One of the delights of walking through any natural environment at this time of year is seeing male Splendid Fairy Wrens in their breeding plumage. I regularly walk along the Avon River photographing the birds I see, and I hadn’t seen one for a couple of years. Usually they can be seen in the dense low level foliage or on the ground feeding on insects, but over the last few years the wonderful folk at the York River Conservation Society have been clearing out the feral plants and replanting natives. This unfortunately meant that there wasn’t a lot of undergrowth to provide suitable habitat. But joy of joys now that the bush is growing nicely and maturing the Splendid Fairy Wrens are back! It is terrific to see them again.
They’re back! Djer-djer or Splendid Fairy-wren (Malurus splendens). Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
Gotta confess that it’s getting hard to get up at 4am to go and photograph birds, so of late I’ve started going out in the evening. Living at this latitude I’m envious of those who live further away from the equator as their dawn and dusk lasts longer. Here it’s done and dusted in less than an hour. Anyways we have to make the most of what we have and I’m quite enjoying the evening walks along the river.
Giant grasshopper or hedge grasshopper (Valanga irregularis).Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
Last Monday as I was driving down to the river I noticed that the car had got a new bonnet mascot in the shape of a giant grasshopper (that’s the species name and an apt description).Initially I thought it will be blown off or it would abandon ship after a few minutes, but it resolutely clung on the windscreen wipers and was there when I reached the river.
A promenading pair of Australian Wood Ducks (Chenonetta jubata). Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
Kool-boort or Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens). Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
Heading down the river it quickly became apparent that as far as the birds were concerned things were winding down for the day. A pair of Australian Wood Ducks promenading along the river bank caught my eye. Normally quite skittish they were accepting of my presence and allowed me to get a few photos. Mindful of the disappearing light I pressed on. At the swing bridge I met the psycho Willie Wagtail that resides there. He really is the most belligerent little bird I’ve met. He chases off all threats to his territory with great gusto. Even as far as having a go at people and dogs on the other side of the river. He really has a go at our dog Frida. Fifty grams of feathers and fury hurls itself at Frida pecking her face and backside. Frida for her part just wears this bewildered expression and good-naturedly just walks on trying to ignore it.
The psycho Willie Wagtail let me know that it is really, REALLY cross. Djidi-djidi or Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys). Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
When I got to Monger’s Crossing the dropping water levels had brought the white-faced herons out in numbers. There were nine or ten of them there looking for food in the shallows. I couldn’t get close enough to them to take any photos, so I just watched them from a distance. As the sun started to dip below the horizon they started looking for a roost and I was able to photograph them as they did this. I stayed till dark and then walked back to the car.
Time for bed. Looking for a roost. Wayan or White-faced Heron (Ardea novaehollandiae). Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia.
Found a spot.
Squabbling over who gets the best perch.
Mind if I join you?
Settling down for the night.
Earlier in the day I was feeling a little jaded with going to the river. I felt it was becoming boring photographing the same area over and over again, This evening reminded me of how lucky I am to live here and have access to all this wildlife.
Kadar or Musk Duck (Biziura lobat), Lake Leschenaultia, Western Australia. Canon EOS 30 with Sigma 150-600mm and Ilford Delta 3200.
Can you shoot wildlife using film? Well the obvious answer is yes. People took wildlife photos using film for a lot longer than they have using digital. Cherry Kearton (1871-1927) and his brother Richard (1862-1928) the naturalist and writer were very early pioneers of wildlife photography and they published the first natural history book entirely illustrated with wild photographs in 1895. Their 1898 book “With Nature And A Camera: being the adventures of a field naturalist and an animal photographer” illustrated with 160 photos was a best seller and inspired many people to become wildlife photographers. Other notable wildlife photographers from the film days include Eric Hoskins, Stephen Dalton and Heather Angel. “Hold on” I hear you say “they shot film because that was what available”. It’s a valid point, so can you shoot wildlife on film in 2024? The answer is yes, but it’s not as simple as it once was.
The film stock I’ve chosen for photographing wildlife.
