Photography's my hobby, my passion is....

[Carlj]

Thought it'd be interesting to see what makes us tick, especially if it can be connected to photography!

Me, it's wildlife.

Must be, how else can you explain taking my partner to a reserve about 45 minutes away, only to be greeted by near gale force winds and hail that felt like shotgun pellets, and still move forward? Ironically the weather had plusses too. Most of the waders had no taste for tackling that wind, so stayed on the water close to the old hide. Teal and Redshanks went about their activities rather closer than normally expected and Canada geese honked at the base of the hide. Outside, a harrier seemed reluctant to lift off above 20 feet, and soon found a reedbed to hide in.

So with the wind still in play 24 hours later but skies a little bluer, what do we do? Well head off to Trentham Gardens, along the A34, where the herd of black fallow deer grazed in a field we passed on the bus on Friday. Too far for an intimimate shot as they aren't acclimatised to humans, but stunning to watch. The two stags stared at us, with about 15 does glancing our way occasionally. They checked us out to ensure we were no threat, and for the half hour or so we were there, we were spellbound by their grace and power as one would trot a few steps forward to impose himself.

In recent weeks, we've been around Conwy reserve in zero degrees, drizzly rain making iso 800 a necessity. A stonechat posed briefly, but the low light meant the shot wasn't anything other than a record shot. Two hours later, we were at Llanfairfechan, the birders in the group spotting phalaropes at sea. Me, I tracked a curlew on a footy field. I named him Gary Neville, as he was in the right back position! A mile walk later we were among Little Egrets, and I managed a couple of reasonable shots. My dipper shots were too distant, but seeing the little blighter was reward enough.

But my favourite time of the year is the Summer months, provided we've a bit of dry and heat. Thoughts turn to Anisoptera and Zygotpera - dragonflies and damselflies to most of us! Every opportunity to be out near any body of water will be taken, as I build up a mental database of locations and species. Some are elusive, like the Emperors, others, like the Banded Demoiselle, can suddenly shoot into the sky in their hundreds.

I've a few good shots. I hope to increase their number with each passing season.

But my passion remains strong!

Now, how about you?

[alan1572]

i too love to snap at anything, and also wildlife is what makes me tick.
I live within about 20 mins of the Martin Mere wetlands and visit a few times a year, knowesley safari park is about 25 mins away but i have never been, i think i'm afraid of getting my car trashed.
We even have a local business man who owns a large factory in Skem near by, and he has Deer in his very large garden which borders a main road, i will post some picture's of them.

[Tripod]

Bigma being my favorite lens dictates that I love to photograph wildlife. Birds mainly.

Forest of Dean is just under an hour away from us and near Speech House there are some lakes. On the road which runs down the east side there are feeding stations set up by one of the forest wardens.

See you there sometime