I have recently begun a new venture, offering bird of prey photography workshops in the beautiful Shropshire countryside near my home in the UK. The first one took place in June and was a great success and another follows in August. It was a pleasure combining my teaching experience and photography knowledge to help the participants make the most of the experience, with skills levels varying from total beginner to experienced nature photographers.

The purpose of this article is to discuss the benefits of attending workshops where the subjects are captive birds.

Wildlife photography is a skill that takes many years to acquire. Not only does it require a huge amount of patience and time but also field crafts. You need to know your camera inside out so when fleeting moments present themselves you can respond intuitively. However,  actually being in the right place at the right time is the real challenge and to do that you need to understand your subject.

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Well run workshops will focus on photography technique and also the bird themselves. Their natural habitat will be considered alongside their behaviour. A huge amount of useful information can be acquired which can allow participants to seek out wild subjects.

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Learning how your camera and lenses can be used effectively to “nail” a good shot is fundamental. Being able to spend a day experimenting with different lenses, depths of fields and speeds has been for me in the past a huge confidence booster for the times I have been out in the field with “real” subjects.

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Flight shots are a real challenge, especially in the poor light we often get in the UK. Knowing how to wind up your ISO to the limit that is acceptable for your camera is something that all nature photographers must know.

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Panning to maintain a bird in frame is yet another skill that needs repetition.

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Learning how the background changes the impact of an image and knowing which f/stop keeps the full bird in focus can be practiced as a hundred images can be taken of one bird as you swap camera settings and lenses.

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The skills learnt can be applied endlessly in the future. Participants may go away and more confidently seek wild subjects, be more able to shoot subjects in their back yards or maybe be better prepared for the safari they always wanted to go on. Before I went skiing I went on the dry ski slopes so when I hit the real stuff I stood a chance of enjoying the experience more – this is how I view these workshop, a chance to hit the ground running when the opportunities arise without falling on your butt and cursing lack of preparation.

In addition it is always good to meet other photographers and see how different people approach a subject. In my workshop we share images after the event and that is a big learning experience and people can stay in touch so new friends are made.

For more information about my workshops email me at Barnabys@btinternet.com or visit my website here.

(Editor’s note:  Dimitri is the Administrator of Inspiring Photography, a new forum devoted to high-quality images submitted by photographers from throughout the world.  Dimitri’s is recognized by many as among the best photographers in the world today.)

Bamburgh castle, the well known castle on the Northumberland coast.

How to get there?

By car:

Northumberland has fantastic access from Scotland and the south via the A1 London to Edinburgh highway running the length of the county. The A69 and A66 connect to the M6 whilst the A19 provides an alternative route from the south, linking the Port of Tyne to Northumberland.

By air:

Edinburgh and Newcastle airports can be reached in around 1 to 1-1/2  hour from most destinations in Northumberland and they are easily accessible.

By rail:

Northumberland is about 3 ½ hours from London Kings Cross. Services to and within Northumberland are operated by National Express East Coast, Cross Country Trains and Northern Rail.

About Northumberland

Northumberland is one of the four areas (with Tyne and Wear, County Durham and the Tees Valley) that now fit into the ancient region of Northumbria. Northumberland is a county of contrasts, magical castles, magnificent beaches with sugar sand or pebbles, winding fishing rivers, National Parks, vast moors and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Northumberland is a haven for wildlife including red squirrels, otters, badgers, deer, feral goats, rare bird life, the magnificent seal and all sort of bird colonies on the Farne islands.

Take a drive over the causeway to Lindisfarne (holy island) and visit the Priory and imagine life in St Cuthbert’s day, or walk where the Roman Legions walked on Hadrian’s Wall. Relax and enjoy local fish dishes whilst watching the waves ebb and flow.

Weather conditions

The weather in Northumberland may be characterised as dry, cool and sunny. Weather extremes which are sometimes experienced by other parts of the UK (such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, heat waves or extreme cold) are all exceptionally rare, however it can be windy especially along the coast !

Why I went there?

Loads and loads of opportunities for any kind of photography and that’s not all. Have a look on the picture above, sunrise at its best and not only for summer months but also for winter (see picture below).

And there is always another photographer somewhere there near you.

And lets not forget the beauty of the holy island with its majestic Lindisfarne castle.

What time of year is best to go?

As long as the weather stays dry, any time of year will do, depending on what you are after. For instance, if you are after bird colonies, the best time to go is between April and the end of June. Here are some pictures from the Farne islands that can be accessed by boat from Seahouses, a place just 10 minutes south of Bamburgh castle.

