Books on Wildlife Photography

[birdbonkers84]

If this is in the wrong section please move


So I've purchased a few books over the last few months about general photography (via recommendations), but when it comes to books specifically for wildlife photography there are heaps on amazon, which do I choose!? Does anyone here have any recommendations for good reading material regarding wildlife photography?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

 

[Derrel]

John Shaw's classic field guide is pretty good, and will familiarize you with the ideas of fieldcraft, and some lens/accessory isues that might noit be dealt with in newer books. You can likely buy it used for a very low cost. Look at the pictures, and read the sections on how-to, and you will be wekk-informed on things like how lighting affects the picture, what weather brings to the game, and so on. Shaw used a 300mm prime lens and an extension tube to make many amazing close-ups.

 

[Overread]

John Shaw is a very well and oft recommended photographer for his quality wildlife guides.

The biggest problem with wildlife photography guides that I've found is that beyond inspiration almost all of a wildlife photographers questions tend to not be photography related but rather wildlife related. So I'd encourage you to consider stalking/tracking/hunting references. You are more likely to find information there on how to get close and act in the wild than you are in most wildlife books (in my experiences).

 

[WesternGuy]

This is a good question. I tend to agree with Overread, very few "wildlife photography" books are actually about "how to" photograph wildlife. I have found that a lot of them tend to be about photography - gear, composition, exposure, etc. with "wildlife" as the backdrop for pictures. The other kind, I have found, tend to be written primarily to show off the author's varied collection of wildlife images with the written portion about gear and, to some extent, approaches.

I would suggest that you might want to think about what it is that you want to learn about "photographing" wildlife. Are you interested in some place like Africa where most safari photography is done from jeeps under the supervision of knowledgeable guide, or do you want to go into the wilderness and track down wildlife for pictures of your own. You can also go to places like Florida where it is very easy to get close to big birds - herons, egrets, etc., for very good photographic images.

Once you decide what it is that you want to do then perhaps suggestions might be forthcoming from folks here.

I would encourage you to post back and let us know your interests.

WesternGuy

 

[birdbonkers84]

This is a good question. I tend to agree with Overread, very few "wildlife photography" books are actually about "how to" photograph wildlife. I have found that a lot of them tend to be about photography - gear, composition, exposure, etc. with "wildlife" as the backdrop for pictures. The other kind, I have found, tend to be written primarily to show off the author's varied collection of wildlife images with the written portion about gear and, to some extent, approaches.

I would suggest that you might want to think about what it is that you want to learn about "photographing" wildlife. Are you interested in some place like Africa where most safari photography is done from jeeps under the supervision of knowledgeable guide, or do you want to go into the wilderness and track down wildlife for pictures of your own. You can also go to places like Florida where it is very easy to get close to big birds - herons, egrets, etc., for very good photographic images.

Once you decide what it is that you want to do then perhaps suggestions might be forthcoming from folks here.

I would encourage you to post back and let us know your interests.

WesternGuy

Thanks guys for your comments,

@ WesternGuy, you make a good point, I guess I've never considered what it is I want to learn about Wildlife Photography, I live in Scotland so I have access to highlands and the west coast. I also love going to Zoos, be it in Singapore, Phoenix, Dublin, Amsterdam or Edinburgh. I want to take amazing wildlife shots that would make someone want to frame it and put it on their wall (tis the dream). I also want to document insects, birds and if I'm lucky the odd deer from my surroundings! (Scotland) so one day I can be that 60 y/o guy that can shows his grandkids natures beauty. I'm also off to Vancouver in March holidaying so it would be good to get a little prepared with the basics!

I guess the question I should of asked is "do I need a book" or is it just a case of going out and experience it?

Mark

 

[Overread]

Both.

Plus you want some feedback too so post up photos for critique as well (check my signature for a good thread on how to do that).

You can learn a lot on your own and just by doing stuff;' but you want to get feed back from others as well. It will push you forward far faster and also help you realise and understand things which otherwise, you'd miss or overlook for a long time. Google and the internet and books are great; but in the real world when you don't know something you don't know about it to google it or to look it up. So you can very easily overlook or miss very basic or key things which might well hold you back.

 

[birdbonkers84]

Both.

Plus you want some feedback too so post up photos for critique as well (check my signature for a good thread on how to do that).

