They are cute and fat looking, in an edible sort of way, but man do they never stop cooing.
2 Likes
Good for them, I don’t like to eat birds 
I got extra security camera just for them and put old laptop to stream it to Youtube live (OBS studio), so now anyone can look what they are doing and listen how they are cooing :).
There might be occasional blackouts due to various reasons. I haven’t done any streaming before. My plan is to keep this live running as long as birds are there.
28.4.2024
29.4.2024
30.4.2024
Stacked with Helicon Focus from two hand held images. Should have taken more images.
1.5.2024
Experiment with portable diffuser/reflector.
10 Likes
9.5.2024
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First night there was clouds and then I was too late for the second nights auroras
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I particularly like the ? swallow on 13 May. Do you know what breed the bird is?
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Thanks Martin. It is barn swallow (Hirundo rustica ). It was too fast for me, but I still liked how that framing worked.
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Thanks for the amazing photos, and kudos for keeping it up. I especially love the close-up nature compositions.
Since almost 5 months have passed since you started, I wonder if there is anything you have learned from this project so far that you would want to share (which could be technique, composition, stuff about cameras, your favorite lenses, literally anything).
2 Likes
Thanks Thomas!
Some random things I can share. These are not in any particular order.
The most important thing I have learned so far is that post-processing takes quite a lot of time. I have been lazy on that front, but I don’t want to be in front of the computer too much. Maybe next year I will concentrate on that.
One thing I still need to get better at is envisioning the final image. It is very difficult for me when shooting without a tripod. So, I tend to keep compositions wider and finalize the composition in darktable.
One tip for nature images I can give is to go low to the ground. It is pretty easy to separate the main element from the background by doing just that one thing. This also works for photographing kids. Additionally, it helps maintain some flexibility for my aging body.
Regarding lenses: I have fallen more and more in love (if that can be said about camera gear) with tilt-shift lenses. There have been many cases where I was shooting with zoom lenses and my hand instinctively reaches for the shift knob, only to be disappointed when it’s not there.
I’m mostly using a Canon R5, and I find it very easy to focus those manual focus tilt-shift lenses. For example, that last pigeon shot was taken with a manual focus TS-E 135mm f/4L lens. The pigeon was about 2m from me, and the focus is pretty much where I wanted it.
In-body stabilization works wonders too. I have taken images at 1/5 sec with up to 50mm non-stabilized lenses and managed to get very sharp results handheld.
In conclusion, I know what I can do with my camera and lenses. I know better when to take a tripod with me. There are only small nitpicking things about my gear, so I don’t have any real reasons to upgrade my camera later this year when Canon releases new cameras.
If there are some new tilt-shift lenses coming, then things are completely different, and I might be first in line to get some wide-angle TS-R lenses. 
4 Likes
One of my favorite things about the x-t3 and x100v is the tilt screen that can make the camera function as a hip shooter film camera and allows for close to the ground shots with ease.
2 Likes
Very nice photos, greetings from Lithuania 
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Impressive nature photos.
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Thanks for comments, it’s always nice to get those.
27.5.2024
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31.5.2024
1.6.2024
2.6.2024
13 Likes
Love the action shot of the cyclists (2 June), although they do appear to be gravity-defying
A capture with a slower shutter may have given just enough motion blur to tell a slightly different story; however, it’s very difficult to get just the right speed. I guess one could also add some simulated motion-blur in post.
The 31 May 2-wing dragonfly (?) is also intriguing. 2 legs on right, only one on left? Only 1 pair of wings? Just what is this creature?
1 Like
Thanks! I didn’t have ND-filters with me and I didn’t like longer shutter speed images I get without it. I agree that some motion blur would make it better. It was pretty wild to watch how fast they could drive those tight corners.
I think that it might be some Tipulidae which is a family of large crane flies in the order Diptera. There are quite some birds getting food for their little ones, so maybe this one has barely get away from some of those and lost one leg there.
3.6.2024
4.6.2024
I was going to photograph wild forest plants in the evening light when I saw a badger walking and sniffing the ground on a nearby path. I had to quickly adjust the shutter on the camera to full electronic mode. I just got it done when the guy went behind the old fir tree. I had just got the camera to the eye and the manual focus of the lens to the base of a tree. A quick fine-tuning of the focus and I took the picture. Immediately the badger noticed me and ran away. I didn’t photograph the flowers that evening 
This was taken with manual focus TS-E 135mm lens.
Edit: fixed wrong dates.
9 Likes
Wonderful that you got to capture the badger, even if he was a bit shy!
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Very nice one!
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That was first time I faced badger while walking in the forest so that was really nice one to get.
5.6.2024
6.6.2024 - Remote desk
Local municipality has set up remote working desks in the parks and forests. If you are sick to do your work inside you can go to do rest of the days work in the forest
7.6.2024 - The Birds
8.6.2024 - Changeling
Edit: fixed wrong dates.
9 Likes
9.6.2024
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This vr180 stereo image is best viewed on VR headset. High resolution version can be found here (8192 × 4096 – 10,0 MB)..
19.6.2024
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11 Likes