Is it even possible?

K

keljbj

Messages
156
Name
Kelly
Edit My Images
No
I love animals and wildlife, and often walk along the banks of the local canal with my family (trying to give the children a love of nature from an early age. They are so noisy though lol) and, when i get chance, on my own.

My kit only stretches to a 70-300mm lens, and finances dictate that i can't realistically afford to upgrade (four children take precedence unfortunately ;)).

So is it even possible to take good wildlife shots with such a lens? I know it takes a bit more effort than just walking along and expecting to see critters lol. But would i be wasting my time putting that effort in?
 
Hi Kelly and welcome. to answer your question it really depends on what exactly it is you want to photograph. Nothing special but all of the below were shot at 280mm. Obviously I did not have any kids in tow :D The thing with wildlife is you either park yourself up an sit tight to see what comes along, or you just go on walkabouts and see what happens.



IMG_6773.jpg



IMG_0285_filtered.jpg


3.jpg
 
As you have probably guessed wild life and kids do not mix lol.

Like the pics above show it is possible.

I find just sitting quiet for a bit and maybe a bit of seed thrown around might just attract some wild life closer
 
I have a D7000 and a 70-300 and its a realy good combo for walkabouts due to its reasonable weight.

one thing for sure is kids and nature photos is a tough one, quiet and slow is the way to and blend in so greens and brown clothes as well.

you have to sneaky
 
If you have a garden you could set up a feeder or two and get some shots there. It will take a while for birds to get used to new feeders but it is possible to get a good range of birds on feeders.

Alternatively a local park with a lake could be useful too. Ducks, geese, swans and gulls on lakes are often used to people so won't be scared away.

Dave
 
I've been spending some time photographing deer recently and that was with a D7000 and a cheap sigma 70-300. This easily long enough if you take your time on the approach.

If you have a look at this link on my web site all the images used the 70-300. A few have been cropped a bit but none drastically and mainly becuase I am incapable of taking a level image. http://www.cpearson.me.uk/tag/manor-farm/

While I am not happy with the quality, and will be upgrading to a longer better lens, that's more because it's a cheap lens rather than the 70-300 being the wrong lens.

I do however leave the kids at home!
 
Thank you all for your replies :) Some fantastic shots here, which gives me hope that with a little patience (and the children at home/school lol) i can get at least some decent photos :)

I have spotted a pair of kingfishers twice now in the same place, so my intention is to set up and wait patiently when the children are at school/nursery and see what i can get. Sadly this has had to take a back seat for now as my 3 year old has broken her leg so won't be able to go back to nursery for a few weeks after the holidays :( Hopefully they will still be around when i get the opportunity to go back (and the weather will be a bit warmer lol).
 
If you go to well estabished reserves and other busy sites then having the kids with you shouldn't be too much of an issue. I do most of my birding/photography with at least one of my kids in tow. Sure some species will be scared off by the general noise that goes with kids but plenty will not be bothered by it, I have had birds come closer to investigate the strange noises! Busy reserves are expecially good as the hides are often close to the action and the wildlife is used to noise. (Be warned there will always be some muppet who will frown on you for having kids with you, but ignore them it is great that you take your kids out and show them wildlife).

Here is a shot I got last month, this otter was on the far side of the river when my 17 month old son decided to let rip (other photographers were there so I was a bit embarassed as he started screaming). The otter looked over at us, then swam across the river and climbed out onto the bank by us. It then start stretching up to try and look into the pushchair to see what the noise was! The shot below is the result of this, I wouldn't have got it without my son (the chap next to me was also very pleased). Shot at 500mm, but a 300mm woudl still have got great results.

8625801852_e3f2e38c30_b.jpg
 
Muppet over here :wave:
Early mornings or late afternoons for me, as soon as the dog walkers and kids turn up the wildlife does the same as me and goes somewhere else :LOL:
I tried really hard to get the kids into it but they annoyed so many people i thought it was unfair to ruin other peoples enjoyment of the countryside, maybe i should be a bit more selfish.
 