You can learn a lot on your own and just by doing stuff;' but you want to get feed back from others as well. It will push you forward far faster and also help you realise and understand things which otherwise, you'd miss or overlook for a long time. Google and the internet and books are great; but in the real world when you don't know something you don't know about it to google it or to look it up. So you can very easily overlook or miss very basic or key things which might well hold you back.

One of the main reasons I signed up to the forums, I read its good for development joining a club or signing up to a forum to get feedback from the community. It's a fountain of knowledge and I'm here to tap into it. I'm a designer by trade so I have no problems with taking constructive feedback (or giving it) and I have a clear drive for research and development.

 

[Didereaux]

Both.

Plus you want some feedback too so post up photos for critique as well (check my signature for a good thread on how to do that).

You can learn a lot on your own and just by doing stuff;' but you want to get feed back from others as well. It will push you forward far faster and also help you realise and understand things which otherwise, you'd miss or overlook for a long time. Google and the internet and books are great; but in the real world when you don't know something you don't know about it to google it or to look it up. So you can very easily overlook or miss very basic or key things which might well hold you back.

One of the main reasons I signed up to the forums, I read its good for development joining a club or signing up to a forum to get feedback from the community. It's a fountain of knowledge and I'm here to tap into it. I'm a designer by trade so I have no problems with taking constructive feedback (or giving it) and I have a clear drive for research and development.

All of what Overread said. I would add that from a practical standpoint ( I and my wife do a lot of wildlife shooting) is not only prepare yourself but your equipment. keep some sort of rain protector for your camera and lens handy...you will be getting wet if you do wildlife, and expect to get 'amazing' shots. A smaller size trash bag works, but for a few bucks you can buy a couple of rain sleeves that are really nice, do a good job and easy to use. I keep a small pair of binoculars in my pocket as well especially if I am lugging the tripod, camera and bigger lens' around. IF I am not using a tripod, which is most of the time, I simply use the long lens to scan with.

A good rainproof windbreaker with a zip in lining can't be beat, One of those flat oldtime golf/motorcar/taxi cab driver hats is great for photogs they have enough bill to shade the eyes without interfering with the viewfinder, and they protect the bald areas nicely. A really really excellent photography vest is the Filsen, it is used by most surveyors, and engineers. The simply last forever and have lots and lots uf usable sized pockets ALWAYS keep a spare battery or three in your pocket....and don't forget the polarizer!

Next is the most important PRACTICE, anytime anywhere, anything. compose and shoot constantly. Go out to a park or your doorstep and shoot sparrow, starlings, pigeons, the neighbors cat. Do this til you want ot scream. Then when you get out in the back country you will automatically know what too do with the camera, and you can concentrate on getting into position for the great shot, And remember not every shot will look good, so keep shooting til the critter dies of old age, or you do or they get bored and leave. Listen to the pros and you will learn that they only get about one decent shot out of every 10-15, and depending upon conditions sometimes far fewer, so don't get discourages...NatGeo only selects one for each cover.

 

[birdbonkers84]

Both.

Plus you want some feedback too so post up photos for critique as well (check my signature for a good thread on how to do that).

You can learn a lot on your own and just by doing stuff;' but you want to get feed back from others as well. It will push you forward far faster and also help you realise and understand things which otherwise, you'd miss or overlook for a long time. Google and the internet and books are great; but in the real world when you don't know something you don't know about it to google it or to look it up. So you can very easily overlook or miss very basic or key things which might well hold you back.

One of the main reasons I signed up to the forums, I read its good for development joining a club or signing up to a forum to get feedback from the community. It's a fountain of knowledge and I'm here to tap into it. I'm a designer by trade so I have no problems with taking constructive feedback (or giving it) and I have a clear drive for research and development.

All of what Overread said. I would add that from a practical standpoint ( I and my wife do a lot of wildlife shooting) is not only prepare yourself but your equipment. keep some sort of rain protector for your camera and lens handy...you will be getting wet if you do wildlife, and expect to get 'amazing' shots. A smaller size trash bag works, but for a few bucks you can buy a couple of rain sleeves that are really nice, do a good job and easy to use. I keep a small pair of binoculars in my pocket as well especially if I am lugging the tripod, camera and bigger lens' around. IF I am not using a tripod, which is most of the time, I simply use the long lens to scan with.

