Jack has produced a brand-new field guide booklet and a supplement, ‘how to photograph Kingfishers’, that you will be given at the 'meet & greet' at the beginning of your day. This is yours to keep and provide a useful reference for you to use, next time you take your camera out on your own.

Jack advises having a camera lens that is at least the equivalent of a 500mm lens minimum for Kingfisher Photography and a frame rate of at least 7fps is preferable (please do not include your cameras crop factor, if not full frame). So, for example, a D-SLR/mirrorless with a 400mm or zoom from 150mm–600mm would be ideal. If using a mirrorless system micro 4/3 you will need at least a 400mm lens (a 300mm is ok but NOT recommended). If you are not sure, please ask Jack for advice. We also have cameras and lenses you can hire if required, must be booked prior to course, subject to availability. We have two gimbal heads mounted in the hide for your use. It is essential that your lens has a tripod mounting collar. 

SORRY WE CANNOT FIX 'BRIDGE CAMERAS' IN THE HIDE. THEREFORE WE CANNOT TAKE CLIENTS WITH BRIDGE CAMERAS ON THIS WORKSHOP.

They are designed to educate, be fun, relaxed, and hopefully enjoyable!

There is also always a supply of Alison’s legendary flapjack & homemade cakes!

Sorry, but we do not take other professional photographers on this course.

We do not use bait tanks for our Kingfisher photography. As above, this course is designed to give you the opportunity to capture some nice, perched shots and possibly diving shots (not low level) if of course the bird decides to fish at our location (this is not guaranteed). You will need to have patience, keep very quiet in the hide with Jack and with a bit of luck, you will be successful. We will of course explain the day to you when booking.  A warm welcome awaits you at the ‘meet and greet’ on your day. This will include a friendly briefing on our ethical approach to photographing wild birds. 

Obviously, these are wild birds, but Jack has successfully photographed Kingfishers at this location for several years now. 

It is also essential that course participants understand that Kingfishers are protected wild birds, therefore the emphasis will always be about as little or no disturbance of them as possible. Please note that we do not photograph the birds anywhere near the nesting sites and you will not be shown their location.

• PLEASE NOTE: for this workshop a working knowledge of the exposure triangle is essential.
• Composition (Landscapes & Wildlife – when applicable): We will show how to compose the image or view you are trying to capture using basic composition guidelines and principles.
• The Exposure Triangle (aperture, shutter speed & ISO): Three of the most important settings to learn understanding these elements will help you achieve the results you want.
• Aperture priority (f-stop): We will show how this setting controls the depth of field (DOF, what part of the image is in focus) & the effect on the shutter speed.
• Shutter priority: We will show how to set and adjust the shutter speed to control movement.
• ISO: This stands for International Standards Organization, and it is a standardized industry scale for measuring sensitivity to light. We will show how and when to adjust this to control how your digital camera sensor reacts to available light.
• Manual mode: We will show how and when to use this mode on your camera, it’s not as complicated as most people think. This is very useful for all types of photography especially when presented with difficult lighting conditions.
• Metering modes: We will show you how the camera measures the brightness of the subject and the different modes available to do this.
• Bracketing (exposure compensation & auto exposure compensation AEB): We will show how to use these settings to control dark or bright images. Part of the cameras metering system.
• Depth of field (DOF): We will show you and demonstrate DOF, this is the distance between the nearest and furthest elements in a scene that appear to be sharp, sometimes called depth of focus.
• White balance (WB): We will show how and when to adjust the cameras WB the process of removing unrealistic colour casts, so that objects that appear white in person look white in your photo for example. By using the Kelvin, colour temperature scale, both camera defaults and manual options.
• Histograms: We will show how to find this on your camera a useful graphic representation of the tonal range in a photograph, and its analysis of the image's tonal range provides a precise check on exposure.
• Picture Styles: We will show you these settings on your camera, these pre-set functions bring together the settings for image processing parameters you can use to control in camera colour matrix settings, sharpness contrast and saturation etc.
• Lens choice: We will advise you on what lenses to choose when available to best capture different genres of photography.
• Auto Focusing / servo mode: We will show your cameras focus modes, manual, AI focus & AI servo (different names sometimes depending on cameras make). How to set them and when to use them for stationary or possibly moving subjects.
• Panning & subject tracking (part of the focus system) & birds in flight (BIF) photography: We will show you how to successfully ‘lock’ onto and track stationary and moving targets using your cameras focus system (how it focuses) and also how to set and use different camera focusing patterns (where it focuses), including the latest eye/subject detection when applicable.
• Back Button Focus: How to set it on your camera and why we use it. If your camera has this option.  

Jack was trained to a very high ‘advanced’ standard to drive while in the service.

We use a new Ford Kuga Hybrid that will comfortably seat 3 guests and their equipment, the vehicle is maintained to a very high standard, it has dual zone air conditioning for your comfort and heated seats! The vehicle is fitted with a ‘cold climate pack’ heated windscreen etc.  Although we do not intend to go ‘off road’ and ‘bounce’ you and your camera equipment about while on the course, the vehicle is fitted with ‘all weather’ tyres that give enhanced traction. We carry a BSI compliant (BS-8599-1) first aid kit on board & a fire extinguisher.