HOT SHOT #3
Our Apprentice says… This shot was part of a sequence that I captured just as the osprey was taking off after a dive. It takes a lot of power to become airborne after landing in water, so it’s no wonder it takes the bird some time. As Chris had advised me to shoot in Continuous High burst mode, I opened the shutter release and let the Nikon track the focus for me in AF-C mode. I love the way the bird’s wings are up high in this shot, making a T-shape with its entire body. There’s still a splash at the bottom of the frame, which shows the power of the movement, and you can see the trout in the talons, while the slight turn of the bird’s head shows off the shape of its beak.
EXPOSURE 1/4000 sec, f/4, ISO800 Lens 180-400mm f/4
Keep an eye out
When you’re sat in a hide for hours on end, it’s easy to get distracted and squander great opportunities to photograph your main subject. But it’s critical to remember that, when shooting wildlife, you have to go with the flow to a certain extent. Keep an eye out for other animals, and if an opportunity presents itself, such as this kingfisher resting nearby, seize the moment and capture some extra shots. Just remind yourself, every now and again, of the main reason that you’re actually there…
Exposure compensation
Chris helped Ed dial in some negative exposure compensation of between -0.3 and -0.7 EV to underexpose his shots. Ospreys have lots of bright white plumage, so it’s easy to clip the highlights when it’s sunny outside. When in Aperture Priority mode the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed to expose the whole frame ‘correctly’. Adding negative exposure compensation makes the shutter speed faster, thus making the image darker and avoiding clipping the highlights.
Pro’s killer kit Nikon 180-400mm f/4
Chris says… The Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR is an incredibly versatile lens. The f/4 maximum aperture lets lots of light in, and with a huge focal length range it’s easy to get wider shots of ospreys that land nearby, but equally effortless to zoom in for tight close-ups of the birds when they’re further across the water. It has a built-in 1.4x teleconverter, which increases the range to 560mm (while decreasing the maximum aperture to f/5.6) at the flick of the switch. It’s a great lens, but eyewateringly expensive at £11,000/$12,400. Cheaper (if not exactly budget) options are the Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR (£2100/$2300), Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | S (£1330/$2000) and Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 (£1135/$1400), which still give fantastic results.