A good rainproof windbreaker with a zip in lining can't be beat, One of those flat oldtime golf/motorcar/taxi cab driver hats is great for photogs they have enough bill to shade the eyes without interfering with the viewfinder, and they protect the bald areas nicely. A really really excellent photography vest is the Filsen, it is used by most surveyors, and engineers. The simply last forever and have lots and lots uf usable sized pockets ALWAYS keep a spare battery or three in your pocket....and don't forget the polarizer!

Next is the most important PRACTICE, anytime anywhere, anything. compose and shoot constantly. Go out to a park or your doorstep and shoot sparrow, starlings, pigeons, the neighbors cat. Do this til you want ot scream. Then when you get out in the back country you will automatically know what too do with the camera, and you can concentrate on getting into position for the great shot, And remember not every shot will look good, so keep shooting til the critter dies of old age, or you do or they get bored and leave. Listen to the pros and you will learn that they only get about one decent shot out of every 10-15, and depending upon conditions sometimes far fewer, so don't get discourages...NatGeo only selects one for each cover.

That's some cracking tips there! I am looking to buy a polarizing filter, its currently on my amazon wish list so i don't forget

I have noticed so far, especially with my recent robin pic, that i took around 10 and only one was useable. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[Didereaux]

Both.

Plus you want some feedback too so post up photos for critique as well (check my signature for a good thread on how to do that).

You can learn a lot on your own and just by doing stuff;' but you want to get feed back from others as well. It will push you forward far faster and also help you realise and understand things which otherwise, you'd miss or overlook for a long time. Google and the internet and books are great; but in the real world when you don't know something you don't know about it to google it or to look it up. So you can very easily overlook or miss very basic or key things which might well hold you back.

One of the main reasons I signed up to the forums, I read its good for development joining a club or signing up to a forum to get feedback from the community. It's a fountain of knowledge and I'm here to tap into it. I'm a designer by trade so I have no problems with taking constructive feedback (or giving it) and I have a clear drive for research and development.

All of what Overread said. I would add that from a practical standpoint ( I and my wife do a lot of wildlife shooting) is not only prepare yourself but your equipment. keep some sort of rain protector for your camera and lens handy...you will be getting wet if you do wildlife, and expect to get 'amazing' shots. A smaller size trash bag works, but for a few bucks you can buy a couple of rain sleeves that are really nice, do a good job and easy to use. I keep a small pair of binoculars in my pocket as well especially if I am lugging the tripod, camera and bigger lens' around. IF I am not using a tripod, which is most of the time, I simply use the long lens to scan with.

A good rainproof windbreaker with a zip in lining can't be beat, One of those flat oldtime golf/motorcar/taxi cab driver hats is great for photogs they have enough bill to shade the eyes without interfering with the viewfinder, and they protect the bald areas nicely. A really really excellent photography vest is the Filsen, it is used by most surveyors, and engineers. The simply last forever and have lots and lots uf usable sized pockets ALWAYS keep a spare battery or three in your pocket....and don't forget the polarizer!

Next is the most important PRACTICE, anytime anywhere, anything. compose and shoot constantly. Go out to a park or your doorstep and shoot sparrow, starlings, pigeons, the neighbors cat. Do this til you want ot scream. Then when you get out in the back country you will automatically know what too do with the camera, and you can concentrate on getting into position for the great shot, And remember not every shot will look good, so keep shooting til the critter dies of old age, or you do or they get bored and leave. Listen to the pros and you will learn that they only get about one decent shot out of every 10-15, and depending upon conditions sometimes far fewer, so don't get discourages...NatGeo only selects one for each cover.

That's some cracking tips there! I am looking to buy a polarizing filter, its currently on my amazon wish list so i don't forget

I have noticed so far, especially with my recent robin pic, that i took around 10 and only one was useable. Thanks again for the advice.

You're more than welcome. As for the polarizer I have found that the Marumi brand is pretty much the equal of the top brands and about 2/3rds the cost. Very well built and top end glass.

