How low can you go?
I’d like you to have a look at two of my photographs, taken a minute or two apart. They are of a Ringed Plover on Westray from July. Here’s the first:
Wonderful birds, aren’t they? Here are my adventures with this couple:
Here’s the second photograph:
What’s the difference? Apart from one facing left and the other facing right?
There are two differences. For the second one I’m lying down to take it. That makes the visible background further away and more blurred. In the second one I also opened up the opening, the aperture, in the lens to the largest circle possible, which means light gets blurred to the biggest circle possible on the camera’s sensor.
It’s two simple changes which turn a ‘record shot’ into what I like to call art. It also turns a dry sweatshirt into one with very, very soggy elbows. I think it was worth it.
More Ringed Plovers
Ringed Plover chick There's a Ringed Plover chick on the rocky beach. Charming, aren't they? I've been here before to photograph them. Last… read more
A scuttling Sandy Laverock The Orkney name for Ringed Plover is Sandy Laverock. It's a beautiful name for a beautiful bird. They appear to… read more
Ground-nesting Sandy Laverock There's a Ringed Plover nest here, next to the footpath, near the coast: I can tell that because, as I… read more
Sandy Laverock This juvenile Ringed Plover is a wonderful bird. In Orkney the Ringed Plover is called Sandy Laverock. The UK conservation… read more
Ringed Plover Ringed Plover are meant to breed on the coast. Human destruction of the environment means they now breed in gravel… read more
Don’t try that old broken wing trick on me, Sandy Laverock We're walking around the north coast of Papa Westray. It's one of the smaller inhabited islands of the Orkney archipelago.… read more