The one that got away, and others that didn't

The image below was taken as part of a sequence of shots tracking a pair of feuding, territorial grey herons. The first part of the sequence were in focus (example further below) but the rest really, really weren’t. Which is a shame as it would have been a keeper but such is the way of photography, wildlife photography in particular.

A couple of things were going on here; the first being a complete lack of my ability to keep track of things and keep them in focus (which is why I am practising these techniques) and the limitations of the AFC tracking capability of the X-H1. Does this mean I am in the process of persuading myself that I need a new more capable camera, such as the X-H2 with its better autofocus and 40 megapixel sensor? Not really, as I had made that decision a little while ago, although that purchase will be some way off in the future.

Anyway, the keepers from the last trip to RSPB Ham Wall. Click on the photo to bring up a larger size image.

Goodbye X-T2, hello G9...

The Fujifilm X-H1 is probably one of my all-time favourite cameras (up there with the Nikon FM2n and the Nikon D50) and I absolutely adore this thing. I love the way it handles, the ergonomics and feel of the thing, it’s heft and, most of all, the images it produces. I can’t ever envisage getting rid of this beast.

A little while ago I purchased a Fuji X-T2, mainly because I started off with Fuji using the X-Pro1 and the X-T1 and I love the retro feel of those cameras. I also wanted a sensor and processor that duplicated the images that came out of the X-H1. And finally I wanted a camera that I could scoot about with, as a sort of everyday carry.

Only that didn’t happen. I hardly used the thing and it just sat on my shelf looking on forlornly as I picked up the X-H1 and took it on all the adventures instead (not that there were many of those last year).

The other factor was the purchase of the Sigma 100mm-400mm Contemporary to enable the recent goal to ‘get gud’ at wildlife photography in 2024. That, with a battery grip, L-bracket and the X-H1 itself have proven to form a formidable and usable package, at least for me at my current level of skill and experience. However it isn’t light, weighing in at a respectable 2.8kg. Over the course of a day that can become quite tiresome, especially if you factor in lengthy walks, a rucksack full of stuff, including other photographic gear, not to mention friends along for the walk having to put up with you struggling with it all. It is a lot.

One of the cameras that I had been eyeing up over the last year or so, and this was accentuated by my recent focus on wildlife photography, was the Panasonic Lumix G9. I briefly owned the Panasonic G80, which I didn’t really get on with and which got swapped out for the aforementioned X-T2. So I traded in the latter, plus some other unused hardware and bought a G9, a Lumix G 12-60mm f3.5-5.6 and a Lumix G II 100-300mm f4-6.3, effectively replicating the Fuji equipment I would normally carry (including the Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f2.8, one of my favourite lenses of all time). It isn’t quite apples to apples, but the weight and size saving is significant and the smaller kit gives me the same full frame reach as the X-H1, which is what I am after.

The cameras and lenses aren’t wonky, it is just the joys of taking the photo rather too closely with the iPhone.

Whilst the G9 may supplement the X-H1 on serious excursions, for impromptu walkabouts on my own or for walks with friends the G9 allows me to be more flexible and less encumbered with only a marginal hit in terms of image quality and megapixels. I already know that I love this thing. The camera is intuitive to use, the ergonomics are great (it is soooo comfortable in the hand) and the images that come out of it are, thus far, more than acceptable.

I’ll report back once I have taken it out properly on its own in the field, but so far it has been a pleasurable camera to use.

Chew Valley and RSPB Ham Wall

Chew Valley - I had visited earlier in the month when it was crispy cold with lots of frost and managed to get a number of shots that I was really pleased with, including several ‘action’ shots.

My second excursion to Chew Valley didn’t go to plan (not that I really had one). The weather was patchy and dull, and there wasn’t much happening on the wildlife front. After about 90 minutes of not achieving anything I drove down to the other end of the reservoir to Herriotts Mill Pool. The sun had come out and whilst not much better, I got a couple of shots I was pleased with.

RSPB Ham Wall - this was a first time visit and I was impressed with friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, the facilities (hides and viewpoints) and just the general chilled vibe of the place. I spent a good three hours here and took a number of images of various birds, including marsh harriers, stonechats and a paxicola. I will definitely be returning.

2024

2023 was an appalling year for me, in terms of numbers of photographs taken. I just didn’t take that many, mainly because I just didn’t get out and about that much, although I was pleased with what I did take, for the most part.

The addition of a long lens to my kit has meant that I can focus in on one photographic discipline this year - wildlife photography (although there will be more surf photography as well), which has long been an aspiration of mine.

