Taking Pictures of Bats

[Frogskit]

Hi,
Anyone tried to take photos of flying Bats in the UK.

 

[Will H]

I haven't personally but you might find this interesting, even if it's not particularly helpful

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...sty-bats-swooping-lick-water-garden-pond.html

Please accept my apologies for making you visit the Daily Mail website

 

[Frogskit]

Yeh, I have seen that before, Dont think i will be going down that route.

 

[Canon Bob]

I've been trying here in France which I don't suppose is too much different to the UK....save for the odd Galic shrug.

It's a frustrating business just keeping them in the frame, let alone in focus. I've settled on 135mm on a 1.3x crop body, shooting at 1/1000 f/4 Iso 3200 using a 550EX flash (hotshoe mounted) and coupled with a Better-Beamer flash extender.

This is about par for the course so far.

Bob

 

[hollis_f]

Hi,
Anyone tried to take photos of flying Bats in the UK.

Only once. Didn't have a flash to hand when this appeared. Didn't htink I'd get anything at all.

 

[RJL2005]

Hi William, it is worth noting that to photograph bats at or near their roost or hibernation quarters requires a license:

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/wildlife/licences/appexamples.aspx#10

 

[gjt880]

I've got several bat that fly past the rear door so I gave it a try to get a photo.
Not easy, they are very quick and change direction even faster.
I used manual focus and focused on the side of the house at a suitable distance (they can come within feet of me as they fly past). Had flash set to manual (SB600) and changed setting on both camera and flash to get better results. Tried to follow them in the view finder but due to lack of light proved to difficult. Instead I just aimed camera in direction and timed it to take a shot as they flew past. Not a lot of keepers but might improve with more practice. Going to try again to see if I can get a better shot than this.

 

[hollis_f]

Not a lot of keepers but might improve with more practice. Going to try again to see if I can get a better shot than this.

Now that's really quite cool. Once the weather's OK again I might have to try setting up two flashes near the pond and give that technique a try. I see you shot that at 70mm. Is it a heavy(ish) crop or do they really fly that close?

 

[gjt880]

Frank they do get to within 4 to 5 feet as they fly past (most of the time)with the emphasis on FLY. They are really quick. Sods law states get a camera out and prepare to take a shot at that range they don't come close. Found it easier to get a shot with a shorter focal length but with more practice should be able to improve and increase the focal length. This is a heavy crop but it was almost pitch black at the time so was hard to pick them up as they flew past. Will give it another go at the weekend at sunset as this will give me a better chance to pick them up early enough before they blend into the darkness. They are amazing to watch with their acrobatics taking insects out of the air.

 

[lawrie29]

I was down in cornwall last week and has a bat buzzing around my head as I finished a buzzard hunting (to tog) walk at dusk. Managed some video of it, but was so fast a still wouldn't have worked. came within about 2 feet of my head.

 

[Tugster]

I have tried to take pics of bats and failed miserably...All your efforts are fantastic compared to my attempts...I'll give your way a try next year when they start flying around the trees in my garden.