Is using flash acceptable with wildlife?

Bit pointless unless you're up close and personal.
 
wont you only get one pic then the animal will run:shrug:
 
Bit pointless unless you're up close and personal.
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Well if you're a birdspotter yes, but even popup flash can act as fill light for the subject within a fair distance, so deer for example (of the more tame variety at least!).

Animals don't seem to notice flash:thinking: I've only ever seen cats look baffled by flash, and if they didn't like it they would bugger off so it can't be that bad :shrug:
 
Now i wonder if we will get a straight answer for this, does anyone know what the people that hand out lisenses (for the cat 3 wildlife i think it is) views on this (y)
 
I have not found flash a problem when shooting garden birds at home, whereas the shutter sound does distract them....
 
It depends on the circumstances and the species. Birds generally rarely seem to be bothered by it I've found. I'm not a lover of flash though, preferring natural light.

One view point.
 
Said my piece, nothing else to add, as of yet, awaiting the expert opinions of others.
 
I think the only way to solve this argument (that i seemed to have started :() is to find out the law side of it imho (y)
 
LOL OK where was this started please? :D
 
Neil, law side is irrelevant, would you like a flash gun within 2 or 3 metres of your eyes and being fired?

Moral question..........from the guy who loves fox and mink..............:D
 
fracster said:
Neil, law side is irrelevant, would you like a flash gun within 2 or 3 metres of your eyes and being fired?

Moral question..........from the guy who loves fox and mink..............:D
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I under stand where your coming from mate but without all the facts i would'nt like to judge (never like to argue just like a good discusion) on the other hand i would think it would effect it in some way but i don't know enough about these things to say yes or no hense the ? (y)
 
I personally dont use flash at all on wildlife, but the pros do, whether its a Polar Bear or a Cricket if they need flash to get the picture they will use it. There is no law about using flash on wildlife, only distrubing them at or near the nest during the breeding season. If using flash makes the wildlife go away it kind of spoils your chances of getting another shot, i have a dvd showing a pro taking pics of Robins in his back garden using fill flash at -2/3, the robin flies off but returns within seconds, and its difficult to sday if thats because of the flash or the shutter sound !
 
I understand that, but I have waited over a year to get the KF`s on the river in good light, still waiting. I`d rather wait than use flash to get them.

And I do know where both nest sites are, I leave them be.
 
IanC_UK said:
I personally dont use flash at all on wildlife, but the pros do, whether its a Polar Bear or a Cricket if they need flash to get the picture they will use it. There is no law about using flash on wildlife, only distrubing them at or near the nest during the breeding season. If using flash makes the wildlife go away it kind of spoils your chances of getting another shot, i have a dvd showing a pro taking pics of Robins in his back garden using fill flash at -2/3, the robin flies off but returns within seconds, and its difficult to sday if thats because of the flash or the shutter sound !
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Ian do you know if when aplying for a lisence if you have to prove anything to the board and does anyone know the boards view on this (long shot i know but it might just solve this) (y)
 
I already posted that link Trev, but you'll find loads of similar ones all with much the same point of view.

There's nothing wrong with flash per say, it's a matter of time, place, species and common sense.;)
 
On sunny days when you're using flash for fill it doesn't seem to bother birds one bit and probably looks no different to them than flashes of sunlight through trees as they move around. As Ian said, the shutter sound seems to bother them a lot more.
 
CT said:
On sunny days when you're using flash for fill it doesn't seem to bother birds one bit and probably looks no different to them than flashes of sunlight through trees as they move around. As Ian said, the shutter sound seems to bother them a lot more.
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The 5D MKII may have a use for its video after all ;)
 
fracster said:
Neil, law side is irrelevant, would you like a flash gun within 2 or 3 metres of your eyes and being fired?

Moral question..........from the guy who loves fox and mink..............:D
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I don't know what the law is but I do know I would not like a flash gun within 2 or 3 metres of your eyes and being fired because that would bother/harm me.

Then again I don't want to spend a my day diving in and out of cold water for my dinner because that would bother/harm me

I don't think it's a moral question, the question is does it or does it not bother/harm the birds.
 
Well if it bothered the birds they would fly away wouldn't they?
Or at least stop coming back to the same spot where they were getting 'flashed'
 
Marcel said:
Well if it bothered the birds they would fly away wouldn't they?
Or at least stop coming back to the same spot where they were getting 'flashed'
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I agree with that but do we know if that happens or not ?
 
macky799 said:
I agree with that but do we know if that happens or not ?
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It was this bit I was referring to :)

At one time there was FIVE flash guns to expose the shots. The bird was not bothered at all and would dive on numerous occasions from the same perch. In fact the biggest problem was stopping the bird from perching and diving from the flash guns themselves, thats how bothered the bird was.
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That says it all for me.
 
We know the answer - I've used flash repeatedly on birds and they haven't even bothered to fly off. After the first couple of flashes they seem totally unconcerned. I don't do it though because I prefer the natural look of available light.

Another storm in a teacup. You can answer these questions to your own satisfaction just by trying it. ;)
 
Ok guys, take it away from birds, you saw the otter holt i posted? Would it be right for me to risk using flash on them, if they did not like it and did not return?
 
Truthfully mate, as long as it's broad daylight i'd have no qualms in trying it. Low light, or in the dark, then I'd forget it.
 
CT said:
Truthfully mate, as long as it's broad daylight i'd have no qualms in trying it. Low light, or in the dark, then I'd forget it.
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I've got a book by Andy Rouse...who does use flash at night, well, at least he did on a big cat anyway...yet another card on the table :eek:
 
CT said:
Truthfully mate, as long as it's broad daylight i'd have no qualms in trying it. Low light, or in the dark, then I'd forget it.
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I wish I would see them in broad daylight, but the buggers won`t play ball.........:LOL:
 
purpleclouds said:
I've got a book by Andy Rouse...who does use flash at night, well, at least he did on a big cat anyway...yet another card on the table :eek:
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There are many cards to put on the table mate, as stated in the other thread, it is only MY opinion that flash should not be used for protected species, no more than that, just my opinion.........:)
 
Well there's infra red flash for in the dark which is invisible to them, but of course, we're back to talking getting the wallet out. :LOL:
 
CT said:
Well there's infra red flash for in the dark which is invisible to them, but of course, we're back to talking getting the wallet out. :LOL:
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Hell no, the siggy emptied mine.............:)
 
fracster said:
There are many cards to put on the table mate, as stated in the other thread, it is only MY opinion that flash should not be used for protected species, no more than that, just my opinion.........:)
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I know, I'm just opening up another area of discussion...wasn't aimed at you! :)
 
CT said:
We know the answer - I've used flash repeatedly on birds and they haven't even bothered to fly off. After the first couple of flashes they seem totally unconcerned. I don't do it though because I prefer the natural look of available light.

Another storm in a teacup. You can answer these questions to your own satisfaction just by trying it. ;)
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I was really just asking the question for my own info because i would'nt want to try the flash if it was going to affect the subject that i was taking (looks like ive still a lot to learn)
 
purpleclouds said:
I know, I'm just opening up another area of discussion...wasn't aimed at you! :)
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I know that, I hope my response did not read that I thought otherwise......:)
 
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