BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY | Photographing Tawny Owls using laser triggers
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- čas přidán 14. 01. 2020
- BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY is always challenging but the lure of photographing owls is always something I can't get enough of. The magic of seeing and photographing them in the wild is always a sight to behold and a pleasure seeing them in their natural environment. Photographing Tawny Owls is no exception and even more of a challenge as they are predominantly nocturnal.
In this video I demonstrate how I use continuous lighting and laser triggers to capture images of Tawny Owls after dark. It's a method I use regularly so I hope it helps you improve your photography and gives you some ideas for projects of your own.
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Glad to see you back in full swing lovely images and, as always, a highly informative vlog.
Thank you..
Couldn't help hearing "toe nails" everytime you said tawny owls 😂
Amazing, Beautiful!
Absolutely fantastic Simon. Well worth the effort and purchase resulting in some great shots.
Excellent Simon, very informative and useful. Great images 👍
Excellent video Simon loads of tips and ideas love your work, keep them coming.
Thank you Malcolm - that's very kind..
I always enjoy watching your videos presented in quiet and relaxed manner. Content is always informative and owl images in this videos are simply stunning.
Thank you Jeff, that's really kind of you.. all the best.
That was absolutely brilliant Simon - really informative about a fascinating technique, and excellent photos at the end! Especially loved the tawny owl in flight - breath-taking!
Thank you Tim. Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed it...
Brilliant vlog again Simon. The light and laser set up is certainly a huge benefit. The Images you produce are always exceptional. First class, enjoyable vlog. Thank you.
Hi Nigel, thanks very much for the feedback and really pleased you enjoyed the video. 👍
Great stuff...Thank you Simon
Love your enthusiasm and knowledge of the birds. Excellent captures.
Thank you Kevin 👍
Wonderful stuff, Simon, your vlogs are coming on leaps and bounds and I can definitely see the quality difference plus the slow mo stuff takes things to a very slick professional looking level. Oh and not forgetting of course, the advice and images are all first rate as ever! Great stuff and lovely to watch, keep it up 👍🏻
Thanks a lot Martin. I'm glad you like them and can see the improvement. Appreciate the support..👍
Another great video Simon - some of those owl images are simply stunning.
Thanks a lot Andy..
Brilliant.
Looking those triggers..
Thanks...👍
Great stuff Simon. What a way to photograph owls. Glad to find your Instagram and CZcams.
Hi Andy, thanks for the comment and glad you liked it. Thanks for subscribing and very pleased you found me on social media. All the best..
Hi Simon,thanks for the detailed info..very helpful..another fab vid. Regards,
Ted.
Thank you..
That was nice. Good insight into your setup
Great vlog Simon, keep them coming.will look into laser triggers for my kingfisher Photography.
Thanks Neil..
Love your Owl images great to see the set up you use. We can hear Tawny Owls where we live but have yet to see them. Keep the videos coming
Thanks Steve..
Excellent. Thank You
Thanks 👍
Wow... That's a great set up Simon, really impressive results too.
Great stuff, thanks & best wishes. Nick
Thanks Nick..
Beautiful work and images as usual Simon
Thank you. 👍
👍Excellent Simon 🙂
Cheers Jamie..
Stunning shot.
Thank you 👍
Really like the vides and some awesome photos. Thumbs up and looking for to many more videos in 2020
Thanks Bill..
Another super video Simon Keep up the good work.
Thanks Joe..
Awesome work simon 👍
Thanks very much Dean. Really appreciate the comments and glad you enjoyed it..
Really interesting stuff and beautiful images. Definitely something to aspire to: thanks for sharing 👌
Thank you Rich. That's very kind of you..
That was great!
Thanks Anthony
Super Setup, Perfect Shots. Thank you from Germany
Thank you very much. Glad you like them. All the best..
Wow, Simon this is just too good... !! what a fabulous technique.... I think I’m going to have to splash out on this equipment.... I live out in the countryside with many Tawny and Barn owls around and have never been able to capture a worthwhile image..... this looks like the way forward! 👍😊👍
Thank you Paul. There are other sensors out there such as passive infrared ones and a company called Camtraptions do a very nice wireless version which looks great. What I like about the laser triggers is you can be very precise when you want the camera to fire. Lining them can be a challenge but they work for me. Do check out the Camtraptions website also.
