Bristol for a week

for the past week i have been exhibiting my work in Bristol along side fellow course mates show casing  projects we have been working on for the past year or so.

 over the course of the week we had well over 400 visitors and was a great learning curve for future exhibitions.

i couldn't resist the chance while in bristol to bring the camera along have a quick shoot.

Hints -

- Even if your staying somewhere for a short time it doesn't hurt to take your camera because you never know what you may encounter

- Waiting for better conditions if you have the option is always a good idea, this was the only day over the week that had clear blue skies which are ideal for fisheye.

- seeing a interesting photo opportunity in the building i took the shot, its something i don't normally do but quite like the out come.

Sharpham, Devon

crossing the boarder from Cornwall to Devon i soon entered Totnes where i would be spending the next few days shooting a variety of subjects.

Sharpham is a trust that owns a large amount of land with diverse habitats like estuaries, woodland, ponds and farmland. the wildlife is even more diverse and this is what attracted me to the area with otters, badgers, seals, egrets and owls all present.

i started out using a hide for most of the time then wondering around to find certain species.

With the increasingly bad weather I couldn’t use the infrared trigger with all the wet weather (I’ve already had a couple of run ins wit H2o & equipment) so I planed the next day for landscapes and smaller species.

The visit was a great chance to do aspects of photography I don’t do very often as well as practicing the ones I do a lot

Heres a trail cam shot of one of the otters at the site not far from where i set the hide up foxes and badgers are also present in this location. 

Hints –

-       Be prepared to try things you don’t’ normally do, I mainly like underwater photography but the chance to try out landscape and mammals gave me a better understanding of them

-       Ask and you shall receive! A simple email to the reserve and I was able to stay I would recommend sending emails to locations you may wish to do work with

-       Know your equipment! One of the main aims was to use infrared camera traps for badgers, otters and foxes (all of which are present) but the wet weather prevented this so I didn’t want to risk breaking the trigger.

-       Try to have a clear objective the trouble (or pleasure depending on your mind frame) I found was there was so much to photograph here I kept getting distracted so next time I’ll try for a more focused target!

Sand Lizard survey

Today i went in search with members of CRAG for sand lizards a quite rare lizard in the UK and only british reptile i hadn't seen. For conservation reasons i cant release the location of the survey but it was in Cornwall!

Possible sand lizard burrows in the sand

The only sand lizard of the trip a beautifully vibrant male they get their breeding colours around this time of year

NOTE: The sand lizard is strictly protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and the Conservation (Natural habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended). Capturing, disturbing, injuring and killing sand lizards is prohibited, as is damaging or destroying their breeding sites and resting places.

Hints -

- Look for a south facing bank reptiles like to bask early in the morning
- if you require a licence to photograph something get one|! dont risk it you can look at fines up to £5000 and 6 months imprisonment.
- id recommend a long lens as they are very skittish and most attepts to get close will result in them running away.

www.jackperksphotography.co.uk
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Top Five Nature Photo Books

So slightly different to what i normally do but heres my Top Five Nature Photography Books
these are books i've looked at and thought would be useful to other nature loving people.

 Joe Cornish: A Photographer at Work

I've met Joe a couple of times and his thought process and patience for photography is incredible. This book gives you a unique insite to his mindset about landscape photography around the UK.

Buy it here

BWPA: Collection 1 & 2

Show casing the very best of British wildlife photography this photo book dosent distract with large amounts of text just a very high standard portfolio of work.

Buy it here

Wild Seas Secret Shores of Africa : Thomas Peschak

Probably my favourite Underwater Photographer Tom has a mastery of underwater photography getting interaction shots with his subjects in situations you wouldn't think possible, a must for any underwater photographer!

Buy it here

 Freeze Frame: A Wildlife Cameraman's  Adventures of Ice - Doug Allan

Last week Doug gave a talk to my Uni and after working in the wildlife filming business for over 30 years mostly with the BBC on series such as Blue Planet, Life and Life in the freezer hes got a photo or two to put into a book!

Buy it here

 The Invisible Wildlife Photographer: Bence Mate

Known for getting into Wildlife Photographer of year several times and his unique and inspiring images this book showcases a range of his work mostly his improvised hide work.

And lastly heres my attempt at a book not being published this is the end process of a year long project into Freshwater fish in the UK's Rivers it will how ever be visalbe along with prints and many other nature photographers work as Nature Exposed

Rosemullion, Cornwall

Rosemullion is on the Helford river in Cornwall and joining fellow Nature Exposed Photographer Ben Protheroe we looked around the shore and rockpools for subjects to photograph. Ben concentrated on macro above water while i looked at fisheye under the water a personal favorite of mine!

Cornish sucker fish (above) are quite abundant in the rockpools of the south west and are quite unusual among fish as they dont have a swim bladder.

Edible crab 

Taking a break from the rockpools i noticed quite alot of flowers near this coastal location and as its something i very rarely photograph thought id give it go with some surprising results for me!

if your good with plants id welcome the id as i havent a clue what the bottom one is

Taken not far away this video shows me rockpooling and snorkelling at Pendennis, Cornwall

Hints -

- Be willing to work with others with the rockpooling i knew quite alot of the species where as ben knew the area well so team work can benefit both parties!

- Watch out for the tide coming in it can come quick another reason for a partner!

- Crabs have claws and aren't afraid to use them wear gloves for them!

www.jackperksphotography.co.uk

Bissoe visit with CRAG & Cornwall wildlife trust

Getting in contact with local groups is incredibly beneficial to the nature photographer as theirs wealth of knowledge to be had with in them so acting on this i went to a reptile & amphibian survey day at Bissoe valley nature reserve in Cornwall not far from Truro and owned by Cornwall Wildlife Trust. The wildlife trust is a great organisation to get involved where ever you are in the country and would highly recommend getting involved with them! the other organisation there today was CRAG (Cornwall Reptile & Amphibian Group) who monitor the herptiles around Cornwall.

Duncan (centre) the warden for Bissoe taking us around the reserve and its many ponds home to Palmate newts, Grass snakes and  Toads.

Pete one of CRAG'S volunteers with a damsel fly

 One of the many Palmate newts found during the survey

 While the volunteers look for amphibian life this Common Toad sits by the pond with its tadpoles

After this herptile filled morning i then went to slow worm site not to far away to try my look for some legless lizards and found a healthy population basking in the april sunshine.

Hints -

- Get involved with the Wildlife Trusts! or other organisations like ARG, RSPB and The National Trust
- Know what species are likely to be in the area

Minnow Madness!

April is here and love is in the water for the fish population at my local brook! i put away the fisheye lens and cracked out the 60mm macro for a change to document something a little different Minnows!

The Common minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) is a tiny fish that lives in clean, clear streams in large shoals and the males have vivid colours across there bodies which is what i wanted to get.

 A rush of testerone in the males causes the bumps on its head called tubercles

They may be ready to breed but not stupid they hide near stones to avoid predators