Where to stay?

There are numerous B&B and hotels all over the place.

Here is a link that will help you find the accommodation that suits your needs.
http://www.visitnorthumberland.com/site/where-to-stay

Also, here is a useful link for the Farne islands.
http://www.farne-islands.com/

Equipment you will need.

And first of all a sturdy tripod, if you are heading for a sunrise as the light is low at this time of day. Then all your filters, wide angle lens but also long tele and zoom lens as there is a lot of wildlife on the Farne islands.

What time of day is best?

Early in the morning but also before sunset as the tall grass is bathed by the last rays of the sun, giving the place a different look.

Would I go again?

Yes, already planning for my next trip to the Farne islands next May but also for a visit to Dunstanburgh castle. I`ve seen pictures of the area and its amongst my near future visits.

*****

The PTR Team wishes to thank Dimitri for this wonderful glimpse at one of the most beautiful places in England.  We hope our visitors will also take the time to visit Dimitri’s fantastic photography website: Inspiring Photography.

By Claire

This review will focus on my home patch; all are locations that I can drive to within about 30 minutes. They are places I probably don’t really “see” the full beauty of anymore due to familiarity but I was inspired to write this after talking with someone who had never visited the area before and who was captivated with it. Maybe it will inspire others to visit this little known region.

I live in a small rural town in South Shropshire called Cleobury Mortimer. It is a pleasant place to live but as someone who loves to photograph near water, whether that is sea or lakes, I usually escape as soon as the holidays come along. However, weekends usually find me out walking with my dog and the camera comes too.

The main areas I frequent include the rivers Severn and Teme  and we are blessed with some pretty hills known collectively as The Shropshire Hills that are designated an area of outstanding natural beauty, we have common land where one is free to roam and the Wyre Forest that is one of the largest remaining ancient woodlands in Britain. Ludlow is a well visited town, famous for its castle and good food.

Let’s start with my hometown. Cleobury Mortimer is worth a quick visit, in particular the 12th-century St. Mary’s church in the town centre, renowned for its crooked spire.

Autumn is probably my favourite season and at weekends I often rise early and try and gauge if there will be mists in the valleys. If there are a few stars and little wind I’ll jump in the car and head for some high ground with a view over the Teme valley.

The Clee Hills are a range of hills consisting of Brown Clee Hill (540m), the highest peak in Shropshire, and Titterstone Clee Hill (533m). Views from the west of the hills spread as far as Snowdonia and Cadair Idris, the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains. To the south one can see the Malvern Hills and the Cotswolds, and to the east are the Clent Hills, and the spread of the West Midlands. To the north is Cannock Chase, and on a very clear day the hills of the Peak District including The Roaches.

There is a long-standing rumour that they are the highest land eastwards until the Ural Mountains in Russia. Hence the name of the pub in Clee Hill village – The Kremlin Inn.

Some people believe that ‘The Shire’ in Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ was based on this area, which he was known to visit frequently and we do indeed have a Baggins wood.

At the top of Titterstone Clee Hill there is a radar station, it is a familiar landmark and whilst not the prettiest of features it holds a certain fascination for me.

One of my favourite routes up to Brown Clee is via Nordybank hill fort that lies east of the village called Clee St Margaret. It is made interesting due to the rampart, which is at least 6 ft. above the level of the ground within and the lumps and bumps add interest in a picture.

The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at 220 miles (354 km). My favourite walks along the river start at Arley (where there is a foot bridge) and I often see kingfishers here.

There is a station at Arley for the Severn Valley Steam Railway

The Arley Arboretum is one of the oldest Arboretums in Great Britain and especially worth a visit in autumn for fabulous colour or spring when the magnolia garden is stunning.

Winter evenings, with a promise of a sunset, are a good time to visit The Stiperstones . This is a very distinctive hill with a quartzite ridge formed some 480 Million years ago. During the last Ice Age the summit stood out above the glaciers and was subject to constant freezing and thawing which shattered the quartzite into a mass of scree surrounding several strangely shaped rocky tors. There is a five-mile long summit ridge walk that gives great views over the Shropshire plains and across to Wales. The car park is accessible by an easy path so it is safe to sit and watch the sun set but it does have quite a mysterious feel about it and the area is rich in folklore relating to the rocks called the Devil’s Chair. According to one legend, the ghost of Wild Edric, a Saxon earl rides the hills whenever England is threatened by invasion.

The Wyre Forest is a large, semi-natural woodland and forest, which straddles the borders of Worcestershire and Shropshire.

