it also gives you the chance to record the complete life-cycle, from caterpillar to butterfly.
As well as thinking about the wildlife you would like to attract when setting up your garden, also think about it from a photographic perspective. For example, when putting up a bird feeder, you want to place it somewhere that you can get reasonably close to without scaring the birds off. If you can place it near a point where you can easily photograph from the house, so much the better. A bush growing near the feeder will provide a nice place for birds to perch, allowing you to get nice, natural shots of them. You may want to trim back parts of the bush to reduce visual clutter and make it easier to get a clean shot. You can even go further and just use a cut branch placed near the feeder for the birds to use. This results in much more appealing photos than a bird sitting at a plastic feeder.
Think about the backgrounds too. Having climbing plants covering walls and fences will usually provide a nicer, more natural looking backdrop than bare brick or wood.Although photographing wildlife in your garden allows you to get pretty close, for most subjects you’re still going to need a telephoto lens (300mm or greater) if you want to capture them at a reasonable magnification. Smaller subjects, such as insects, will generally let you get a bit closer, but due to their small size the maximum magnification ratio of the lens can become an issue. For these subjects a macro lens is highly recommended.
For photographing birds, you can use your house as a hide. It is best (though not essential) to shoot through an open window or door as shooting through the glass of a window can reduce the contrast of an image. You may have to deal with reflections caused by the window too if shooting through the glass.
If you have a door that can slide open, this is perfect as it will let you shoot to the left or right without getting in your way. Whereas with a window you can only shoot in the direction that it opens.It is best to open the window or door, then wait for birds to arrive. If you open the window / door after the birds have arrived, then you’ll likely scare them off. So long as you’re not too noisy, and don’t move around too much, the birds should ignore you.
Lastly, if you don’t have much wildlife in your garden at the moment, making it wildlife friendly won’t change the situation overnight. You need to think of it more as a long term project. The results can be great, both for your photography, and also just for the general enjoyment of wildlife watching.
Some of the latest videos from the good people I follow on YouTube
Saturday dawned bright but blustery and with the forecast inclement we headed off and visited local places of interest.We first visited a nearby village called St.Germans this is a village which stands on the River Tiddy around 5 miles away.It takes its name from the priory that is generally associated with Saint Germainus, although the church may have been associated initially with a local saint, who was gradually replaced by the 14th century.This magnificent and ancient Norman church is adjacent to the Port Elliot estate.
Next we moved on to Bodmin Moor to a place called Caradon Hill. The hill afforded us some lovely views across Cornwalls countryside so we managed to take some good shots of the views as well as the goats who were wandering about. With the weather turning warmer we returned to Carbeil for some relaxation and a night in the bar. During which the rain reappeared.
Sunday was all together different,deep blue skies and bright sunshine greeted us so we decided it was time to visit Downderry’s unofficial naturist beach about 10 minutes walk from the campsite. We set off equipped with towels sunglasses and beach shelters but without sunscreen which we’d not needed up until then. To get to the beach we walked to the end of the lane and through the footpath directly opposite this leads to the main beach. Turning left you go past the last of the beach front houses then over the big rocks immediately after that.
This is where the naturist beach is genuinely understood to start.There are numerous rocky outcrops providing good screening, making this a beach “Ideal for Naturism”. The first small shingle bay is mainly for clothed families. The second is more sandy and more for naturists. The third bay is in the words of one beach user “Paradise, a huge expanse of sand, not many people”.We clambered over these and met a elderly couple clambering gingerly downs path from the cliff tops.
The tide was in blocking access to the coves further down the beach however as we were on the naturist beach we didn’t lose any time stripping off. After days of inclement weather it’s was surprisingly warm so being nude seemed the best way to be. The other couple went for a swim in the sea which was perishingly cold, then they clambered on to two large neighbouring rocks to sunbathe.
We stayed here for around two hours and more naturists turned up waiting for the tide to go out. There were also some dog walkers who you felt were there just to prove some sort of point but they left before the tide went out. Once it had we moved around two hundred yards up the beach and set up our beach shelter by which time the lack of sunscreen was being to tell.
