Have you ever sat quietly in nature waiting for the perfect shot? That’s what I did last weekend on Jeffrey Hill in Lancashire. My patch birding spot is Jeffrey Hill and Longridge fell, and I went up there to see if the Wheatear were back from their migration. I was lucky enough to capture a stunning shot of two male Wheatear perched on a stone wall. In this blog post, I’ll share with you the steps I took to get the shot and what I learned from the process.
Setting up the Shot:
I used a Nikon Z50 with the Sigma 150-600c lens. I set my camera to the following settings: 1/1000s and faster, F6-F9, Focal length 400mm, ISO automatic and between 250 – 2000, continuous AF, Pin point AF, and the highest frames per second possible. Because Jeffrey Hill is high up on a fell, the backgrounds are miles away and make good smooth backgrounds.
Getting into Position:
Stone walls are the best place to find Wheatear, but I don’t like to flush them by constantly walking the length of the wall because it uses up their calories. Instead, I choose to sit and hide in the tall grass and heather with my camera pointing towards the wall.
It’s important to be super careful of ground nesting birds and their nests, so watch your every footing, we need to protect those nests!
I handheld the camera and sometimes balanced it on my knee. I had basic drab clothing on and sitting still allowed the birds to get comfortable with my presence. I find it best to leave bags, tripods, and accessories in the car so they don’t get in the way.
Capturing the Moment:
It took about 3 hours of sitting there waiting, and then they came and perched on the stone wall where I wanted to photograph them. There were no female Wheatear, and just two males who were sticking together. The weather was fine, but with dark clouds, and it looked like it could rain. I focused on the birds using the Pin point AF and captured the moment I was waiting for. They stayed perched for long enough to get a few photographs.
Post-Processing:
There wasn’t much post-processing to do, and it just involved adjusting light levels, sharpness, contrast, and crop composition. I’ve been using DxO PureRAW 3 and really happy the results it’s giving me. I then run it through Lightroom and then one last pass through photoshop (I prefer its sharpening tool and export process).
Final Thoughts:
The overall experience was amazing, and it felt good to just sit there quietly on a Sunday and take in the beginnings of spring. My tip for capturing wildlife photography is to be patient and let the animals come to you. Sit still, hide in the grass, and wait for the perfect shot to present itself. Also, leave your accessories in the car to reduce clutter and allow for more freedom of movement.
Some Fun Facts
As much as wildlife photography can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience, there are also some funny and unexpected moments that come along with it. Here are some humorous facts about my Wheatear photography experience:
- Sitting in the grass waiting for the perfect shot can leave you with a wet bum. But hey, it’s a small price to pay for a great photo!
- You’ll always forget your drink and snacks in the car, and once you’re set up and ready to go, you’ll realise you need them.
- No matter how many times you go to the bathroom before heading out, as soon as you get set up, you’ll suddenly need to go again.
- Dog walkers and mountain bikers seem to exist solely to ruin your shot just as you’re about to capture the perfect moment.
- You’ll aim to be back for lunch, but before you know it, it’s mid-afternoon and you’re still out there waiting for that one elusive shot.
- Tucking your pants into your socks not only looks cool, but it also helps to prevent ticks from venturing up your legs.
- Tucking your shirt into your pants might not be the most fashionable look, but it’s a necessary precaution to avoid getting bitten by bugs.
- Sitting and waiting for hours on end can be such a relaxing experience that you may just fall asleep and miss the perfect shot.
Despite these comical moments, wildlife photography remains one of the most rewarding and satisfying forms of photography, and it’s worth it for the incredible shots that can be captured.
Thank you for reading my blog post on how I got the shot of the Wheatear. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I invite you to share your own wildlife photography experiences and tips in the comments as well.
Till next time,
Scott
scottpollard.uk