Kestrel Spot

This morning I managed to get out with the camera, to do what I love doing - wildlife watching. After being busy with work and shooting weddings, I needed to unwind with some wildlife photography.
I took a very slow drive through all the country lanes and stopped in a place that I thought was suitable and not long after I saw two female Kestrels scouting the heath overhead. As I scrambled through the gorse, brambles & nettles (in shorts may I add) I heard one of the kestrels calling. In my experience, Kestrels are pretty quiet animals and rarely call, so I was quite surprised to hear its vocalic sound. It wasn't long until I realised that it was because a Marsh Harrier had swooped in next to them.

I wasn't expecting great shots as I only had a Canon 70-200mm lens on me, so it was merely simple document shots. I had it out in case I managed to get any close encounters, but instead I saw these two kestrels bickering which was exciting.

(with a small crop)

I tried to make the most of the minimal focal length by including the habitat in the shot. Looking back at the shots, I should have crouched lower and composed more gorse in the frame and tried to boarder the frame. But its a start and something I can improve on when working with a restrictive focal length.



To look at my other work, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.





Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Bristol Trip/exhibitions

For any of you locating my site, unfortunately it is down at the moment so I have linked the URL to my blog page.

I have had a great week or two, holding two exhibitions and helping out at the British Red Squirrel stand for the Festival of Nature.

From the 8th -13th June I had an exhibition in Bristol named 'Nature Exposed'. This was a showcase of work from the 'Marine and Natural History Photography' course that has just recently graduated from Falmouth university.

The exhibition was a great success with hundreds of people turning up, receiving a lot of positive feedback. We had been organising this exhibition for roughly 9months so having it going to plan was a big relief!

Starting from the 15th June, I have an exhibition with all of the graduates on the course with is held at the university in Falmouth which is still running, so if you are in the area - check it out!

After Nature Exposed was finished, I spent a couple more days in Bristol so I could help out at the Festival of Nature but before that I met up with Richard Brock who has worked in the BBC for 35years but left last year and now he makes his own conservation films. (www.brockinitiative.org) I have been in contact with him for a good couple of months now but it was great to finally meet him and talk about a subject we are both passionate about. My goal in life is to become a wildlife cameraman so if you are reading this and require a helping hand in anything relavent to this subject - drop me a line!

Last Saturday 16th June, I helped out at the British Red Squirrel stand at the Festival of Nature. This involved mainly educating the public about the threats and the struggle for survival  that the red squirrel faces. I had photo prints for sale too which generated interest, and I was fortunate enough to sell some too! (www.britishredsquirrel.org)

This was a very productive week talking to natural history film productions such as the BBC at the festival and I gain some great contacts!


To look at my other work, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.





Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Falmouth Beach Hotel Fire

Today at about 12pm the Falmouth Beach Hotel burned down. It is said that 100 firefighters tackled the inferno, and thankfully there are no reports of any injuries. The Royal Navy helicopter was used to view the state of the  building from above. 

The fire started on the third floor of the 4 storey building but spread throughout the whole property. There were strong gusts of winds which made fighting the blaze very "challenging". All the water from the power hoses were merely tickling the surface of the building because of the strong gales.

By about 3pm the fire was still going. A very unfortunate event, and especially as it is happened just before the summer season!

To look at my other work, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.





Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

What is it like to be a wildlife photographer?

I was interviewed on my local, Cornish radio station, last Saturday. It was my first time being interviewed for the radio so I was pretty nervous but I think it turned out OK and it was a great experience! I was interviewed by Tori Orchard, who asked me what it was like to be a wildlife photographer and asked me about the projects that I am doing at the moment.


Below is the actual interview but I placed some images over the top of the conversation explaining my video and various other bits.

To look at my other work, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.





Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Something Different: Slacklining

Very quickly before I start, I went on a shoot the other day and gained a very positive response with the shots I took. Here they are below. So thank you for that. I have decided to start photographing things that represent Jersey; starting with the Jersey cow and a part of its history - Grosnez castle.

Today I  went out and discovered a couple of places that I want to photograph to show the agriculture and farming side of Jersey. I found a nice place that over looks Gorey castle, which would act as a nice backdrop. However, there were no clouds in the sky so I didn't take any shots worth showing. So landscapes were off the cards for today unless clouds suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but they didn't. Instead, I went slacklining with my older brother.

Slacklining is a very new sport and therefore isn't very well known. Its very simple and anyone can do it! It involves strapping the line against two poles/trees and walking across it. There are several tricks and manoeuvres you can do and behind all this fun it tones your core muscles, without you noticing.