Hi Simon that is a brilliant way to photograph owls and you have some stunning images to prove it all works, I've never seen this done on any other video so it's a complete first. I wish you all the best for 2020 and until next time take care my friend.
Thank you Clive.. all the best
Hi Simon,
I really enjoyed watching your owl video's.
Keep up the good work 👍
Thanks very much Ron..
Excellent as usual. 👍👌
Thank you..👍
Morning simon when are you putting some more of your videos back on line please I've watched all your other ones which are fantastic
Another excellent video, thanks
Thank you Peter..
Cracking video and amazing photos👍
Thank you Harvey 👍
A cracking video Simon! I have recently made myself a camera trap using a PIR sensor, I've had some good early results but I do like the look of your triggers, they allow for a lot more precision. Looks like I may have to creak open the old wallet hinges again. Thanks for sharing. Great images BTW.👍
Thanks a lot John. Glad you like the video. They are more precise. I think both systems have their advantages. Just depends which one fits your needs. Good luck with them if you buy them. 👍
i love you video thank you for posting you have inspired me
Thank you. Very glad you like it. 👍
Enjoyed that mate 👍🏻
Thanks Ian..
Nice one Simon great images
Thank you Nigel..
Good Informative video
fantastic Simon ,greetings from bedfordshire :)
very nice video, I am starting withcamera trapping too and i know how hard is to take these pictures! New sub!!
Hi Ivan, thanks very much for the comment and subscribing to the channel. I've not released one in a while now but have a few in the pipeline. Thanks again
Great video mate!
Thanks Alex.
nice shots great video simmon
Thanks Adrian..
Nice one 👌
Thank you..
Love the videos! I'm glad your channel is growing! One question... I have tonnes of Tawny's in the fields/woods next to my house (I can hear a female calling out my window right now!). I rarely ever actually spot them though. Are the owls in your area unique in that they will land on a pre-lit post or have you used this technique with owls elsewhere? What are the chances of them landing on a post I put out in a field which is illuminated?
Hi Owen, thanks and glad you like the video. It's certainly not an overnight method and have taken weeks for them to start coming in. I'm also feeding smaller birds in the area is there are pheasant feeders which draws on the mice and voles and there are a aweful lot in the field. This hence brings the owls in over time. K do find that both tawny owls and barn owls can't resist a perch. It just takes time. 👍
Please can you list the type of triggers and the sensor that connects to your camera…. Superb indeed, very enjoyable watch .
The equipment is mentioned in the video. It's a cactus laser trigger and cactus reciever.
Hi Simon. I have only been following you for a short while and am very taken with your images. I like your style of photographing and love that you too use camera traps as well to mix things up. I have been using traps for only a few months and am now looking to use them to photograph the Owls where i live in Cornwall. One thing i have struggled with is getting a good focus spot to get everything sharp. Are there any tips you could give me to help find a good focus point, or is it more down the F stop and trial and error. I am especially taken with the Owls in flight, how an earth did you know where to focus the camera? Anyway i look forward to your next video, and all the best for the new year.
Hi Ryan, thanks for you message and glad you like the video and find them useful. In terms of focus and getting your images sharp it is down to f stop and focus length. With long lenses you have a very shallow DOF show try and stop down to something like f8 or smaller for maximum depth of field. You will need to add more lights though. For owls on a post, I focus on the centre of the post and lock it down. That way when an owl lands and you have a half decent dof it should be in focus. I sometimes out an object on top of the post to mimic a focal point. As for owls in flight after dark. This is planned and really only be done if you know what direction the owl approaches. You need to visualise the final image you want to achieve and the plan the laser position to achieve that or wait and watch and trigger the camera manually. It's a lot of trial and error..
@@SimonWantling Thank you very much for getting back to me Simon. Thanks for the great advice, i will certainly put it into practise. That,s why i like Wildlife Photography so much, lots of trial and error, and lots of patience, and when it pays off, i love it even more!
