18 http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
Technique LOW LIGHT WINTER WILDLIFE
Thesetwoimagesof black-tailedgodwitsin ightshowhowdramaticthedifferencebetweena fast and slow shutter speed can be.
The rstwastakenwitha speedof 1/250sec,whichhascreateda fairlysharpanddistinctimage of the birds. The second shot was
taken at a much slower 1/10sec to create an abstract image that reveals the motion and energy of the ock.
golden light and a sprinkling of frost!
All too often, the light is dull and fl at.
Don’t despair, however, as dull overcast
conditions offer a great opportunity to
experiment with motion blur. Several
factors are involved when it comes to
successfully capturing the motion of a
moving subject. Using a suitable shutter
speed is paramount. There is no such thing
as the correct shutter speed, as this will
depend on the speed and distance of your
subject – and the degree of blur that you
would like to reveal.
Switching to shutter-priority mode will
allow you to experiment with a variety of
shutter speeds and fi nd which gives the
optimum results. Between 1/15sec and
1/60sec is a good place to start, but
experimenting is key, so take plenty of
images until you achieve the desired effect.
Set your camera to its fastest frame rate and
fi re a burst of images, as each shot will vary
dramatically. Don’t be afraid to let your
creativity run wild. Shutter speeds of over
one second and some intentional camera
movement during the exposure can
produce wonderfully abstract images, or
even an impression of your subject. Large
fl ocks of birds can work particularly well
with very slow shutter speeds, the motion
of the birds and their wing beats appearing
like brush strokes on canvas.
Recommended locations
When it comes to choosing locations and
planning your shoots, working locally is
a great way of optimising opportunities.
Getting to know your location intimately
will help you to make the best of any
given opportunities. Return to the same
site multiple times and you will soon
learn where your potential subjects are
likely to be found, and how the light
changes throughout the day. Study
the backgrounds closely, as well as the
direction of light, and you should soon
begin to visualise the type of images that
may be possible. Then, it’s simply a case
of waiting for the best weather conditions
to ensure you capture the best results.
Local parks with open lakes can be
productive and the resident wildlife is
likely to be accustomed to people. Often,
following a cold but clear night, a misty
dawn will follow, offering spectacular
opportunities for moody and evocative
images. On such a morning, park lakes
will often be covered in a veil of mist,
adding atmosphere to images of birds
on the water. Wetland reserves are great
places to explore in winter. Not only
are they accessible, with most having
purpose-built hides, but many are
also home to winter migrants such
as whooper and Bewick’s swans, and
pink-footed geese.
One location which should never be
overlooked, especially in winter, is your
own back garden. Setting up a feeding
station with a selection of natural
perches is a great way of attracting and
photographing garden birds. In spells
of harsh, winter weather you should see
plenty of activity at the feeders, making
it possible to capture interaction
between your subjects.Experiment with shutterspeeds
BEFORE AFTER