Thanks for that :) Wow, that otter is fantastic! I was reading an article in the RSPB magazine last year about all the reasons why you should take your children birding with you. The most important point he made was that they are the next generation, and teaching them to admire and respect nature from an early age can only be a good thing. Yeah some people don't like it, and tbf i can completely understand why, but nature is there for everyone :)

Having said that, i'm kind of looking forward to September, when they will all be at school full time and i'll get more time to go out by myself :LOL:
 
I have come across some parents with children on reserves that are really interested in nature and that is a good thing, just a shame mine are a PITA :bang:
 
If you go to busy parks etc you'll find the wildlife wont be bothered by people, it's what they are used to.

I've shot birds and even a weasel with a 70-200 so it is possible.

The weasel came out and scurried along the bottom of a wall stopping to look at me every few feet, stood and looked at me before disappearing into the undergrowth.
 
Absoloutly, over half my images are sub 300 mm, my longest lens is 400 mm, i would love a 500 mm, but would soon cravea 600 mm, and i would be bankrupt. Its good to start out with your 300mm it will teach you to get your images with field skills, and one day you may get a larger lens.

Also when the birds go quite in the summer, plenty wildlife subjects will be well in range of your current kit, Butterflys, Wild Flowers, Insects, Funghi.

regards brian.
 
Thank you :) I've set myself a little project for the summer already, to photograph as many types of butterfly as i can. I was frustrated last year by the lack of range of my kit telephoto, so i'm looking forward to having a better go at it this year :)
 
It might take a bit of patience but it's very possible.

I just wanted to chime in to be very careful if you go back to photograph the kingfishers you mentioned. Kingfishers tend to be sensitive and are specially protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act because of this. Seeing a pair regularly in one spot suggests they're nesting nearby and so hanging around or getting too close could be disturbing for them and illegal.

Apologies if this comes across as lecturing. I'm sure you'd never do so intentionally but I know how easy it is to get carried away when photographing such a beautiful bird so I just wanted to make sure you knew to be extra careful.
 
Don't worry ;) Where i see them is from a public footpath alongside a canal. I make no effort to go the other side of the canal, near the steep bank and reed beds where they are likely to nest, and i sit a way down stream from where they seem to go in and out (presumably the nest site). They are pretty used to people to an extent i think, as dog walkers and ramblers use the path quite a bit. I do everything i can to keep from disturbing them :), and it seems to be working as every week they accept me a little bit more (i say they, it would seem the female is on the nest now as mainly see just the male lately).

Can't speak for the dick i saw down there last week though, set up with camera near my usual spot and then i spotted him later down in the reed bed on the other side :bang: Come to think of it, i've not seen the kingfisher since :(
 
you could try birdfeeder, and camera close to it, and a remote, perhaps
 
Re : muppets.......

Not everyone will appreciate having other people's noisy children around. Speaking as a non-parent one does tend have a different perception of children and their behaviour, especially in sensitive locations like on nature reserves and in hides. For a photographer concentration can be king and well......need I say more.....?

But good luck with your butterfly project!

And that story about the otter and the pushchair is incredible!
 
9247626321_9626b5334b_c.jpg


Taken with a Sigma 70-300 mm lens from a bird hide , patience and being in the right place at the right time pays dividends. Good luck with your efforts :)
 
its not just kids though is it ,i find bird watchers as opposed to bird photographers to be the worst mannered and noisy objectionable groups around .because they carry scopes and bin'os they think that everything has to be viewed at extreme distance ,without realising that by keeping quiet and not jumping around they could see it with the naked eye close up .had far to many shots ruined by these selfish idjits as i,m sure many others have .and the latest menace is groups of cyclists who seem to think that shouting at each other as they pedal is pleasing to us mere mortals on two legs .
COME BACK VICTOR MELDREW ,ALL IS FORGIVEN :woot::woot::woot:
 
You forgot the rambler groups that you can hear chattering from miles away :bang:
They always ask what you are taking pictures and I invairably reply that there is nohting
for miles around now cos they have scared it all of with their noise :(
Trouble is they have their maps and are walking in fairly isoltaed places where wildlife is easily
spooked
 
Not often a dowdy female blackbird makes a great photo but that one of Rich's is a cracker! Really sharp and crisp and with the red leaves surrouunding it. :clap:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top