A grey day, so popped over to Brownsea Island to try and improve some of my Red Squirrel jumping photos. I tried out various combinations of 3 off-camera flash units trigger wirelessly. None of them gave me quite the perfect shot I was after, but it's an improvement on previous attempts. The main thing I'm unhappy with this time is the level of lighting and bokeh on the background. Next time I know exactly what I need to do.
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I have bought a dedicated macro lens, and macro flash attachments to go with it. Early days, and still a lot to learn, but initial results seem quite promising. The lens is certainly very sharp. I think these are Common Newt, Common Groundhopper Cricket, some sort of seed head, catkin.
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For the last 3 years I've popped up to Box near Bath in Spring to try and photograph Dippers on the By Brook. Every year I've seen them, and managed to get a photograph. But never one I'm totally happy with. This year is the same. I drove up early this morning, got some photos, but none are great. Interesting to see a pair together, and one with a caddisfly nymph casing thing. Also one photo with one of the Dippers blinking, showing its special underwater eyelid.
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Tried for boxing Hares this morning before work. Didn't have much time - still no boxing seen.
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Very early start to try and find some Hares boxing. Apparently the trick is to find them before sunrise to get the best chance of seeing them box. I managed to find 3 Hares together - they ran around a bit, but didn't seem that interested in boxing. Will have to try again in a week or too I think. Some photos below, taken as the sun rose (hence the varying lighting). Also, a shouting Yellowhammer and a Great Crested Grebe that seemed to be yawning. The Grebes were doing a little bit of their dancing, but not enough to get any good photos.
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