The foresty commission runs photography days – check here for the next one.

Ludlow has many ancient properties including a ruined castle and one of the largest parish churches in England. The town centre’s streets are lined with medieval and Georgian buildings. Broad Street has been described as the most beautiful street in Britain.

The River Teme runs through Ludlow and this is where I got this shot of a leaping salmon – during the October run wait by one of the many weirs to experience this sight.

Stokesay Castle is considered the finest and best-preserved 13th-century fortified manor house in England and is just a short drive out of Ludlow.

Acton Scott historic working farm has lots of photographic potential (open to the public between April and November).

Going on Safari  and want to hone your skills for the big event? West Midlands Safari Park is worth a visit. I pass this on my way to work and get a glimpse of the elephants each day.

It has been fun revisiting some of these images; maybe it is time to start appreciating my locality a little more and if you do visit please feel free to contact me and I may join you on a shoot or for details of some lovely walks around Cleobury visit here.

The English Lake District has long been associated with tourism. Since the earliest days visitors have strived to convey the images from their minds’ eye to others. Some in words as with the Lakes Poets, some by painting including Turner and Constable, and as the process developed more latterly with photography. George Abraham and his sons were perhaps the earliest photographers of renown in the area (circa 1887). They recorded landscapes and mountaineering images, some of which can be seen in their old premises the now George Fisher store in Keswick.

Tourism is now the primary source of income to the area, but it is not difficult to escape the crowds in pursuit of images to take home with you.

When to go?

Traditionally summer is the season to visit the Lakes, it conjures up for many images of lakeside strolls, picnics, mountain walks, and scenic drives. That may not be how you want to see it as a photographer. By all means you can visit in the summer but if you do you will need to get up EARLY and be out LATE. If visiting in summer take advantage of what the season has to offer, visit the local shows such as Ambleside Sports, the Lowther Horse Trials, take in the attractions such as Muncaster Castle with it’s Owl centre, ride The L’al Ratty and visit the South Lakes Wild Animal Park at Dalton. Time it right and you can even have a day out at the races. Distant views in the summer are often obscured by haze but this helps to reduce flare and glare from the early morning and late evening sun.  Ideally you will want to visit outside the main tourist season, i.e. Easter to October. The visitors are fewer, the roads less congested, parking easier to find and accommodation cheaper. The colours in the landscape are also more appealing to the eye.

Where to stay

As a tourist destination, and outside the main holiday season, you have an almost unlimited choice of places to stay, campsites, caravans, hostels, B&B’s, inns, hotels and self-catering cottages/ houses/apartments. You should be able to find something to suit your budget. Central locations are the most desirable as they make visiting the outlying spots easier, or decide on a location you want to concentrate on and choose something close by. Start by looking here.

How to get there

The Lake District is readily accessible by road, rail and bus routes. Sadly as with many spots these days you need to drive if you want to make the most of your visit. If you want to be as green as possible there are alternatives.
The closest international airport is Manchester, where car hire is available.

What to take

Camera gear will be as always, take the most versatile gear you have. The landscape lends itself to both wide and long lens views. You will need a tripod, filters and something to help protect your camera from the elements.
Clothing needs to be appropriate for the time of year, but bank on needing waterpoof jackets and over-trousers.

Travel insurance and camera insurance.

What to photograph

You will be lost for choice, you will need to tailor your photography for the weather conditions. Some of my favourite spots are shown on this map.

When the light is good

Ideal conditions are still and clear with some cloud to enhance the sky, and then you get the chance of mirror calm reflections in the lakes and tarns the area is famed for. When changeable you have the opportunity to catch incredible light though you will need to be prepared for a drenching. Any time you see snow on the hills you need to make the most of it, as it is a rarity these days. If it is a still night after a day of rain expect early morning mist.

When the light is bad

When it’s overcast and raining think laterally and beyond the waterfalls, look for details in the land, try some shots of the towns and villages with reflections of water in the pavements and head to the lesser know coastal spots. Locate some of the smaller churches; try out the likes of Holehird Gardens, Levens Hall and Dalemain House.

Use the chance to sample one of the many tearooms, find a cosy pub and give your lenses and filters a good clean.

Personal Highlights

The Christmas of 2005,  with barely a soul around and not a breath of wind.

Personal Lowlights

Walking up a hill for sunrise, and it does not happen.
Getting up at 3am in the summer to catch first light
Battling the road with tourists on public holidays.

Will I go again?

I have no choice this is my home.