Great work, Simon! Can you tell me about the lighting you use please, plus the stands for the lights and lasers?
I have a pair of the cactus V5 remotes, have you tried flash with this setup, rather than static lighting? Thanks 🙏🏼
Thank you Pete. Yes, flash is definitely possible and you would get better results although the use of flash on owls after dark is something I'm not a huge fan of but I'm not saying you shouldn't. I just prefer to use these continuous lights as it's totally up to the owl whether they land or not and not land on a post in the dark and suddenly flash guns fire which might startle the birds. The stands are just normal light stands but I would recommend using a bank stick you would use for fishing as they are much lighter and easier to take on location. Thanks
Great video once again, my mate has some Cactus triggers so I might have a try soon. Do the owls come to the post just to perch or do you leave them the odd treat??
Thanks. No, I feed the smaller birds with seed and there are pheasant feeders in the area so that pulls in a lot of mice and voles which you can see running around as I walk through the field. The owls are drawn in by those.. 👍
@@SimonWantling I see, I do have a tawny calling close to my garden but have left the odd treat but normally the magpies pinch it the next day. Keep up the great videos, a real fan!!
Another brilliant & informative video Simon, can i ask what lights you are using please? Thanks Andy
Hi Andy, thanks for the comment and glad you liked it. In this video I'm using the Rotolight Neo's which are a colour accurate LED light. You don't need anything this expensive though to do the same. I just had these for a studio project. There are some much cheaper LED lights on Amazon by Yongnuo which would work just as well. 👍
@@SimonWantling Thanks Simon ill look into it!
What camera settings were you using as in speed etc please?great video
Great video Simon. Great images what lights are you using please
Hi David. Thanks. Yes I use the Rotolight Neo's but you don't need to spend that much money as they are really designed for high end video and studio work. You can find some much cheaper LED banks on Amazon or similar places so please consider that option also. Just need to be battery powered of course. I think Yangnuo do some decent lights at a cheaper price.
Great video, hopefully a technique i can try in the future, how do you ensure that the camera does not try to re focus when the tawny owl lands?
Thanks Joel, that's a very good point and I did in fact record that but decided to leave it out as I didnt like the way it came across. Basically, I focus on the centre of the post in terms of depth and then switch the camera over to manual AF to stop if acquiring again. It will as the post is lit but may be slower so you risk missing an image. Hope that helps..
Hi Simon
Love your stuff, I remember seeing your Little Owls in an FB group I’m in but I think you may have left, I have a Canon bridge camera only, would this set up work with that? Is the camera left off and the trigger turns it on for instant shots? In a burst or? Hopefully this is possible with my SX60, if so I will look at getting infra red sensors and the trigger and also the lights, how much are the lights?
Thanks so much
Darren in Hampshire 👍🏻🤩✌🏻♥️📸
Hi Darren,
Thanks for your comments and glad you liked the video. I would need to check but I don't see any reason why it would work with your camera. The lights I used were very expensive and I have them anyway for a studio project I was working on. You don't need to spend lots as any battery powered LED bank will work just fine. Yongnuo do a nice one on Amazon and I own them also. The camera is always on and all the Tigger's is send a signal to the camera to fire once the beam is broken. It's just a fancy remote shutter released that you would use on many cameras
Yes I left Facebook. I didn't get in with it. Got a bit sick and tired of all the advertisement and some pretty nasty comments so left that a couple of years ago. I found the whole experience a bit toxic to be honest. Hope that all helps and thanks again.
@@SimonWantling thanks for replying and for the info, I really appreciate it, looking forward to more Badger work. Keep doing what you do, I am into it all the same as you but on a much smaller scale haha, your work and vids are very inspiring and helpful, you are a legend 📸♥️👍🏻🤜🏻🤛🏻
Cheers Darren..
