Often we can find macro treasures to photograph while exploring the flower beds in the yards around our own homes. This article features a selection of images captured using handheld in-camera focus stacking in combination with the M.Zuiko 90 mm f/3.5 PRO IS Macro lens and M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter.
Category Archives: Animals
BIF Shutter Speeds
BIF shutter speeds are often discussed amongst bird photographers. While there certainly are variations in approach, there are also some general guidelines that many photographers follow.
1680 EFOV Handheld Technique
This article discusses how I adjusted my 1680 mm efov handheld technique when using the M.Zuiko 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom lens with the M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter. While I wouldn’t normally use this set-up for birds in free flight, there are times when it comes in handy when photographing birds or insects taking flight from a distant perched position.
Heron Catching a Snake
This article features a selection of images documenting a heron catching a snake at one of the ponds at Hendrie Valley. These photographs were captured in a 24 minute time frame… counted from when the heron first attacked the snake until it flew off with its catch.
These images are graphic and may not be appropriate for folks who are squeamish about some of the brutality found in nature.
Bird Photography After 10
This article discusses doing bird photography after 10 o’clock in the morning… which is not considered to be an ideal time of day. Birds are most active earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon.
My schedule has been a bit crazy lately, so I try to fit in some field practice when I can. I ended up arriving at Hendrie Valley just as some other photographers were leaving. The good news was that I was able to get a parking spot. 🙂 Continue reading Bird Photography After 10
First Swallows of 2025
The first swallows of 2025 have returned to Biggar Lagoon Wetlands in Grimsby, and were welcomed by a good number of bird watchers and a few photographers.
HHFS Butterfly Images
In preparation for the upcoming spring/summer outdoor macro photography season, I recently got in some practice with HHFS (handheld focus stacked) butterfly images at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.
DxO Smart Lighting
DxO Smart Lighting is an adjustment that I use with all of my RAW files, regardless of the subject matter in my photographs. I can’t comment on the use of this function with larger sensor cameras, but I can say that I’ve found this tool to be very useful with all of my images captured with smaller sensor cameras like Nikon 1 and Olympus/OM System M4/3 equipment.
Local Bird Photography
For many folks, doing local bird photography is their best option from both cost and time commitment perspectives. Flying to an out-of-country location to spend a week with a professional photographer/guide to photograph exotic birds can be an exciting prospect. From a practical perspective it is simply out-of-reach financially for many of us.
Mid-March Birding
Mid-March birding can be a bit of a challenge in Southern Ontario since the spring bird migration is only in its earliest phase with robins and grackles starting to arrive. We are left with a limited number of species… many of which some folks do not find particularly exciting to photograph. Birds like Canada geese, gulls, fairly common ducks, swans, and small species like sparrows and chickadees.