 

[WesternGuy]

From what you have indicated, (zoos, insects, birds and deer from your surroundings), you can divide these into probably a number of general categories: animals in captivity, animals in the wild, birds and insects. While this may be a bit of an over-generalization, a lot of the general "rules" that you have probably learned already about composition do apply - rule of thirds, leading lines, etc. Remember though, if you miss the eyes, you have missed the shot and the eyes have to be in focus. I'm sure I may get arguments about that, but unless you are collecting butt shots, this is one rule I follow. As far as the rule of thirds is concerned, it is mostly used regarding placement of the animal or bird in the frame. If you are shooting one standing still, then it is always the best to put it in such a position that it has room to move or look into the frame. In the case of birds in flight (BIFs), then they are usually placed so that they have room to "fly" into the frame.

You will need a telephoto lens. I use a Canon 100-400mm II with a 1.4 Mark III extender on it for most of my wildlife photography. You should also invest in a good tripod as it will come in handy in your zoo shots.

1) Animals in captivity - in a lot of situations, these animals will not be as active as their counterpart in the wild, so they shouldn't present too many problems. For those that are simply lying around you have to decide whether you want a full body shot or a head shot and compose accordingly. You can probably use aperture priority for most of these shots. If they are moving, then you may want to follow it with your camera set on shutter priority and a slightly faster speed depending on how fast they are moving. Most of your shots will probably be in landscape mode, but if you are shooting taller animals such as a giraffe, then portrait mode will probably work better. Portrait mode may also work better for head shots depending on the animal and how close you are to it.

2)Animals in the wild - these will be the ones you probably have to track down, regardless, they will be moving, unless you go on a safari to Africa where they tend to ignore people and their jeeps. Your guide would be able to give you guidelines on how to shoot the various animals. For Scottish deer, I can't really give you too much advice, except that this is probably something you will have to go out and track down. Maybe you can find someone who actively hunts them (assuming this is legal) and see if they have any advice for you.

3)Birds - these come in a couple of categories, those that are not moving (standing/sitting still or perched on something), those that are moving (in flight or running along a shoreline, etc.). Those that are standing still can often be shot in portrait mode using aperture priority. For those that are moving, I often shoot them in Shutter priority mode and adjust my speed and ISO accordingly. Each situation can be different - is the bird moving erratically, or is it just gently floating along on a breeze. There is an on-line guide that you might be interested in - Secrets of Digital Bird Photography - you will find the links to following pages and a table of contents by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page. You might also want to check out Art Morris's blog. I find it informative, although you do have to remember that he is selling his products and services - Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. There are others on bird photography, but he is considered one of the best bird photographers. I know I learned a lot from attending a couple of his workshops. That is another area that will give you some "education" in wildlife photography - workshops. I subscribe to a couple of British photo mags and I always see field workshops advertised in them, so they shouldn't be too hard to find.

4)Insects - this is a completely different sort of thing than wild animals and birds, because you are really talking about macro photography. I would suggest that you Google "insect photography", You will find enough references to keep you busy for a long time. you can also watch the Macro section in TPF for postings of insects.

One of the things you might want to think about is to find one or two photographers that cover the subject, or subjects, that you are interested in and subscribe to their blogs, You will, of course, find a lot of examples on this Forum and others - it is simply a matter of finding a couple of them and seeing what people are posting. For example:

Wildlife Photography | Stephen W. Oachs
Dr. Wayne Lynch Canada's Wildlife Specialist
Mike Lane Wildlife Photography
British Wildlife | David Lloyd Wildlife Photography


The real key is just practice, practice, practice and then practice some more. Be patient with yourself and don't be afraid to experiment with your imagery. Digital is cheap, so take lots of different shots to see what sort of things work for you.

I do hope this helps, but, again, if you have further questions please post and there will be knowledgeable folks here that can answer your questions.

WesternGuy

 

[Derrel]

I have noticed so far, especially with my recent robin pic, that i took around 10 and only one was useable. Thanks again for the advice.

That might be symptomatic of being too stingy with the shutter button! Or--perhaps the robin flew away, or got out of range. But if you made only 10 exposures, and had one you were happy with, that's a 10 percent success rate, which is not especially good (nor is it dreadful either, all things considered).

As others have suggested, there are plenty of resources here in the TPF forum, but also from books, and a lot of good things come to those whop practice and become familiar with their equipment. Digitial images cost very little to make. If you want to get good zoo images, you need to understand how good your "zoo lens" is, and what its range is, and where your camera/lens combo gives good image quality. Western Guy says it well above: practice is important!

