August in Photos & YouTube Vid!

The first of today’s photos are coming to you in a new form! As much as I enjoy writing, I have been doing my best to keep my screen time down. And so, I’ve decided to try and do the talking via a YouTube video.

If you like wildlife photography or looking at wildlife photos, then you'll (hopefully) enjoy the first of what will (hopefully) be a fun series. Check it out here, and do click through and give it a “like” and subscribe, if you want!

In this video I show you shots from a morning exploring the cliffs. There were butterflies, birds of prey, and… well you’ll have to watch to find out.

Sunsets Galore!

The weather might be back to it’s usual wet, english-self now, but this month has treated many of us to some phenomenal sunsets!

Portland nature photography_-2.jpg — If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen quite a few photos of these sunsets in my stories!

Although a wide shot is always a great way to show the overal view of the sunset, I really enjoy switching to a telephoto lens in these situations. In the photos below I’ve kept the same composition throughout to show how much the sky and sea change at various sunset stages. Which one do you prefer?

More Butterflies, More Sunsets!

One of the highlights of this month was joining a group of local women wildlife photographers! This was set-up by a lovely lady called Jenny (check out some of her photos here). The aim of the group is simple, it allows local ladies such as myself to photograph wildlife together, in places where we may not always feel comfortable to go to alone. It’s also a fantastic way to make friends!

I’ve joined two outings this month, the first was to the cliffs on one of the most humid evening’s I’ve ever experienced in the UK. It was like being back in Asia! The sunset was incredible, but we had more important things to photograph. That light was put to good use, as we turned our cameras towards those Chalkhill Blue butterflies.

This Small Skipper also made a brief appearance.

The second outing I joined was to a local nature reserve to photograph birds. We saw a number of species, plenty of waders (including a Ruff which I haven’t seen for a long time). Since we were nearby, we headed over to the beach to see if the local celebrity Sammy the Seal was around. Lucky for us, he was doing his best impression of a boulder in front of a crowd of fans.

Sammy the Seal started popping up along Weymouth seafront during lockdown. He was a fond sight to most, but unfortunately a few decided it would be fun (?!) to throw rocks at him. I know, I don’t understand why either. Actions like this are sad, and should motivate all of us to keep talking to about the wildlife around us, and the natural world as a whole, to help them associate nature with the same positive feelings and attitudes.

Thankfully it’s not just me and you that care! Within days of this happening, a group of volunteers was formed called The Seal Patrol. They have been present on the beach every time I’ve visited, watching over Sammy, and making sure the crowds keep a safe distance from him. With these measures in place he seems perfectly happy to be checked out by his growing hoards of fans. He’s even joined in with some of the local sea-swimmers and paddle-boarders (click here for photos you will not believe!).

Stormy Weather

Like I said, the glorious weather didn’t last for long. This week we’ve had some incredible winds, and I couldn’t resist heading out to take some shots.

Photographing and watching a raging sea is always an awesome experience, but it’s one that always reminds me of the dangers this weather can bring. I have nothing but respect for it’s power, and always ensure I keep a safe distance. Not everyone was so careful…