So I decided to start 2024 as I mean to carry on, and once again wandered down to Chew Valley Lake very early on New Year’s Day to have another go at photographing some birds and whatever else popped up. The weather was dry if a bit breezy, a rare respite from the wind and rain that has dominated the last few weeks. The water of the lake was a little choppy and there was none of that gloriously moody atmosphere that had accompanied my last trip. Regardless, after some warming up, I managed to take a few photos, well, several hundred photos of geese, gulls, ducks, robins and a heron, amongst others. It turned out to be a fun and unexpectedly productive session. Select images in the new wildlife category and below… I hope you like them.

Moody

Yesterday I meandered down to Chew Valley Lake once again, laden with cameras, lenses, an action camera and a flask full of spiced chai latte. It was foggy as hell and colder than it has been in a while, so I was dressed all too appropriately.

I managed to take around 800 photographs over the course of two hours, although quite a lot of time was spent waiting patiently as the birds were mostly inactive. Select images below.

I also took some video and a nice little time lapse.

Messing about with a long zoom lens

I have long been meaning to upgrade my telephoto zoom lens so that I can get better reach when photographing surfers and wildlife, so when the Sigma 100-400mm X-mount came out I nabbed one.

I haven’t used a lens of this length before and it has been an interesting experience. Due to reasons I have not been able to get out much but managed a couple of excursions to Chew Valley Lake and Tyntesfield to try the lens out. Lots to learn but it was enjoyable getting to grip with new focal lengths and new techniques. Photos below.

Macro shots

I have, for a variety of reasons, not really been practising much in the way of photography these last few months. I dragged myself off to Chew Valley Lake the other day, where nothing I had planned came to fruition.

Luckily I had brought my manual Canon FD 50MM 1:3.5 Macro lens with me on a whim and that made up for the lack of creativity. The lens itself isn’t the most super sharp, stuck as it is on extenders and a FD:XF converter, but I love the mood and character of the pictures it produces.

Anyway, enough waffle: macro photos of dew on a feather, a couple of damselflies and lichen. And a photo of a tufted duck - not shot with the macro lens.

Lisbon, April 2023

Last week I accompanied a couple of friends to Lisbon for a long weekend of wandering, food, sight-seeing, a lot of walking and the odd bit of photography.

You can see the full gallery here, but here are some images that I am particularly pleased with.

The intent was to do more of a street photography type of thing, which is a discipline I am not particularly comfortable with and am in need of some practice, and some of the results of that endeavour can be found below and in the gallery linked above.

Lisbon is a great city to meander and people watch and take photos of, and I didn’t have the opportunity to explore as fully as I would have liked. It’s a good thing I am heading back there in a few months, so I can just take photos to my own rhythm.

This is one from about 6 or 7 that I took of this woman sitting at this monument. I leaned into the fact that there were crowds and managed to capture this image, with her gaze seemingly connected directly to the lens through the milling mess of people.

I played about both with colour and black and white versions of the above image and this is the one I settled on. I just like the seaside feel of it, and the unbalancedness of it works for me.

In the first two of the above images I was trying to get a sense of the city itself, with people for scale. Lisbon is a weirdly tight city, in places, with narrow lanes and stairways, meandering all over the place, up and down and around and around.

Abstract Cat photos

Messing around with a more abstract take on my singular obsession (my cat).

A Canon 50mm FD Macro lens with extension tubes, paired with the Fujifilm X-H1. The images were shot handheld, which was a challenge, given the super-shallow depth of field and the subjects propensity to not sit still. Regardless, I am quite pleased with the results and it was a lot of fun.

Hilfy Cat

I have been thinking about getting a cat for a long while, and, with the usual shenanigans of trying to get a cat/kitten in the modern age, I ended up with Hilfy Chanur (although I tend to call him Hilfy or Hilfy Cat).

Named after a female character from my favourite CJ Cherryh series (Chanur), Hilfy turned out to be a boy, and not a girl as first thought/informed. Regardless, he’s a bit gorgeous and somewhat photogenic, which is good because I am taking pictures of bugger-all else these days…

The first two were taken about 3-4 weeks before the second two, and you can already see the difference a month makes. What a handsome fella.

All four photos were taken on my X-H1 and X-T2 with a Viltrox 56mm f1.4 - which is a lens that I am becoming to rather like. I took a punt on the Viltrox because I wanted a portrait lens and the Fujifilm 56mm is rather too rich for me at the moment (even secondhand). So far I am quite pleased with it. More to come, from the lens and, no doubt, of Hilfy Cat.