After a further couple of hours we’d decided to grab some food so we upped sticks and walked backed to the campsite to have a sandwich. Feeling the effects of the sun we both fell asleep until it was dinner time by that time we’d decided to go to the Smugglers Inn in Seaton. The food was let’s say only average but it filled a hole and still feeling weary we turned in early to watch a Bill Bailey DVD which was only average too.
Many people who are currently working a six day week will tell you, that far from having a day off on their only work free day, that they end up doing all the things they have little time for on the days they do have to work. Chores like going food shopping,laundry,cleaning the car,cleaning the house and if the weathers nice tidying up in the garden.
My day off last week was no different to most, although I did get a chance to set up the camera with the remote and took some good photos of Starlings,Blackbirds and a Jayhawk. It was a busy day and a productive one as I got some of the jobs done, that i’d been meaning to do and as the weather was disappointingly inclement, didn’t miss the chance to do something more enjoyable.
Even though it was my day off I got up at the normal time,made a cuppa and watched TV for just over an hour or so.Feeding the birds is a morning ritual and they thoroughly enjoyed the feast I’d put out, allowing me to get some good shots. I’d had some free Sunflower seeds that came on the front of a magazine so next up was sowing them into three pots of varying sizes. Recently I’ve also put up a mini greenhouse so watering the seedlings was next on my agenda as the weather started to look gloomy.
It was at this point I decided to drive over to the club and do some other jobs that I’d put off for far too long. I loaded up my tools as well as the recharged batteries and headed off. It was showery but again my four hour visit was productive.I managed to repair the storage box roof at the back of the cabinchaletshed with the the help of some timber i had stored and also put some new felt on making it waterproof once again and as good as new.
Next as the rain fell I headed indoors and put up the TV on a wall with the aid of a movable bracket finally after clearing out the backbox I headed home to do some more jobs. The jobs I had in mind were plumbing in a Water Butt (it filled up later in the week and didn’t leak),cutting the grass and finally I watered the Plants as the sun shone brightly.
Then it was time for dinner so much for a relaxing day off
“I am only a naturist because I love the comfort of wearing no clothes”
I have my own reasons why photography is so important to me, but I thought I would put together a list that could apply to anyone as to why you should become a photographer. This is not scientifically weighted and therefore has not been properly ordered. It’s all stream of conscientiousness. Thus, #10 is not necessarily of lesser importance than #1. Lay off, okay !
10) You don’t really know people till you’ve retouched them at 1000% – I always walk away from a retouching session caring more about people. I’m like their mother fussing over them. I lick my fingers and smooth down their cowlick. That was kind of a disgusting analogy. I seriously feel a sense of protection over them to make them feel good about themselves and have a leg up in the world when they show off their new portrait.
9) Photography opens doors – In my day job, I’m afforded many opportunities to meet famous people and travel, but it’s the fact that I’m a photographer that has truly gotten me into the inner circles. The Lord knows how many times have I been the only one with a DSLR and been able to step up and take photos of an important event or moment. Opportunity leads to opportunity if you are a dedicated, talented photographer. As an example, if you love music and you pursue photography, you can eventually start taking photos of your favourite bands. Start small and work your up. I heard a lecture by a famous music photographer and he gave this advice…”Start at small venues with crappy bands, do a professional job, build relationships, and you will get bigger gigs.”
8 ) Everyone needs an artistic outlet – I can’t even draw an adequate stick figure.I would love to paint, and I intend to pursue it, but I have a major uphill battle. My wife is a natural. She can draw with elegance and precision. I draw like a Neanderthal with a lead stick taped to his wrist. But, for some reason I get composition when I’m seeing it from behind the lens. This art appeals to my sense of order and technical mastery. I get a kick out of being around other artists when I’m wearing a business suit and I can see that they are projecting their bohemian lifestyle and judging “the stiff in the suit”. And they don’t have a clue what’s really going on in my head or what I’m creating in my mind’s eye. You can be an accountant, a lawyer, or a bus driver, and photography may be just the artistic outlet for you. If you are a person that studies the world and is fascinated by people, or details, or anything visual, then there’s a place for you in photography. We all need an outlet. There are days I can’t lay my head on the pillow without creating something.