Anyway, did this for a bit and then decided to start photographing my brother, using the fisheye (10.5mm) lens. I wanted to do something similar to the cow shot I took, with the glare from the sun. So heres how they turned out:

Tried it without flash to get this silhouette effect

To look at my other work, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.





Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Research: Green Lizard

A scary thought hit me that I am graduating in a couple of months and I will need to find a job to fund my wildlife photography. However, all I can think about is what wildlife to shoot this summer and what projects I want to do in the future!
After graduation I will move back to Jersey so I thought it would be good to start a project on Jerseys wildlife.

Jersey is home to some unique wildlife that may not be found anywhere else in Britain; The agile frog, lesser white-toothed shrew, the Jersey bank vole (a litter bigger than UK bank vole), green and wall lizards and also the red squirrel, which I have been working on all year.

I have been researching these species over the past couple of weeks now and today I decided to head to the west coast to see if I could find any green lizards. Although it isn't summer quite yet, the sun was shining so I thought I might have a chance of seeing them basking on rocks and metal sheets that have been placed on the ground for them.

 

Lizards are cold-blooded and therefore rely on heat from the sun or hot surfaces to digest their food and move around. Rocks and these metal sheets absorb heat from the sun, allowing it to stay warm for a long period of time. This is great for the lizards, because not only does it keep them warm but it gives them cover from predators like the populous Kestrels and Marsh Harriers.

Female Green Lizard

 

In total I found 4 green lizards in the area. When lifting the sheets of metal I made sure I placed it back where it was and the lizard was only exposed briefly.
 Come summer these Lizards will be a lot easier to photograph because they will be basking on rocks in the sun, so I won't be causing any disturbance.

Jersey is the only place is the whole of the British Isles where Green Lizards are native. However, they are increasingly under threat, for more information see the Jersey Green Lizard Project - www.greenlizard.org.je

Remember:

• Always put the wildlife before yourself; if the wildlife appears agitated and scared - leave it alone.
• Keep noise levels to a minimum
• Do not overcrowd the species
• Research the species before photographing it.

To look at my other work, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.





Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Camera Slider

I went to my local Cornish woodland yesterday and tried out some video rail stuff. The contraption was put together using two pieces of 6ft PVC piping and another cut in half to act as the sliders. My mate, Sam Stewart built the slider and I went to try it out. There are a few alterations we need to do to improve the smoothness of the shot but for the first attempt I think it turned out pretty well.

Short video sequence:

Click the Youtube logo and it will relocate you to see it larger.


To look at my previous shoots, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.

Contact:

markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Support My Work

www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography 

Check out my facebook page, it holds a selection of my photographs in a portfolio style folder.
Aside from this, I post all of my updates on what I am up to and any other relevant information.

Through this page, you can ask me anything you want, whether it be about wildlife, a new camera you have got, any photographic tips in the field.. Tell me whatever you like and I will do my best to help you out!

It would be greatly appreciated if you could support my work.
If you have any friends you feel would like the page, share it to them. www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography


Thanks guys, speak soon

Mark




Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk

Squirrel Chase Sequence

Hello,

I have been super busy trying to get the shots I have planned.
Basically, I am planning a video about raising awareness of the red squirrel and how people can get squirrels into their garden and educating them on what is best to feed them etc.

This video is a short piece I have put together which will be in my final video. It displays a common behaviour of squirrels; when they chase each other, spiralling up and down the tree in order to gain dominance or a mate.

A chase between a male & female and between two males look pretty similar but you can usually tell when they the male finishes by mating with the female or it finishes when one male exits the scene.

Here is the edit, enjoy and let me know what you think!!!

Youtube link below for the option of having it in larger size
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEU5FzHLACI

To look at my other work, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.



Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Building a quick hide

I am back in Jersey now for a couple of weeks to film the red squirrels for my major project.
On the side, I thought that I would photograph a couple birds in the garden.

A mini Christmas tree was planted in the garden few years ago and now it has grown to around 10ft. The birds have favoured this tree and I thought that a blue tit would make a nice shot with the green leaves.
So this afternoon, I decided to construct a simple hide to help me get the shot.



Building the hide:

• I hung camo netting from the upstairs window down to the bottom window.
  This type of netting can be ordered from various places online.
• I weaved an old clothes airer into the bench to hold the shape and to allow space to manuover.
• I then constructed a wind break/blind to the left side of the hide.
  This is waterproof, camo tarpolin was purchased from a local DIY store. (It makes an excellent ground mat too)

 

I allowed enough space to place the tripod inbetween the bench and the window.

I cut a slit through the netting to fit the lens through.
After 20mins the hide was complete!

View from inside

My next step was to attract the birds to the place I want!