Back in the 1990’s and early 2000’s there were a lot of high speed film emulsions. Kodak had Ektar 1000 in colour negative, Ektachrome 400 slide film which could be pushed to 1600 ISO and TMax P3200 in black and white. Ilford had its Delta 3200 black and white emulsion. Fuji had Fujicolour 1600 colour negative film, FujiChrome Provia 1600 which was a colour reversal film and Neopan 1600 Professional black and white film. Agfa (there’s a blast from the past) had a couple of 1000 ISO C41 film stocks and a 1000 ISO slide film. 3M made an E6 1000 ISO film which was sold under several trade names. Sakura, later Konica, had a 3200 ISO colour negative emulsion. Now in 2024 the situation is very different.There are no E6 films, only 2 colour negative films, but they are 800 ISO, and two black and white emulsions nominally rated at 3200. Camera and lens wise, well the secondhand market is your friend and top of the line cameras such as Nikon’s F4 or F5 can be picked up quite cheaply (although that is a relative term) as can Canon’s EOS1. Lenses aren’t difficult to come by, but their prices haven’t dropped like those of the camera bodies as they can still be used on DSLRs.
The Canon EOS30 is an enthusiast level 35mm SLR that is a very capable camera for shooting wildlife.
The Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG Contemporary lens is a relatively inexpensive lens that is excellent for photographing wildlife.
The parameters I set for myself with this project was that I had to use stuff that I already had, so while there are camera bodies more suited to shooting wildlife that have better autofocus and higher frame rates I stuck with my Canon EOS 30. Lens wise my Sigma 160-600 was the obvious choice. I did briefly think about using my Olympus OM cameras, but I didn’t have a suitable lens and I didn’t want to have to hunt around for a good copy of the hard to find Olympus OM 600 mm f/6.5. Also I didn’t fancy trying to find focus with my ageing eyes. So the Canon and Sigma combination won out.
The elephant in the room is the cost of film and developing. This is the major consideration. The following prices are for Australia as this is where I live. Kodak Portra 800 is $37 for 36 exp, Ilford Delta 3200 is $18, Kodak TMAX P3200 is $30, and Lomo 800 can cost as much as $48 for a single roll, but multipacks of 3 36 exp rolls can be bought for $140. The cost of processing is $10 for C41 and $18 for D76 (black and white). Those prices are for developing and cutting and sleeving. Now my Canon EOS 30 can shoot at 4 frames per second, so machine gunning birds in flight would see you get through a roll every 9 seconds at a cost of more than $1 per shot. Typically when I go out in the morning for three hours or so I’ll shoot around 3-4000 frames with my digital cameras so when I decided to undertake this project I decided that I’d only shoot a maximum of two rolls on an outing. Using my Canon EOS 30 meant that after finishing the film I could switch the body to my Canon 80d so I could make the most of the morning. I know that by developing your own film you can reduce the costs, and I’m hoping to do this in the future.
All the photos below are the full frame, and you can look at them larger by clicking on the image.
Djindjokoor, Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta. York, Western Australia.
Djindjokoor or Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta). York, Western Australia.
Kool-boort or Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens). York, Western Australia.
Kanyinak or Sacred Kingfisher (Todirmphus sanctus). Kodak Portra 800.
Caspian Tern, Hydrprogne caspia. Heirisson Island, Western Australia.
Bulland or Great Egret, Ardea alba. Heirisson Island, Western Australia.
So after a few months what can I say? Well the first thing that really stuck out was the grain. Many photographers complain bitterly about noise in images, but that ain’t got nothing on the grain in these fast emulsions. Funnily enough I wasn’t too bothered with it in the black and white shots on Ilford Delta 3200 as I quite like the look. I had a Tri-X 400 pushed 2 stops developed in Rodinol phase many years ago which might explain that foible. The shots taken on Kodak Portra 800 were a bit different. I suppose I’d just become used to noise free images up to 1600 ISO on my digital cameras. Having said that I’ve got used to it and I quite like the results.
Digitising the negatives was an interesting experience. To keep costs down I scanned the images myself using a DSLR and a macro lens. The learning curve has been a bit on the steep side, especially for the colour negatives, and I’m still not sure whether I’m happy with the results or not. If I were to continue with this, and I think at this stage I will, I’ll probably get a dedicated film scanner. The reason being that while scanning using a camera was quite quick, about 1/2 an hour for a roll of 36, it was the faffing around in Lightroom and Photoshop that took a lot more time.
