Adrian Dancy
9P1A0624 Black Redstart (Female) Manchester
Black Redstart. (Phoenicurus ochruros) Full frame.
I have long maintained that of all wildlife photography types/genres, urban birds can be amongst the most difficult or challenging for getting shots that would pass as half decent. When I say 'urban' I don't mean the back garden or park, I mean city centre built up areas with high rises, high footfall, heavy vehicular traffic, heat extractors and windows chucking out wobbly air, smoke from traffic and rubbish floating about like tumbleweed in a spaghetti western. You do not get the luxury of getting the light behind you because the high rise buildings block the light for most of the day, especially when it is early or late and the light is at its sweetest. The bright light you do get is usually harsh overhead sun (not good for bird photography) when you are lucky to get sun at all. Very often you are in shadow so the light is dim but the next second the creature can hop into bright overhead sun. It can get quite windy in the back streets with the 'wind tunnel' effect. The frustration builds! In the summer the heat on the concrete and tarmac creates shimmer even at close range, shimmer kills sharpness. You cannot always use tripods because of vibration caused by the traffic and tripods can inhibit pedestrians seeking passage. Often, when you prepare to take a shot, a bus or lorry goes by, either putting a creature in more shade or blocking the subject altogether, or worse, scaring it off. Very often the presence of pedestrians limits maneuvering your lens when on a narrow path. You get no pre-arranged setups from tour guides or leaders. You have to make your own setups if indeed setups are possible. The buildings and architectural features can throw up very odd intersecting lines especially when shooting upwards. And of course, you have to wait for a bird that may not turn up at all! You have to remain alert and you cannot relax into conversations with members of the public who are determined to converse with you, or those you may feel obliged to engage with. Trust me...when you chat you will miss the bird or action. I have imaged urban peregrines a lot. Probably more than anyone in the UK. You don't get the benefit of a falcon appearing in your peripheral vision or at a distance as you would at a coastal setting so that you can line up a shot...such would be a luxury. You may get a bird for half a second with a clear sky but for the most part, there will be a building making tracking more difficult. Peregrines at the coast in my view are unlikely to be a real challenge IMHO once you get past getting the license (for UK birds in breeding season). Another irritating factor is having to get permissions to use land or buildings and listening to the crass health and safety reasons why you won't be allowed. Occasionally building security staff interupt your day with the usual 'you may be a terrorist' excuse to try and stop you. Sometimes though building owners are sympathetic and I have found some to go beyond being reasonable in order to assist. I thank them.
When I embarked on my first family of Black Redstarts this year, I spent upwards of 15 hours in a stinky hole of a back alley squatting next to rubbish bins in the company of rats and enduring all of the above including the worst of all....people...loud mouthed yobs and drunkards and all the tossers that society can throw at you who just want to ruin your day, if not rob you. A long lens is a magnet, a curiosity, for such people, which I could well do without. However, I did meet some decent folk who did their best to accommodate my needs and I thank them for it. And finally, for me, it's all about the birds and because of the birds...I wouldn't change a thing!
9P1A0624 Black Redstart (Female) Manchester
Black Redstart. (Phoenicurus ochruros) Full frame.
I have long maintained that of all wildlife photography types/genres, urban birds can be amongst the most difficult or challenging for getting shots that would pass as half decent. When I say 'urban' I don't mean the back garden or park, I mean city centre built up areas with high rises, high footfall, heavy vehicular traffic, heat extractors and windows chucking out wobbly air, smoke from traffic and rubbish floating about like tumbleweed in a spaghetti western. You do not get the luxury of getting the light behind you because the high rise buildings block the light for most of the day, especially when it is early or late and the light is at its sweetest. The bright light you do get is usually harsh overhead sun (not good for bird photography) when you are lucky to get sun at all. Very often you are in shadow so the light is dim but the next second the creature can hop into bright overhead sun. It can get quite windy in the back streets with the 'wind tunnel' effect. The frustration builds! In the summer the heat on the concrete and tarmac creates shimmer even at close range, shimmer kills sharpness. You cannot always use tripods because of vibration caused by the traffic and tripods can inhibit pedestrians seeking passage. Often, when you prepare to take a shot, a bus or lorry goes by, either putting a creature in more shade or blocking the subject altogether, or worse, scaring it off. Very often the presence of pedestrians limits maneuvering your lens when on a narrow path. You get no pre-arranged setups from tour guides or leaders. You have to make your own setups if indeed setups are possible. The buildings and architectural features can throw up very odd intersecting lines especially when shooting upwards. And of course, you have to wait for a bird that may not turn up at all! You have to remain alert and you cannot relax into conversations with members of the public who are determined to converse with you, or those you may feel obliged to engage with. Trust me...when you chat you will miss the bird or action. I have imaged urban peregrines a lot. Probably more than anyone in the UK. You don't get the benefit of a falcon appearing in your peripheral vision or at a distance as you would at a coastal setting so that you can line up a shot...such would be a luxury. You may get a bird for half a second with a clear sky but for the most part, there will be a building making tracking more difficult. Peregrines at the coast in my view are unlikely to be a real challenge IMHO once you get past getting the license (for UK birds in breeding season). Another irritating factor is having to get permissions to use land or buildings and listening to the crass health and safety reasons why you won't be allowed. Occasionally building security staff interupt your day with the usual 'you may be a terrorist' excuse to try and stop you. Sometimes though building owners are sympathetic and I have found some to go beyond being reasonable in order to assist. I thank them.
When I embarked on my first family of Black Redstarts this year, I spent upwards of 15 hours in a stinky hole of a back alley squatting next to rubbish bins in the company of rats and enduring all of the above including the worst of all....people...loud mouthed yobs and drunkards and all the tossers that society can throw at you who just want to ruin your day, if not rob you. A long lens is a magnet, a curiosity, for such people, which I could well do without. However, I did meet some decent folk who did their best to accommodate my needs and I thank them for it. And finally, for me, it's all about the birds and because of the birds...I wouldn't change a thing!