søndag 19. august 2018

SHETLAND JUNE - JULY 2018


Diving gannet / havsule
Nikon D5, 14-24 2,8 / 14 mm, f/14,0, 1/1000, ISO 3200

I had been planning the underwater shooting for a full year ... and as the months went by my fantasies of the possible shots were getting a bit out of hand. Previous to this I had also seen a picture awarded in an int. photo competition that had inspired me a lot. My good and incredibly generous friend Arnfinn Johansen lent me his Aquatic underwater housing for Nikon D5, and in late June 2018 I dragged all the gear all the way to Shetland. I had never done underwater shooting before and accordingly I was unexperienced and had to gamble with the settings. I also knew I would only have one chance out there, once the camera is in the water there is no adjustment of settings in my solution. Through the "feeding frenzy" the gannets were diving "wild and close" ... and I shot 900 pictures down there.

The settings on my camera were obviously disturbed as I had pushed he camera into the housing, and the shock and horror over having shot 900 unsharp pictures was a "fist in the face". I could not believe I had committed such a massive f.... up !! A complete disaster !

However, some people at Shetland didn't`t like to listen to adult men crying .... and in spite of previous bookings, scedules, transportation logistics, accommodations etc .... I was given a second chance on my last day at Shetland. I changed the settings completely, went from 35 mm to 14 mm lens, from f/6,3 to f/16,0, from 1/800 to 1/1000 sec and from manuel fixed focus to autofocus with 72 focus points ..... and shot 1000 sharp pictures. Out of the 1000 pics 7 were OK.

A warm thank you to Brydon Thomasson of Shetland Nature, Phil Harris of Shetland Seabirds Tours, photographer Conrad Dickinson and of course Arnfinn Johansen.
Also thanks to Minna Lindroth, Markus Varesvuo and Ingebjørg Une Hagen.


Diving gannets / havsule
Nikon D5, 14-24 2,8 / 14 mm, f/14,0, 1/1000, ISO 3200


Diving gannets / havsule
Nikon D5, 14-24 2,8 / 14 mm, f/14,0, 1/1000, ISO 2000


Diving gannets / havsule
Nikon D5, 14-24 2,8 / 14 mm, f/14,0, 1/1000, ISO 2000


Like a torpedo ! Diving gannet / havsule
Nikon D5, 14-24 2,8 / 14 mm, f/14,0, 1/1000, ISO 3200


Diving gannet / havsule
Nikon D5, 14-24 2,8 / 14 mm, f/14,0, 1/1000, ISO 2000


Diving gannet / havsule
Nikon D5, 14-24 2,8 / 14 mm, f/14,0, 1/1000, ISO 2000


Gannet in flight ... overlooking the breaking waves on the marine rocks ...  deep down below
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/2500, ISO 2200


Gannet in flight / havsule
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/2500, ISO 1400


The idea was to shoot the white gannet towards a totally black background
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 9000


Some of the limestone formations in the bird colonies north of Lerwick appear almost totally black. 
A great chance to shoot white bird towards a black background
Nikon D5, 400 2,8, F76,3, 1/2500, ISO 6400


If I`d been a fish looking up in those determined eyes .. I would have been terrified !
Gannet just before a dive
Nikon D5, 400 2,8, f/6,3, 1/2500, ISO 280


Gannet portrait / havsule
Nikon D5, 400 2,8, f/6,3, 1/3200, ISO 720

 Fulma / havhest


Merlin male / dvergfalk
Nikon D5, 600 4,0 + 1,4 conv. = 850 mm, f/6,3, 1/1600, ISO 560


Female merlin in flight / dvergfalk. 
Remember : the merlin is shy, fast and very small. Flight shots are difficult !
Nikon D5, 600 4,0 + 1,4 conv. = 850 mm, f/6,3, 1/1600, ISO 560


Puffin / lundefugl. Once again the idea was to shoot the flight towards dark background
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/3200, ISO 7200


Great skua / storjo. 
The idea was to shoot the bird`s head sticking up from the cotton grass meadow with blurry foreground & background
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/800, ISO 250 


Great skua / storjo 
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/1250, ISO 720 


Great skua interaction / storjo 
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 2800 


The great skua is a big bird and the main predator in the Shetland birdcolonies 
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/4,5, 1/2000, ISO 3600 


Black guillemots / teist. 
The idea was to make a simple, but strong composition with the black birds in a whiteout situation
Nikon d5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/2500, ISO 2000


Black guillemot / teist 
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 360


Black guillemot / teist 
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/2500, ISO 1800


Black guillemot / teist 
Nikon D5, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO 500


Goodbye from Shetland. Grey seal / havert
Nikon D5, 24-70 2,8, / 70 mm, f/8,0, 1/1000, ISO 2800

1 kommentar:

  1. Otroligt fina bilder Tom. Gratulerar, och tur att du fick en andra chans :-)

    SvarSlett

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