Was I happy with the final results? Yes. I think that it is an interesting exercise as it makes you really think. Firstly which film stock to use. The Ilford Delta 3200 is great for low light and misty atmospheric conditions. It’s not a film to use if getting the maximum feather detail is your aim. The Kodak Portra 800 is best suited to brighter conditions with a nice light. When shooting digital I use shutter priority and and auto ISO which means I can just concentrate on the composition. With film the ISO is not a variable, once you’ve loaded the film and start using it at that ISO you’re committed to that for the whole roll. The net result is that I have to be very aware of what my exposure is all the time. This is not a bad thing as it makes me more engaged with whole picture taking process. Were there any downsides beside the expense? Yes. I found that using film made me be a lot more conservative in my photos. I was not so inclined to experiment. Shooting birds in flight I’d only take 2 or 3 frames, whereas on digital I’d think nothing of taking 20 or 30 frames as I’d want to be sure of getting the wings in the perfect position. I’ve just become accustomed to subject tracking and have become quite reliant on it. Going back to an autofocus system developed in the 1990’s was a bit of a shock. It wasn’t as positive or sticky which meant there were a lot of out of focus pictures. I missed having a histogram in my viewfinder and the lack of instant feedback of the LCD screen. This meant I had to remember how much exposure compensation to give for a black bird on a very dark background or a backlit white egret. Having to wait a couple of weeks for the films to come back from the lab was a lesson in deferred gratification.
Would I give up digital and convert solely to film? Is my name Rothschild? No. I don’t see it as a binary choice. In many ways digital is a better medium for wildlife photography. It gives you more freedom – you can shoot in incredibly low light and you don’t have the feeling a meter is running as you take photos. Film does have its place as a creative alternative, if you are after a specific look or mood then it is ideal.
A male musk duck (Biziura lobata) swims through the mist on Lake Leschenaultia.
As I mentioned on a previous post I’m revisiting film photography again, particularly black and white. Initially I thought it be more suited to street photography, urban landscape and landscape , but, I’m enjoying a foray into black and white wildlife photography. So far this is highly experimental for a number of reasons. At the moment I’m having to send my films out to a lab for development as getting photochemicals is ridiculously hard in Australia. So many retailers have no stock and can’t say when they will be getting any. Film photography is undergoing a huge resurgence at the moment and yet the photographic industry is remarkably slow to take advantage of this. Anyway because my film is being processed by lab, likely using D76, a developer I don’t much care for, I’m not quite getting the look I want. My favourite developers for fast film were Rodinol and Microphen. Another way it is experimental is that I’m not yet fixed on a film stock. At the moment I’m trying Ilford’s excellent Delta 3200 and Ilford HP5 Plus pushed two stops. Which ever way I go it still means lots of grain which I want to make a feature of. If I want pin sharp fine detail I can get that with digital capture. When using film I want to use its inherent properties as part of the aesthetic. The use of film grain is a creative decision to create a certain look.
Bandiny or New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) on a misty morning at Lake Leschenaultia.
Couple coarse film grain with the mist we are experiencing most mornings and the shots can take on quite a moody impressionist quality. I’m really enjoying this and will continue with it as long as the weather lasts.
Bandiny or New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) amongst the reeds on a misty morning at Lake Leschenaultia.
All three of the photos here were taken on Ilford Delta 3200 using a Canon EOS 30 and my Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens.
This about sums up the last couple of weeks. Kakak or Little Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos).
I haven’t felt like posting anything for the last couple of weeks. I’ve been taking photos, but for a number of reasons haven’t had anything positive to say.
The minor issues have been consumer affairs related. I use Adobe products and have done since Adobe Photoshop 4. That’s not CS4 but the 1996 version of Photoshop. Adobe have an incredible disdain for their customers and seem to forget that without us they would be nothing. I like their products, especially Lightroom, it’s Digital Asset Management is fantastic, but being hobbled to Adobe is a right royal pain in the posterior. Anyway before I start ranting and foaming at the mouth I’ll get on and say that I’ve already started to shift my whole workflow to different software which has resulted in quite a steep learning curve. The next consumer problem that has proved incredibly frustrating is that I bought a new Apple iPhone and it was wasn’t working properly straight out of the box – the battery won’t hold a charge and the home button doesn’t work. Apple have proven that like Adobe they too hold their customers in complete contempt. I’ve been batted back and forth between various Apple departments who are arguing over who is responsible. The only thing that they agree on is that they won’t replace my phone, won’t repair it, and won’t give a refund. Again I’ve been using their products for decades and have liked the Apple ecosystem, but now it looks like I’ll be changing. I haven’t used a Windows computer since Windows 98 and I’m not looking forward to switching back.
