hear hear - my birding photography has massively improved due to Duade. So glad I came across Duade's channel by pure accident (his 1Dx review). Best birding photography channel on TH-cam imho.
As one who often takes “field guide” type photos, I was grateful for your reminder that more special shots are rare and require persistence. And I really resonated with your description of feeling in-the-zone while photographing birds! Thanks so much for keeping me inspired!
Excellent video! You've really captured why we do what we do. You have a way of presenting all aspects of photography in a very relaxing and understandable way. I agree with your final essential for success. It is definitely the joy realized when capturing, what you believe, is a great image. It is something a non-photographer will never understand. I can't wait to see what 2023 will bring.
Thanks so much for another great video. These are some amazing images. I shoot a lot of humming birds and I think all three of the images are great but I agree the 3rd stood out to me. Unless you have tried to capture these little beauties it's hard to understand just how difficult it is to capture such great images. Thanks so much for the calendar it's great!
Thanks, yes, that image struck me straight away, I can imagine how hard it is and hope to get the opportunity one day. My pleasure re the calendar. Cheers, Duade
Fantastic video, and wow the images. The fox was beautiful, I have always wanted to get a shot of one in the wild. Another was the Kingfishers again on my wish list. I think the final part is what matters most for me, the joy. I have been out many times and not really managed to capture ‘THE’ shot but it was being out there in the wild that made it great. Thank you for showing my image, absolutely bouncing. Seeing all the images in this video just inspires me even more. You have a great following, thank you Duade. Regards Gary
Thanks Gary, yes, that fox was amazing as were many other shots. Your Kite was lovely and I really enjoyed seeing it and including in the video. Have fun in 2023 and I look forward to seeing your best shot in a years time. Cheers, Duade
A really good video Duade, as a professional I think you put the facts across very well. A good image will jump out at you. I enter club competitions, and looking at good images on the web helps you improve. Sometimes watching TV you can say 'that is a 20'. Mind you replicating something with your kit may prove tricky.
Thanks for that, yes, I agree, some images just pop and it can be hard to recognise why, but if we study those images they do have similarities that we can use as goals in our own work. Cheers, Duade
Thank you, Duade! When my mum saw your wonderful image of cormorans she told me that their reflection constitutes the form of fish. From myself I would add, that this is a symbol of interdependence in nature and universe. These birds are so much dependent on fishing, and their collective image metaphorically represents this connection. Best wishes, Alex
Thanks Alex, now you have said it I can't help but see the fish also, thanks to your mum as that makes the image even more special to me now. Cheers, Duade
You nailed it with #11. I photograph birds and wildlife because I love it. It brings me great joy. Number 10 (subject) is also powerful - I have absolutely terrible shots of a California condor soaring a mile up over Zion National Park, but those images mean a lot to me knowing that there were only about 240 of them in the wild at the time (and not that many more now).
Thanks Greg, totally agree, we can get lost in the social media haze, but getting an image like you mentioned is what makes it enjoyable for me. Cheers, Duade
Excellent video Dunkin my favourite shop was the hummingbird hawk moth they are so fast and don’t stop in one place for a split second and I must say the pelican picture was stunningly beautiful thanks for your time thanks very much for sharing❤
Hey Duade, great video as always. I am planning to visit Australia sometime in October this year and I was wondering if it's a good time weather wise and also wanted to know a few places that I definitely need to visit for some bird photography.
Hi Rahul, it really depends on what part of the country you visit, it is a good time as its not too hot and bird are in their spring breeding and should be plenty about. Visit Ebird for good sites or look at Finding Australian Birds book by Dolby and Clarke. Cheers, Duade
Great video Duade and gotta say i really empathise with your approach to photography and life journey with photography & health challenges. Also t your mindset to aking pics, take advantages of the big opportunities that come along. I had to laugh because in one of your videos you basically said image quality is totally proportional to "light"., but I see you moderate that here. I am also reading David Yarrow's book "How I Make Photographs" , although he always shoots in B&W he does recommend stormy days for great skies and atmospheric skies. Perhaps its cos you live in Oz and in UK we get a lot of shite days to live with :-) :-) I agree with you BUT sometimes you just have to work hard in Lightroom/Topaz and build a mood shot with crummy light. Signed up - you do a great job - keep going. Regards Simon
Thanks mate, yes, I am spoiled here with the endless sunny days so I can simply wait a day or two for the weather to improve but then images start looking the same. Photography is an endless evolution and I am enjoying the journey. Cheers, Duade
Great video Duade. I have an idea for a video if possible. With the leak of a RF 500mm F4 L on the horizon, perhaps you could do a review of a 600mm Prime vs 500mm prime side by side. What are you missing with the extra 100mm and is it worth it when you look at the price and weight difference? I know you use the 500mm EF already but if you could borrow the 600mm EF or RF version that would be great. Cheers!
