Practise on Pigeons

I’m keeping close to home at the moment. A short wander from the house is the historic town Quay with its GWR bridges and the feral pigeons. They are wonderful photography practise.

Whenever people ask me about starting wildlife photography I always say “Start with Robins”. It’s best to really study wildlife, to understand its behaviour, to see where birds nest, where their territories are and how they react to one another. The actual photography is just the tiny end result of that process.

The same is true of pigeons. At the Quay I’ve got the chance to spot one flying, get it in the viewfinder as quickly as possible and capture some poses. This is my favourite. It’s as sharp as sharp can be, beautifully lit and in a classic extended wing pose.

Now I’ve had all this practise on pigeons, I’m ready for that Hen Harrier any time it makes an appearance. Not at the Quay, though.