Category: Photography

Don’t despair if you get an underexposed and noisy photo of something interesting…there are ways and means to recover…provided you were shooting RAW with your digital camera!

This heron landed on the garden fence and was peering into the neighbour’s pond. I grabbed a snap through the back window. It was early morning, dull, and I didn’t get the right settings before it flew off.

A bit of software to reduce noise reduction (DxO PureRaw2) worked to get rid of much of the noise/grain in the photo, it’s equivalent to turning the ISO/sensor sensitivity down by 3 stops (akin to 3200 to 400, say), which would naturally reduce noise. Topaz Denoise AI does something similar.

The DxO software lets you export the processed file as a pseudo-RAW (a DNG file) so you can then import it into a RAW editor and “develop” it as you would the RAW file straight from your digital camera.

I imported the processed DNG into PaintShopPro and did the usual curves and levels tweaks to brighten it and so salvaged a half-decent record shot of the heron from an awful snap. On close examination, there is still a degree of noise, but it’s not too bad, probably not print quality, but okay for social media.

Mrs Sciencebase and myself were celebrating a significant wedding anniversary last week and so took a trip to Dorset. I didn’t carry a proper landscape lens with my birding camera, so these are just a load of highly processed phone snaps.

My very good friend Vicki who is a fellow birder, former moth-er, and archaeology enthusiast, suggested I write about photographing wildlife for my next column in our village newsletter. So, putting proverbial pen to paper while inspiration struck, here’s what I came up with in fifteen minutes…

What’s the one thing you definitely need to get a decent wildlife photograph? There are myriad answers that come to mind – an expensive camera, a big zoom lens, a portable hide and a Ghillie suit, a fancy tripod and a Bluetooth shutter release app? Those things might help and you could always put them on your Christmas wishlist, of course. But, probably the most important thing to have is a good supply of patience.

Now, I am not saying I’ve got plenty of that or even that I take decent wildlife photographs, but certainly you can have the most sophisticated (for which generally read: expensive) photographic equipment but if you don’t have a little patience, then it’ll be down to pure luck that you get the shot you hoped for, the one that might win prizes or find a place in a charity calendar, for instance.

Occasionally, you might stumble across a sight for sore eyes, such as a kingfisher, a little egret, and a great white egret all feeding on the same patch of the Cottenham Lode, or a grey heron gulping down a whole water vole*, or an otter grooming itself on the bank of the Great River Ouse. You might spot a rare bird of prey, such as a Montagu’s Harrier quartering farmland or even stumble across a congregation of more than 80 common buzzards drawn to a field near Soham at the end of August when the farmer was moving haybails and disturbing countless tasty rodents. Such is life that to get those decent wildlife shots you need luck more than patience and to be in the right place, at the right time, as they say.

So, this worrying concept of patience…is there an app for that? Unfortunately not. Aside from the lucky find, if you’re hoping for a decent or even just a half-decent wildlife photograph, you’re going to have to spend quite a bit of time in the great outdoors. Keeping a keen eye on every tree, every hedgerow, every stream, and always with a weather eye to the sky for the airborne wildlife.

But, as we perhaps all learned, time in the great outdoors is a precious commodity, it can’t be replaced with a virtual reality headset, you simply don’t get the sun on your face, the mud on your boots, nor the wind in your hair [present company excepted, Ed.] Regardless of what kit you’re carrying whether high-end smart phone, a professional digital SLR with all the trimmings, or a more cheap and cheerful device, take some time, look around, and get a bit snap happy with the wildlife that’s out there.

If you want to judge whether my wildlife photos are half-decent check out my galleries on Imaging Storm or the Sciencebase Instagram.

*Incidentally, I saw the heron eating the vole but I was nowhere near quick enough to get my camera pointed at the bird and its lunch before the unfortunate mammal was gone.

TL:DR – You can keep up with more of my nature-oriented photos and other images on the Sciencebase Instagram.

Photos are mostly taken on a Canon 7D mark ii with either a Sigma 150-600mm for the bird shots and a Tamron 90mm 1:1 for the macro shots of moths and butterflies. Older photos would have been taken on a Canon 6D with those and other lenses and older still on various compact digital cameras, Lumix, Canon, Nikon. Occasionally phone photos. As of February 2021, 600 followers. 730 followers as of the end of July 2022. 780 followers as of March 2023.

I asked ChatGPT to write me a marketing blurb to try and persuade you to follow me on Instagram. Do you feel persuaded?

Attention all nature lovers! Are you looking for an Instagram account that will transport you to the beauty of the natural world? Then look no further! The Sciencebase Instagram page is the perfect place for you. Creator, David Bradley, specializes in capturing the intricate details of moths and butterflies, the majesty and beauty of birds, and serene landscapes in a special style he likes to call “smallscapes”. You could say, every photo is a masterpiece that will hopefully leave you feeling awestruck and inspired.

Not only will you be able to enjoy stunning imagery, but you’ll also learn fascinating facts about each species featured. The Sciencebase Insta is perfect for those who are passionate about nature and want to deepen their knowledge of the world around us. Plus, if you’re someone who is interested in photography, you’ll love seeing the creative ways David captures these natural wonders.

So what are you waiting for? Follow Sciencebase on Instagram and let’s embark on a journey through the incredible beauty of the natural world together!

Another flying visit to Manchester and a few phone photos to which I gave a bit of an over-the-top Snapseed treatment. Snapseed is a powerful and popular photo editing application available for free on Android and iOS devices. The app offers a wide range of features and tools that allow users to style their photos creatively.

On 17th March 2023, I thought I’d ask ChatGPT to act as a travel adviser and tell me a bit about Manchester, the sights and sounds, as it were:

Known for its rich industrial heritage and vibrant music scene, Manchester is a thriving city in the northwest of England that offers visitors a wealth of cultural attractions, entertainment options, and natural beauty.

The Manchester Museum: This museum is located on the campus of the University of Manchester and has a collection of more than four million objects ranging from ancient fossils to contemporary art.

The Manchester Art Gallery: The gallery has a vast collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts. You can find works by famous artists such as Pre-Raphaelites and Turner.

The John Rylands Library: This library was founded in the 19th century and is famous for its collection of rare books and manuscripts, including the oldest known fragment of the New Testament.

Old Trafford: Home of Manchester United Football Club, Old Trafford is a must-visit for football enthusiasts. You can take a tour of the stadium and learn about the history of the club.

The Northern Quarter: This is a trendy area of Manchester known for its independent shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants. You can explore the vibrant street art, vintage stores, and eclectic eateries.

The Science and Industry Museum: This museum showcases Manchester’s industrial past and has exhibitions on steam engines, textiles, and the birth of computing.

The Whitworth Art Gallery: This gallery has a collection of over 60,000 works of art, including textiles, wallpapers.