Great video I must say .....I didn't see the link at the end of your video where to buy them from
Thank you. I left a link to the Cactus company in the description. Didn't like to leave a direct link to where you can buy them. I brought mine from Amazon though. Thanks
Hi Simon, great video, thank you. Can I ask 2 questions please? What are the “continuous” lights you use, and the monopods/poles (presumably with ground spikes) used for mounting the receiver and transmitter, where did you get them please? I’m struggling to find suitable poles with ground spike and camera thread? Thanks in advance. Craig
Hi there and thanks for the comment. Sure, the lights I was using were the Rotolight Neo's but any cheaper battery powered LED bank will do. I also use the Yongnuo ones on Amazon.
The poles I was using were extendable fishing bank sticks and in order to fit them to camera threads you need to buy an adaptor. I brought these.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N132CZ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qkaqFbDWV4TPW
Interesting video! Thanks! A question ... not about the laser trigger but about the Gera showed. What bag do you have? It is not that I do not have a bag. But my bags are more suited for travel buy airplane, or computer trains ... not walking in a forest. So I am interested in a good trekking camera bag. :)
Hi, thanks for your comment. Really appreciate that. Sure, the bag I was using was the Gitzo 45L Adventury bag. I brought it as it can fit the 600mm and a couple of pro bodies but also within requirements for carry on luggage for the airlines. I've used it a lot when travelling to Iceland. Hope that helps.
@@SimonWantling Thanks! That nice to hear. A Manfrotto salesperson have been trying to convince me to buy one of the Gitzo adventure bags every time I meet her at photo fairs here in Sweden ... :) Nice to see one in action.
please my you make a tutorial on photographing fallow deer they are my favourite deer and on my bucket list to photograph
Will certainly give that a go. Not common or easily found in my part of the world but an interesting challenge. Thanks
@@SimonWantling you are welcome, i have been trying to take picture of them fore days and it is not easy even with a big heard it still is hard to find there tracks
Just watched this video really good.....Sorry i was not paying attention but how far apart can the laser beams be set ....
Hi Arthur, thanks for the comment and I'm glad you like it. The laser triggers have a huge range on them so either side of a post is no issue. The range is 10s of meters.
@@SimonWantling thanks for your response so quickly.. fantastic photo. Just getting into watching wild life myself.. really helpful.. one last question, will you try to film deer and if so be using the same format???
Hi, glad you're getting into wildlife photography. I would really only use this technique for photographing animals after dark but you could do if you wanted to. If you don't have a long lens then it certainly can help getting close to the subject. You can use the triggers during the day and the good thing is that you can pin point when and where to trigger the camera. If you're looking to get into camera trapping then I'd also recommend a company called camtraptions. They have a website. 👍
how did you know that the Owl will land there? great video 👍🏻
Hey Andrin, thanks for the comment. These owls regularly land on these posts. I've been watching them for years. There are feeders around for the small birds plus the posts are close to some farm buildings where grain and animal feed is stored so they perch up looking for mice that come to feed in the fallen grain etc. I have found though that both tawny and barn owls love to sit on a post anyway so will generally come and investigate it. Thanks 👍
Very interested in the monopoles used for the laser trigger, are they DIY or purchased.
Hi, no problem, they are actually fishing bank sticks with a thread adapter in the end. Saves lugging around big light stands which is what I used to do.
Thanks Simon.
Isn't there a risk of the laser hitting the eye of the owl when it's flying and damaging it? I want to try using the Nikon Z8 in auto capture mode where it detects subjects and shoots automatically (and silently).
Hi Simon,
May I ask, is the lens on manual focus or auto focus just above the stump? Thanks.
Great images
Hi Darren, thanks for your question. Basically, I use AF to focus on the centre of the post and then I switch over to manual. The reason in doing this is when the subject breaks the laser beam it will tell the camera to try and acquire focus and although it could do so with the lights on the post, it may take a while before fully focused and you could miss the subject. Hope that explains it. If you have any further question then head over to my website and you can email through there. Thanks..
There´s no way that you took the last three pictures using these two steady lights you show in the video. You used flashes (which is fine, tawny owls are not distracted or even harmed by them), but maybe you should disclaim it... Anyway, great pictures!
Hi Stefen , although I appreciate your comment I can guarantee these were captured using continuous lighting. The first image shown was captures as your saw using 2 continuous lights the flight landing was using 6 lights and the other one was using three. The more lights used the faster the shutter speed. Try it..