Thursday, 10th November 2011
Red Squirrel Up Close
by Will Nicholls
Over the weekend I decided to try out a new spin to my wildlife photography. Hiring a wide angle Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 VR lens, I used a ML-L3 remote to try and get up-close and personal with my subjects.
Unfortunately, the ML-L3 remote will not work with my Nikon D700, so I was down to the backup Nikon D80 camera! Next on the "to buy" list it seems is the overly expensive ML-3 remote to work with the main camera.
I placed the camera beside a rock with some hazelnuts hidden next to it. I used manual focus and set it onto the rock, leaving the aperture at f/8 to allow for a greater depth of field. As the D80 doesn't have great ISO capabilities I used ISO 400, meaning I needed a shutter speed of 1/80th of a second to allow enough light in.
Eventually the red squirrel came down from the tree, and instantly was hopping around the camera in a threat display, flicking its tail from side to side. Calming down, it would approach the nuts but the shutter would instantly send it scarpering into the trees. After a couple of tries, the squirrel eventually got used to the camera and would ignore it completely.
Equipment: Nikon D80, Nikkor 16-35mm f/4, ML-L3 remote release
Will Nicholls
I am 16 years old, born on 9th January 1995, and a self-taught wildlife photographer. I have been taking photographs since September 2007, and I live in Haydon Bridge in Northumberland, England. I hope to study zoology at Bristol university, and I aspire to become a broadcasting naturalist, following in the footsteps of Sir David Attenborough and Steve Backshall.
Website: www.willnicholls.co.uk
Red Squirrel Up Close by Will Nicholls was photo of the day on Thursday, 10th November 2011. It is tagged Squirrels, Wildlife. You can leave a comment below.
42 Comments
Jenny Robinson
I hope the little guy got his well deserved treat. You did a great job, Will. At 16, this is a very good start. I hope to see more of your photo art.
Taiji Guo
Cute and nice shot!
Mary R. Mullins
I love your picture, to be so close. Very Very Good.
Ahmed Sharif
ah!!…. lovely description!!
we’re not really used to seeing a lot of wildlife shots with wide-angle lens…
lovely work!
Anurag
Great Planning and execution. and well deserved reward.
Paul Van Cauteren
congratulations, well done !!
Amy
Love the narrative as much as the pic. Great job!
Wanda Krack
Very creative. Good luck to you on your journey.
Lucia
Compliments, a wonderful shot and wish your dreams come true, you’re on the right path!
Paul Dass
Hi Nicholls, excellent capture and your pre planing to attract the Red Squirrel close to your camera is great. You are certainly a great photographer because your understanding of Photography is excellent. Thank you also sharing in detail how you set the entire project in shooting as well the exposure technique. Wishing you all the best in your future photography.
Neil Wilkinson
Great Shot!!!
Pauline Jones
There is great character in his face; good storytelling.
Bill Kenny
What a super shot! Thanks for sharing!
Mafalda
Great shot, a result of excelent planning! Keep shooting…
Flame
wonderful shot!! how cute!
Gill
I LOVE this image! Well done! Very inspiring.
judi jones
Hi Will, it’s really exciting to read about a passion and dream of younger people, thanks for sharing! The picture is beautiful! Great color, composition and simplicity of nature…I’ve been a little tired of all the “fancy” effects lately
. Keep working hard!
Joyce
Great job!! Well done!! Thanks for sharing
.
Brendan Lawlor
Watch out David Attenborough. !!
You made my morning (nuts and cornflakes)
Helen Hart
Made me giggle! Marvelous shot.
John Summers
Lovely- what an expression! I live in S. Ireland, still a good few reds. Great to see one in U.K.Many thanks, Will, it is so worth the patience to get a pic like that. I do small to tiny, bugs, spiders flies & plants you walk on & dont see. Thanks Will.
Ellen Empson
WONDERFUL!!!! TOO darn cute.
Jacqueline Deely
Gotta love that face!
Linda Pothiers
What a ham!! but a cute one too. Grrreat shot!!
Bill Bentley
Great work Will! The little bit of grass and leaves in the foreground works so well against the trees in the background. Very cute capture. This picture made my morning.
Wilson Beckett
I just love this picture, it made me smile after a hard days work. Wilson
giconcert
bel colpo!
Anu K
Look at the way its staring! Lovely!
yvan
Hi Will, you make wonderful photos, highly professional. Keep it up that way and good luck!
Vineeth
Excellent job! I wish your dreams come true!!
Danette Volkmer
Really enjoyed your setup story and the resulting shot. Wishing you the best in reaching your stated goals!
Laura Milholland
Completely adorable and very nicely done!
Ingrid
Love love love this picture!!! We do not see red squirrels over here much (Oregon) as the non-native grey ones have taken over (although they are just as cute!)
xx
But I am so appreciating this picture – and as all the others said – I wish for your dream to come true – see you on the BBC then, yes?
Bruce emery
Great shot Will, Love the clarity of the main subject right down to the sharp details of the claws with the warmth and softness of the background. I hope your dreams come true with your future pursuits, we need another naturalist now that the wonderful Sir David Attenborough has hung up the boots in retirement.
Deborah Flowers
A wonderful shot! Excellent work! I really appreciate the quality in this shot! Congratulations for an excellent POTD!
Peggy
Love your photo. I have it on my home computer desktop. How can I not smile every morning, when I turn it on! Thank you, Will, for posting it. Excellant!
Shafiul Umam
Congratz !
wonderful planing and execution,you did a Job at 16 !
Kimberly Gould
Great capture. Thank you for sharing how you got the image. I too, have a D80 and can be frustrated with the ISO. The D7000 is on my wish list!
Laurie 3D
Very cute…so “up close and personal!”
Thanks for the fun story.
Jaden
Well done Will. Looks like you made a friend. Northumberland is a wonderous part of the world. Keep up the good work.
Peter
Your planning and patience was rewarded with a great image.
Erikrisz
I love and respect Nature. It warms my heart beyond words to find photos of our beautiful surroundings, especially which show a part or a special moment of the world that I may never be able to see otherwise. Knowing the way you took this pic makes it even special. I see a whole story, not just a great picture taken of a squirrel in a forest. Keep up the good work of learning Nature beside making photos of it and you`ll be another Attenborough!