The major problem has been with our beloved dog – Frida. She was due to have her teeth cleaned by the vet, and as that involved having an anaesthetic the vet did a few tests to make sure she’d be OK. The results showed that she has stage 2 renal failure which left us gobsmacked. Bull Terriers are notorious for kidney problems and she is getting old. The vet was very good and suggested putting her on a renal diet for 8 weeks and see whether she improves. So this saw me searching on the internet for a reputable diet for her. We ruled out quite a few because they suggested things like elk and reindeer which aren’t very abundant here in Australia. The main worry was finding something she’d actually like to eat because one of the symptoms of renal disease is that the patient can become quite nauseous and go off their food. She has started her diet and things on the surface look to be improving already so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
Relaxing in her favourite chair.
Watching BritBox TV.
Hopefully normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.
We’ve been to Nannup in the Blackwood Valley several times before and I’ve written about one of this visits before.Last time I photographed orchids this time I meant to do some bird photography. I only managed to take a couple of bird photos on the first day – of a female Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans) – as I got distracted and didn’t take the birding stuff out for the rest of the week.
A female Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans) called Djoordjilya by the indigenous Nyoongar. . Nannup, Western Australia.
The cause of this distraction. Well as a last minute decision I’d decided to throw a film camera, a 50mm lens and a couple of rolls of film into my bag. At first I was just going to take nature photos while walking along the river foreshore. It was just initially to explore forms and textures. But, it wasn’t long before I was walking up and down the streets of Nannup (there aren’t many) taking pictures of anything that caught my eye. I have a particular fascination with signage – I often find it quite amusing.Anyway the results are below.
Grasses and Bokeh. Wild grasses growing along the banks of the Blackwood River in Nannup.
Lichen growing on a tree trunk. Nannup, Western Australia.
There were arms and legs all over the place. Nannup, Western Australia.
It is often said that a good photographer makes pictures not takes them. So this week I was well prepared, unlike last week. I’d packed everything the night before, checked the weather forecast and made the right clothing choices. I’d worked out what species I was going to photograph and how. I knew exactly how I was going to process the images on return home. What could possibly go wrong? As it turned out plenty. Firstly the weather didn’t play ball – I’d wanted mist rising off the water. When I got up there was mist, as I was driving there was plenty of mist, but when I got to Lake Leschenaultia there was absolutely no mist at all. I was looking to photograph and video three species – spotless crakes, Australian reed warblers and Australasian grebes. The birds didn’t get the memo and were a no-show. To cap it all the video head on my tripod broke so that meant shooting any video was out of the question.
At this stage it would have been very tempting to go home, but I was there and it was a beautiful morning so I decided to make the most of it by walking round the lake. As I made my way round I happened on a few chance encounters, but, when I left to go home I didn’t think I’d made anything worthwhile and I felt a little despondent. So as I looked at the images on the computer I was pleasantly surprised – out of the nearly forty images I had taken four stood out and after processing them I was quite happy. They’re not masterpieces by any means, but they made me happy and that’s all that matters.
Bandiny or New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae). Lake Leschenaultia, Western Australia.
Nembing or Common Bronzewing, (Phaps chalcoptera). Lake Leschenaultia, Western Australia.
Yongka or Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) wondering what I’m up to. Lake Leschenaultia, Western Australia.
Time to head home. Wayan or White-faced Heron (Ardea novaehollandiae). Lake Leschenaultia, Western Australia.
I’d not been down to the river for a couple of months – I’d given it a wide berth since the corella culls. So I was quite unprepared – it was 3ºC and I hadn’t dressed appropriately at all. Sitting in the shade by the water meant it was really chilly. The other change from when I’d last visited was there was some water in the river which meant that the birds instead of being congregated around the few permanent pools were spread out along the whole river. It was really quite spectacular watching the rising sun shine through the trees and paint everything golden. It was worth getting up just for that alone. I didn’t see many small birds, but the larger species were there in numbers all waiting for the sun’s warmth.
Kakak little pied cormorant (phalacrocorax melanoleucos). It’s rare to hear little pied cormorants calling out to each other, but this morning they were being very vocal. Perhaps they were complaining of being cold.
The rising sun shining through the trees produced some amazing soft golden light.
Ngalkaning or Rufous Night Heron aka Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus subsp mannillenis).
Kaaka-baaka or Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes).
Ngalkaning or Australian white ibis (Threskioris molucca).
Wayan or White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae).
On a cold morning on the Avon River some of the inhabitants try catching the sun’s warmth.
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