Recommended Reading

Memoirs of A Fellwanderer by Alfred and Betty Wainwright
On Lower Lakeland Fells by Bill Allen

Lakeland High Tarns by John Drew
The Soldier’s Return by Melvyn Bragg (fiction)

OS Explorer Active Maps

By Neil Burton
Click Here to Visit His Website

Getting up close and personal with nature does not always mean travelling to far flung places such as the Galapagos Islands. In fact my most recent trip, to the easily accessible Farne Islands, is proof that natural spectacles can be seen closer to home.

The Farne Islands lie a couple of miles from the Northumberland coast. Up to 30,000 pairs of puffins nest here among the grass and rocks every year, sharing the space with various terns, guillemots, razorbills, shags, kittiwakes and seals. It is an impressive sight and one which is best viewed on a full day tour of the islands.

For the three breeding months boats travel to both Staple and Inner Farne islands, allowing a landing of around two hours per island. Unfortunately Staple Island is only accessible on calm days due to the position of the dock, on my recent visit we were unable to land here. This however meant that our charter took us around the island and then gave us three hours to explore Inner Farne.

Three hours. Doesn’t sound much but is, in fact, more than ample time to fill a few memory cards with darting terns, speed of light flying puffins and, slightly easier, puffins on the ground. As you first dock on Inner Farne you are greeted by a cacophony of angry terns, which will attack your head and ears at the beginning of the season, and immediately opportunities for ‘the shot’ present themselves.

After paying the National Trust landing fee of 5.60 you are free to wander, carefully avoiding baby terns on the board walk, and sticking to the marked paths. The island is overflowing with life and in no time you will be surrounded by puffins as they fly in to land with beaks full of sand eels.

If you want to test your in flight bird skills this is the place, but be warned, trying to capture a puffin in flight is addictive and you can soon spend three hours rooted to the spot. During my visit I tried to split my three hours into terns, puffins flying and puffins on the ground (with the occasional break for other close up birds).

I found the best tactic is to stay in one spot and wait for the birds to pass you by. Both the terns and puffins will avoid you as they head out or in, but only just. When trying to capture puffins on the ground I advise a very low position, actually laying down at times, as the puffins will be less inclined to run further off. In fact laying on the board walk with your camera resting on a bag or tripod will often see puffins move in closer, just a matter of waiting.

Equipment

A long lens is a must, a minimum of 300mm but no more than 500mm is necessary if you are willing to wait. At times I spotted puffins running through the tripod legs of other photographers while they stood with their 500mm lenses.

When cruising around the islands a longer lens is useful as the boats do not get too close and, boats are often fully booked, you could find yourself at the wrong side unable to move. I found the 100-400 L more than long enough and versatile in a tight enclosed space.

For in-flight shots a minimum speed of 1200/sec is generally the rule (thanks for the tip Bill) and since light can sometimes be less than kind a faster lens will be advantageous. A camera with strong autofocus is also advisable as my 5D often refused to even try and focus on a flying puffin, even with an f4 lens attached.

But don’t limit yourself to the long lenses, at certain points nesting birds can be approached and taken with a macro or wide angle lens. The all purpose 24-105 was very useful for shots of nesting shags with chicks and wider shots of the island.

Charters

There are a few boat companies based at the harbour in Seahouses, some offer landing others just cruises around the islands. My pick of the companies, based on recommendations and the number of people queueing at the ticket shed, is Billy Shiels (http://www.farne-islands.com). They offer the full day trip when both islands are accessible but will cruise around Staple and then allow three hours on Inner Farne if not.

I advise anyone to book in advance, contact details on the site, as the tickets soon sell out. The price when I visited was ₤25, plus the National Trust landing fee of ₤5.60 on both islands.

Other places of interest

Bamburgh, five minutes drive from Seahouses, offers impressive sunrises over the castle and long beaches with rock pools.

Newton. Tiny village of a few houses and a brewery/pub. The long beach offers great landscape opportunities and the home brew is a fresh change from the standard beers.

Beadnell Bay. Walking from either Beadnell or Newton (from each towards the other) you will, during the breeding season, reach a National Trust tern colony. Yet another opportunity to fill your memory cards with flying, diving and resting tern shots. If you are lucky you may also get kestrels, peregrine falcons or stoats, who prey upon the young birds.

Where to stay

For me Seahouses was the obvious choice as all the Farne boats leave from here. I stayed at the Beach House Hotel which is situated five minutes walk from the harbour and offers a decent breakfast and sea views. Both Bamburgh and Beadnell also offer a full range of accommodation, but remember to include the ₤4 daily parking fee in Seahouses.