In on-line forums, blogs, YouTube, there are plenty of people who have very high-end equipment, and who can lead you astray by preaching "Lowest ISO, all the time"; this is a HUGE disservice to the beginner with an f/4.5~5.6 type of zoom lens in the 70-300 or 50-200 or 50-250mm range. LOW ISO, even with a stabilized lens, often leads to blurry images of moving subjects. You need to be aware that a sharp, non-blurred image of say, a blacktailed deer at the edge of a Vancouver Island forest clearing, shot at ISO 1,000, will be a better memory for you, and a better image, for you, than an image that's blurry because the camera was at ISO 100 at 1/40 second at f/5.6.

For people who own and use "consumer" equipment (18-55 zooms, 70-300 slow aperture lenses, 50-200,55-250,etc) with a MAXIMUM light admitting aperture of f/5.3 at mid-zoom, and f/5.6 at their longer end....the typical advice many opinion-setters dish out is often wrong, bad advice. If you are limited to f/5.6 as the biggest aperture, you simply MUST, many times, start out at ISO 400, or 500, or 640, or even 800. This is the issue with a lot of the "pro" sites; a 400mm f/2.8 lens that costs as much as a small car is very far away from a $149 55-200mm lens.

 

[Overread]

The Wildlife Photographers Field Manual by Joe McDonald - its the only book I have by him and its an older book (film) but its one of the VERY few that isn't just about the camera. It focuses on a variety of situations and provides insight into practical wildlife concepts like hides, feeding stations, mock-up for small mammals and a variety of other subjects.



On the subject of ISO I disagree with Derrel only on one point and that is that even with f2.8 lenses you will still have to use higher ISOs. His point is well presented and I would say the ISO issue is more one that comes from non-wildlife/action photographers. Those used to portraits or landscapes etc.... or even those who only ever shoot in bright conditions and live in areas where the climate makes for brighter days in general - those kinds of photographer often use very low ISO values. In the wildlife and action world those are often not an option and the mantra of "keep the ISO low" gets mistaken and miss-understood by many new to photography.

 

[birdbonkers84]

From what you have indicated, (zoos, insects, birds and deer from your surroundings), you can divide these into probably a number of general categories: animals in captivity, animals in the wild, birds and insects. While this may be a bit of an over-generalization, a lot of the general "rules" that you have probably learned already about composition do apply - rule of thirds, leading lines, etc. Remember though, if you miss the eyes, you have missed the shot and the eyes have to be in focus. I'm sure I may get arguments about that, but unless you are collecting butt shots, this is one rule I follow. As far as the rule of thirds is concerned, it is mostly used regarding placement of the animal or bird in the frame. If you are shooting one standing still, then it is always the best to put it in such a position that it has room to move or look into the frame. In the case of birds in flight (BIFs), then they are usually placed so that they have room to "fly" into the frame.

You will need a telephoto lens. I use a Canon 100-400mm II with a 1.4 Mark III extender on it for most of my wildlife photography. You should also invest in a good tripod as it will come in handy in your zoo shots.

1) Animals in captivity - in a lot of situations, these animals will not be as active as their counterpart in the wild, so they shouldn't present too many problems. For those that are simply lying around you have to decide whether you want a full body shot or a head shot and compose accordingly. You can probably use aperture priority for most of these shots. If they are moving, then you may want to follow it with your camera set on shutter priority and a slightly faster speed depending on how fast they are moving. Most of your shots will probably be in landscape mode, but if you are shooting taller animals such as a giraffe, then portrait mode will probably work better. Portrait mode may also work better for head shots depending on the animal and how close you are to it.

2)Animals in the wild - these will be the ones you probably have to track down, regardless, they will be moving, unless you go on a safari to Africa where they tend to ignore people and their jeeps. Your guide would be able to give you guidelines on how to shoot the various animals. For Scottish deer, I can't really give you too much advice, except that this is probably something you will have to go out and track down. Maybe you can find someone who actively hunts them (assuming this is legal) and see if they have any advice for you.

3)Birds - these come in a couple of categories, those that are not moving (standing/sitting still or perched on something), those that are moving (in flight or running along a shoreline, etc.). Those that are standing still can often be shot in portrait mode using aperture priority. For those that are moving, I often shoot them in Shutter priority mode and adjust my speed and ISO accordingly. Each situation can be different - is the bird moving erratically, or is it just gently floating along on a breeze. There is an on-line guide that you might be interested in - Secrets of Digital Bird Photography - you will find the links to following pages and a table of contents by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page. You might also want to check out Art Morris's blog. I find it informative, although you do have to remember that he is selling his products and services - Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. There are others on bird photography, but he is considered one of the best bird photographers. I know I learned a lot from attending a couple of his workshops. That is another area that will give you some "education" in wildlife photography - workshops. I subscribe to a couple of British photo mags and I always see field workshops advertised in them, so they shouldn't be too hard to find.