I straped a wooden pole against the wall and attached a coconut with a fatball mixture inside (the blue tits favourite at this time of year). This is to attract the blue tits to the area regularly, instead of flying to the other end of the garden where the feeder is.
I also sprinkled some crushed peanuts on the branches for them to feed on.

I was suprised to see that the bluetit was already feeding from the coconut even though its on the other end of the garden, but it got to dark before I could test the hide so I will wait for sunrise tomorrow!

I am going to buy some peanut butter to spread on the branches which should hopefully stop the seeds from falling onto the floor.

Watch this space to see what happens tomorrow morning!

To look at my other work, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.





Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Walk from Kynance Cove to Lizard Point

Last Friday I went out with professional photographer David Chapman to Kynance cove and then we walked along the coast to the Lizard point. This field trip was very informative and I learned a lot  about the geological structure and history about the place, as well as identifying species of plants and birds.

Here are a few shots that I took on the day;

Wheatear

Wheatear

Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Pair of Fulmar

Jackdaw

Contact:
markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Red squirrel improvement

This edit features footage from day 3 in Scotland. Day 2 consisted of removing an old unnecessary feeder and thinking about where to place my hide.
I tried to incorporate more squirrel footage in this video and kept it shorter then the last video.

Hide and the feeder

Tips to take from the video:

• Build a hide and commit to staying in it
• Do not move out from the hide until wildlife has gone
• Keep noise level as minimal as you can
• Its Winter so wrap up warm to reduce distractions
• Placing bait down is a great way of attracting wildlife
• Be sure to research the subject thoroughly before photographing it

To look at the journey I took to get to Scotland, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.

Contact:

markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

First contact with the red squirrels

Finally my first edit with my encounters of the red squirrel. This has taken me ages to edit due to technical aspects of the video, however, it is here and ready to watch.
This video edit is on my first day in Scotland filming the red squirrels. Like I said in my last videoblog, the rangers were called off site due to very strong winds so I was very weary about leaving. It took until the early afternoon to venture out. I had never been to this place before so it was a new experience for me. Nevertheless, my photographic instinct kicked in and this is what I got up to.
Wildlife was shot on Nikon d7000 and presenting was on gopro.

Not a bad hide!

I would be very grateful if you could leave any comments about the video. 

Tips to take from the video:

• I wouldn't recommend going to a woodland in strong winds
• A building makes a great hide when in the right place
• If you can, avoid shooting through windows/glass as you lose quality and light
• Standing outside, waiting without a hide won't benefit either yourself or the subject
• Be aware, patient & quiet! 
• Don't do anything to harm the subject 

To look at the journey I took to get to Scotland, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.

Contact:

markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Video Blog: Arrive in Accommodation

I'm in my accommodation at last! This accomodation is on the grounds of Brodick Castle and it is where the rangers stay, however, they are off season at the moment so I was able to live in there for a week.

Just so you have an idea of where I am I have included a labelled map of the grounds.
So my accommodation was in the bottom left, a short 5minute walk north-east, through the woodland will take you to the castle and then the ranger centre (where I based my filming) is located just behind the castle.

This edit is just a video blog I did updating the situation I was in when I had just arrived into the accommodation. Leaving London at around 11pm and arriving in Arran the following evening at around 5pm  so I was pretty relieved when I was finally in my accommodation!
Nothing special but may be of interest to some of you if you want to know about my experience..

To look at the journey I took to get to Scotland, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.

Contact:

markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography

Part Three: Glasgow to Isle of Arran

In order to start on existing work I need to power through the backlog of work I did over Christmas. As most of you know, most of this work was done in Scotland, where I spent a week filming the red squirrels.
My task is to go through that painful, tedious process we call editing. Over these next couple of days I will be posting my video blogs so if you feel like you may have missed one just check the previous post for the missing gap.
Yesterday, I edited the bus journey from London to Glasgow, now I am posting the train and ferry journey from Glasgow to Arran (where my filming begins). I am sorry if these videos may seem a little boring at the moment but they need to be done for the next chapter to 'flow'.

So low and behold the final video on my travelling experience!! (like all others - all footage shot on gopro)

Tips to take from the video:

• Travelling from Cornwall to Scotland by bus is a very cheap but long process so be prepared to be uncomfortable, have very little sleep
• On big journeys like these, boredom becomes your best friend
• When travelling in Winter, the weather will NOT be your best friend and will cause many delays
• The gopro camera is very reliable and I recommend it to anyone

To look at my previous journeys, scroll to the 'older post' button on the bottom right.

Contact:

markfoxphoto@hotmail.co.uk
www.facebook.com/markfoxphotography