CAMERA TALK 4

Many people who look at our bird and mammal photographs often comment

that we must have used very long lenses.They are right, we frequently

use long lenses, even up to a 600mm telephoto lens with a 1.4

x converter, making an 840mm lens. However, even this sort of

equipment only gives you a 17 times magnification over that which

you would get with a standard 50mm lens. Consequently, we need

to find a way of getting close enough to the subject to obtain

a good sized image in the 35mm frame. The method most often associated

with bird photography is the use of a conventional canvas hide.

This method, is, however, time consuming and restricts the nature

photographer to a relatively small area at any one sitting.

It may come as a surprise, therefore, to many that birds and mammals

still do not associate a motor vehicle with the presence of humans,

and as a result a car may be used very successfully as a mobile

hide. We rarely drive anywhere without taking our photographic

equipment so that we can take advantage of any unexpected opportunities.

Many Gulf residents own four-wheel-drive vehicles, which make

very good hides and can get to most locations likely to produce

good photographs.

Using long lenses from the car requires a sturdy support in order

to eliminate the problem of camera shake which produces blurred

pictures. There are various expensive commercially available supports,

some of them costing several hundred dollars. We have found that

a much less expensive option meets nearly all of our requirements.

A simple bean bag provides an inexpensive and efficient method

of supporting the long, heavy lenses so often needed for wildlife

photography. Beanbags are easily made. Ours consists of a piece

of the leg of a pair of denim jeans with a zip inserted. It can

be emptied when travelling and filled with beans, rice or even

sand on arrival at your destination. We usually have several different

sizes available in the car to cope with all eventualities.

Many birds and mammals are not in the least disturbed by a slowly

approaching car and will continue with their normal activities

when you stop, provided you do not immediately push your camera

lens through the open window. Local knowledge may enable you to

know where your quarry is to be found regularly so that you can

choose the time at which the lighting conditions are ideal, and

you will also know how close you can approach and which lens you

will need. If possible you should stop the car some distance from

the site and prepare your equipment. Attach the appropriate lens

to the camera body and check that you have enough film in the

camera. All other accessories should be readily to hand. Roll

the window down – even clean glass distorts the picture – and

place the bean bag over the door frame. If this is not at the

appropriate height to be comfortable you may need to raise the

window a little. In this case you may find that the beanbag does

not rest easily on the window. Any sort of improvised support

which acts as a tray on which to rest the bag will do and this

can be slotted over the glass of the window. Once in place the

bag can easily be moulded to fit snugly around the lens, providing

maximum support and holding it completely steady, thus eliminating

camera shake.

With shy animals you may need to use some camouflage, although

we have rarely found this necessary. This is easily arranged by

cutting appropriate openings in a piece of cloth and shutting

it into the doorframe.

Once the equipment is arranged drive slowly to the chosen position.

The engine vibration makes it almost impossible to take photographs

without resultant camera shake so you must now choose whether

to switch off the engine a few yards short of the position and

coast to a halt or to reach the place and then switch off the

ignition. Some birds are quite content to continue their activities

while the car engine is running, but as soon as it is switched

off they will fly away. In this case it is better to turn off

prior to arrival but you can only determine which is the better

option by trial and error.

Once at your chosen location, keep still and conceal yourself

as much as possible. Inclining the car seat backwards helps to

break up your outline behind the door frame. Watch for a short

while until the subject is at ease, then slowly rest the lens

on the beanbag, taking care to bed the lens down into the bag

so that it is ‘rock-steady’, keeping any movements as slow and

quiet as possible. You will be pleasantly surprised to find that

once you have set up your equipment in this way most animals and

birds will begin to tolerate your presence and may even become

inquisitive and move closer allowing opportunities for fine close-ups.