4)Insects - this is a completely different sort of thing than wild animals and birds, because you are really talking about macro photography. I would suggest that you Google "insect photography", You will find enough references to keep you busy for a long time. you can also watch the Macro section in TPF for postings of insects.

One of the things you might want to think about is to find one or two photographers that cover the subject, or subjects, that you are interested in and subscribe to their blogs, You will, of course, find a lot of examples on this Forum and others - it is simply a matter of finding a couple of them and seeing what people are posting. For example:

Wildlife Photography | Stephen W. Oachs
Dr. Wayne Lynch Canada's Wildlife Specialist
Mike Lane Wildlife Photography
British Wildlife | David Lloyd Wildlife Photography


The real key is just practice, practice, practice and then practice some more. Be patient with yourself and don't be afraid to experiment with your imagery. Digital is cheap, so take lots of different shots to see what sort of things work for you.

I do hope this helps, but, again, if you have further questions please post and there will be knowledgeable folks here that can answer your questions.

WesternGuy

Thanks for this amazingly detail reply, I'll take these comments on board and look into the links you have supplied. I currently have a Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR lens for my Nikon D3300 camera. I recently used it to take my first ever robin pic that I posted in another thread. My polarizing filter arrived today so I look forward to giving it a try out this weekend

I currently follow Norman Watson, who is a local wildlife photographer in my area on fb and Instagram. You can see his work here if it interest you: normanwatsonphoto.

 

[birdbonkers84]

I have noticed so far, especially with my recent robin pic, that i took around 10 and only one was useable. Thanks again for the advice.

That might be symptomatic of being too stingy with the shutter button! Or--perhaps the robin flew away, or got out of range. But if you made only 10 exposures, and had one you were happy with, that's a 10 percent success rate, which is not especially good (nor is it dreadful either, all things considered).

As others have suggested, there are plenty of resources here in the TPF forum, but also from books, and a lot of good things come to those whop practice and become familiar with their equipment. Digitial images cost very little to make. If you want to get good zoo images, you need to understand how good your "zoo lens" is, and what its range is, and where your camera/lens combo gives good image quality. Western Guy says it well above: practice is important!

In on-line forums, blogs, YouTube, there are plenty of people who have very high-end equipment, and who can lead you astray by preaching "Lowest ISO, all the time"; this is a HUGE disservice to the beginner with an f/4.5~5.6 type of zoom lens in the 70-300 or 50-200 or 50-250mm range. LOW ISO, even with a stabilized lens, often leads to blurry images of moving subjects. You need to be aware that a sharp, non-blurred image of say, a blacktailed deer at the edge of a Vancouver Island forest clearing, shot at ISO 1,000, will be a better memory for you, and a better image, for you, than an image that's blurry because the camera was at ISO 100 at 1/40 second at f/5.6.

For people who own and use "consumer" equipment (18-55 zooms, 70-300 slow aperture lenses, 50-200,55-250,etc) with a MAXIMUM light admitting aperture of f/5.3 at mid-zoom, and f/5.6 at their longer end....the typical advice many opinion-setters dish out is often wrong, bad advice. If you are limited to f/5.6 as the biggest aperture, you simply MUST, many times, start out at ISO 400, or 500, or 640, or even 800. This is the issue with a lot of the "pro" sites; a 400mm f/2.8 lens that costs as much as a small car is very far away from a $149 55-200mm lens.

I wasn't prepared for the robin at all, it just popped out of no where. And it didn't sit still for too long. Couldn't make its mind up whether it preferred being on a branch or on the grass lol. I also wasn't carrying my tripod, so the shots were hand held and after a while the camera got surprisingly heavy. I also had my 50mm prime in at the time it appeared so there was some fumbling about to put the right lens on!

To get the shot that I was happy with I shot at 800 ISO at around 200mm (55-300mm lens). Even at that I think it was slightly underexposed so brightened it up a bit in PS RAW.