Wildlife Photography

[Bakbuk]

Hi you all, thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures. Many species you portraited don't even exist where I live, so I would like to return the favour with some amphibians I met in my forests, in the Northern Appenines (Italy).View attachment 3393232 This little guy is an European cave salamander, you can easily spot them in caves (you d' never say!).
View attachment 3393233View attachment 3393234
Fire salamanders in different colorations, you can see them in damp places or when it rains (don't see them often where I live, they have night habits).
View attachment 3393237
This isn't a licorice candy, but a stunning Lanza's alpine salamander. This species doesn't actually live where I live, but I found them in the Alps. It was a foggy day and the paths were full of them, I was so lucky!
View attachment 3393242View attachment 3393249
These are alpine newts, they live in small streams and old water tanks or waterers. I know some places around here where I can go when I want to meet them.View attachment 3393250Last but not least the spectacled salamander, this one I found in my garden but it's not easy to see: it lives in a very small area and it's not so common, it was another lucky break!

European salamanders?!! AWESOME!
Nice photos.

@Cold-Blood you're gonna want to see this.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

I'm finding that photography is a hobby that I never feel content with the gear I have. It is very costly and making purchases cause me anxiety so I really overthink. Don't beat yourself up too much. Sounds like you leaned a lot and have some great new lenses to work with. Don't let that first experience rob your joy.

I think if the sun would finally shine the lens would produce pretty fantastic images but it has been months since I've gone out in the sunshine with my camera.

I'm not too upset about the money itself, it was an investment, it's just that I spent maybe 2, 3 hundred more on this new version and it isn't even that one. The old boy didn't deliberately scam me I think he had no idea which version he really had.

Thank you for the response I appreciate it.

 

[HopKat]

I think if the sun would finally shine the lens would produce pretty fantastic images but it has been months since I've gone out in the sunshine with my camera.

I'm not too upset about the money itself, it was an investment, it's just that I spent maybe 2, 3 hundred more on this new version and it isn't even that one. The old boy didn't deliberately scam me I think he had no idea which version he really had.

Thank you for the response I appreciate it.

Sunshine makes all the difference. Yesterday was sunny but cold. I'm glad I got out to enjoy the day. Back to cold clouds again today.

 

[mdees88]

I think if the sun would finally shine the lens would produce pretty fantastic images but it has been months since I've gone out in the sunshine with my camera.

I'm not too upset about the money itself, it was an investment, it's just that I spent maybe 2, 3 hundred more on this new version and it isn't even that one. The old boy didn't deliberately scam me I think he had no idea which version he really had.

Thank you for the response I appreciate it.

Having the right light makes all the difference. Photos shot in poor light will be softer than ones shot in good, direct light.

The next time the suns out, go out before it is high in the sky (around 8-9am), pick a detailed subject (tree bark, a cooperative animal like a dog, or any detailed object from your home, set it around 7 meters away, and shoot a dozen images at f/8 with the sun at your back. Pick the sharpest one and that is pretty much as sharp your setup is capable of. That will give you a reference of what to expect if you do everything right in the field...

The rest is just learning to get as good as possible to your subject and positioning yourself so the light and background work to your advantage.

 

[Cold-Blood]

Hi you all, thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures. Many species you portraited don't even exist where I live, so I would like to return the favour with some amphibians I met in my forests, in the Northern Appenines (Italy).View attachment 3393232 This little guy is an European cave salamander, you can easily spot them in caves (you d' never say!).
View attachment 3393233View attachment 3393234
Fire salamanders in different colorations, you can see them in damp places or when it rains (don't see them often where I live, they have night habits).
View attachment 3393237
This isn't a licorice candy, but a stunning Lanza's alpine salamander. This species doesn't actually live where I live, but I found them in the Alps. It was a foggy day and the paths were full of them, I was so lucky!
View attachment 3393242View attachment 3393249
These are alpine newts, they live in small streams and old water tanks or waterers. I know some places around here where I can go when I want to meet them.View attachment 3393250Last but not least the spectacled salamander, this one I found in my garden but it's not easy to see: it lives in a very small area and it's not so common, it was another lucky break!

European salamanders?!! AWESOME!
Nice photos.

@Cold-Blood you're gonna want to see this.

Joy and happiness!

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Well, this was on a live animal once... Feral peacock feather.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

The hawk and the dove.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Holy smokes.. I took the aperture down to F/8 today and with some jiggling through shutter speeds/ISOs I must say I am impressed. I'll try get some images edited and published to upload here.. maybe I shouldn't have been so rude about this lens.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Having the right light makes all the difference. Photos shot in poor light will be softer than ones shot in good, direct light.

The next time the suns out, go out before it is high in the sky (around 8-9am), pick a detailed subject (tree bark, a cooperative animal like a dog, or any detailed object from your home, set it around 7 meters away, and shoot a dozen images at f/8 with the sun at your back. Pick the sharpest one and that is pretty much as sharp your setup is capable of. That will give you a reference of what to expect if you do everything right in the field...

The rest is just learning to get as good as possible to your subject and positioning yourself so the light and background work to your advantage.

Tbh I think I was using it wrong, I was using TV mode, auto aperture and auto ISO.. I forced aperture at F/8 on TAv mode today (VERY overcast and dark), played with shutter speeds and things.. I think the problem was me not the lens.

When I used TAv the other day it was even darker and the images were maxing my ISO cap at 1600 which on the K-3 produces a LOT of noise so I dismissed it and thought must be lenses fault.

Of course the new version would be far better and in sunlight would be EVEN better (I was still essentially scammed) but I maybe need to stop beating myself and the lens up. Too much negativity

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Example