7) We’re everywhere – I LOVE talking to other photographers about photography. There is an instant bond between photographers. When I’m at an event, I’ll run over to the photographer and shake hands and say hi. If he or she has a moment we will inevitably talk shop. When I’m the designated shooter, I always take a moment to talk to someone who comes over and asks me a question. It’s the code. We all need each other, to learn and be inspired by each other.
6) What a conversation starter – Not just will you find yourself talking to other photographers, you will strike up conversations with complete strangers. Anytime I’m taking photos at a monument or tourist spot, I’m the first one that people come up to and ask to take pictures (because I’m holding a mac-daddy camera). I’ve had some great conversations and met some great people as a result of this. In all kinds of situations, you find people that you have something in common.
5) If you like to teach… – …then this is your gig. As an extension of the previously mentioned reasons, I think this is a crucial element to improving and growing as a photographer. The people that seem to get better, faster at photography are those who ask a lot of questions and who hold no secrets. That’s why I admire people like Joe McNally, Scott Kelby, Chase Jarvis, David Hobby, etc. They are industry giants because they freely share their information, and because they enjoy teaching others and the process of learning. I love to teach people about photography. I take my little 2+2 = 4 knowledge and share that, then I learn the quadratic equation, so to speak, and teach that, then I move onto the truly advanced stuff. Since I’m lousy at math that was a bad example. I don’t know what comes after the quadratic equation, so I generically said, “then I move onto the truly advanced stuff.”
4) If you like beautiful things – I am fascinated by the world around me. Being a very visual person, this is my way to interact with nature, architecture, and the most beautiful thing in the world…people. There’s nothing like capturing a moment in time and holding that forever on your hard drive (until it crashes). The better I get, the greater my anticipation is for the moment that is about to happen. One of my favorite shots was of an old Chinese Man (it’s first in my People portfolio folder). As I was walking up, I surveyed the background behind him, along with his stooped over posture and the overall composition. So in the 5 seconds it took to get around to the front of him and snap a picture, I had already set my camera and planned the frame. Kneel down, snap, snap, and bam! I’m out of there before he even knew what hit him. Every year that goes by, my anticipation gets better. But what I love about this is that even when I’m out and about without a camera, I see moments and think, “wow, that was a great moment.” Literally, my brain snaps a photo and I can see it for a while: facial expressions, flashes of light, etc. It’s a wonderful way to see the world.
3) If you love challenges – Nothing gets your adrenaline rushing like a client waiting on you while you try to figure out why your flashes won’t fire. It’s wonderful to plan a shot and pull it off. Though, there are times when you have to be like MacGyver and use duct tape and a flashlight to light a subject; whatever gets the job done. For some people this is a big reason to get into photography. The reward is very pragmatic and tangible. You put in x number of hours and you get a return on it. I love it!
2) “Can you please send that over to me?” – One day for fun I counted up how many of my photos my Facebook friends were using for their profile pics and it was 24. It’s more now, I’m sure. That makes me happy. Something I did can be a real & tangible blessing to my friends and family. I love taking pictures of my family. I love that my wife will have photos of our children at every stage of their lives. I love that I have documented the wonderful life that God has given me.
1) £££ – This is not #1 because it’s the most important, it’s just that I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about how cool it is to get paid to do something you love. I am the world’s biggest advocate of mommy-togs (Stay-at-home-mom photographers) and teens using this as a part-time business. It’s hard and you have to have realistic goals, but you can bust out £200-300 for about 8 hours of time (with pre-planning, shooting, and editing). That works out to about £30-40 an hour. Be prepared that much of your profit can be eaten up by buying more gear, if you’re a gear hog like me. But knowing what I know now, I could start a business for £1,500 which would include gear (camera, 2 lenses, some flashes, modifiers, etc), software (photoshop/lightroom), and website. Can you get the pro level lenses and the latest photoshop? No, but it would be hard for the untrained eye to see the difference. I wish I had learned photography when I was a teenager. I honestly hadn’t even held an SLR till I was in my mid-20’s. That’s just sad. If you’re a teen and you want to make some nice money and not have to wait tables and if you don’t mind chilling to iTunes while you edit at midnight, then this is the gig for you.
This is a repost and was posted originally here all but the top two photos are my own
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