Yes, that would be a fun comparison for sure, I may reach out to Canon to see if I could borrow a 600, not sure they have many for loan though. Cheers, Duade
Spring is pretty good so Sep-Nov when its not too hot and birds are feeding on new flowers etc. Australia is so big and birds everywhere. Ebird is a good start and the book Finding Australian Birds by Dolby and Clarke. Cheers, Duade
All wonderful captures! Very inspiring for me, to get out and try harder! Btw, are kangaroos ALWAYS fighting?… even first thing in the morning! Lol. (@ 14:55).
Most of the time it is young males playfighting to learn how to fight when they are fully mature. Usually it is one alpha male in a mob much like lions and they need to get their skills up when they are young. Cheers, Duade
Love your videos. May I suggest that people investigate the rules of image composition that have developed over the centuries, then play around with your images and see what works for you and then break the rules when necessary. For example your cormorant shot breaks the rule of using only odd numbers of elements.... or does it? ... with two birds overlapping does that make the elements odd??? I have been a photographer since I received my OM 1 in 1977 with my major passion being macro but since my purchase of my R6 plus your inspiring videos I have branched (pun intended) out towards birds as well. Looking forward to your next video.
Thanks Stephen, I still have a lot to learn and I just go off instinct most of the time, I guess after enough time things just start to look right. I am always learning of course and open to feedback, Cheers, Duade
G'day, thanks for the comment and sorry I am not able to offer any workshops at present. In Australia David Stowe and Craig Greer are two of the best photograph guides. In the Americas Glenn Bartley would be one of the best. Cheers, Duade
It’s encouraging to hear I’m not alone taking hundreds of photos for every special photo. 😅Thanks for putting into words the many facets of a great shot.
Duade, I have never commented before but felt compelled to after seeing this video. This was helpful and you deliver the lesson in an engaging way. I devour wildlife photography videos on TH-cam. But this was one of my favorites.
Happy new year to you, great video thanks. Enjoy what you do and if you enjoy it, you will do it well. In this world keeping well is paramount so, keep well & stay safe. Dave 😊👍🇬🇧
Thanks for your great experience lessons. I love all your 11 points, specially the last one “joy”. Yes it is. Does not matter what brand gears you using or subjects you taking photography, if you are happy and enjoying with your hobbies, then that is your best life result.
I agree 100% the key is getting out there with whatever gear you have, being out in nature and observing nature is just good for the soul. Cheers, Duade
Is the photo taken with the r6 mark ii and the 400mm lens your old 400mm lens and does it pair really well with the Mark ii? I saw that lens for about $700 from a reputable seller and am interested.
Hi Mark, yes, it works however it is starting show its age with the lack of IS and FPS is restricted on the R6 II to I think 20fps Electronic and around 7 mechanical I think. 400mm is also a little short on a FF. I prefer the RF100-400 as an all around lens for landscape, flowers, reptiles and larger mammals. The RF800 f11 is an interesting lens that works well with the R6II. The EF400 5.6 is a stellar BIF lens and is very sharp, just be aware of the limitations. Cheers, Duade
Interesting and thoughtful. It's nice to know I'm not the only one taking loads of photos and just a few really hit the emotional response. Sometimes you just see something at the right time, hits the spot and yes, I totally agree Mood has a lot to do with it. Great video.
Thanks Honor, I totally agree, I have been at this for 12 years and spent thousands of hours in the field but only captured a handful of those special shots. I am just happy I enjoy being in the field regardless of the result. Cheers, Duade
No you are defo not! I just lashed out on a Z9 and 20FPS has made my workflow go haywire with too many pictures BUT so much higher % of keepers and 0.1X of those are emotionally strong ones v documenting wildlife for my website.
Great video Duade! So good to see all of the amazing shots from your members. I’ve really been enjoying that you have been “branching” out to showcase these beautiful shots that incorporate the habitat and some creativity from the photographer in addition to pure technical skill. I’ll keep these elements in mind when shooting, they’re super helpful!
Thanks Ben, yes, I love our community and the amazing shots were a joy to look at and I am glad you enjoyed them. 2023 is going to be an amazing year and I am sure when I do this again in a year it will be even harder. I look forward to seeing your favourite shot come years end. Cheers, Duade
Thanks for the feature Duade. Another great video! I got my first "birding lens" just over 12 months ago and have used your videos as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of bird photography. My partner and I look forward to each new video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge in such a pleasant and mild mannered way. Best wishes for 2023 ~ Gary
Thanks Gary, I am glad I waited to film the video and got your image included. Great to hear you are enjoying your lens and wildlife photography. Cheers, Duade
Love your videos and pictures. My favorite picture(s) I have taken were far from my best images, but the encounter was the highlight of a river cruise in the summer of 2021 in central China. On the cruise going through the Three Rivers Gorge I spot a Golden Eagle up in the tree tops near the top of the mountain ridge. Hundreds of people on the observation deck and I think I was the only one to witness this magnificent bird. I was so far away from the eagle that at 600mm it was very small in the frame, but the pictures were still good enough to clearly identify it as a Golden Eagle. The pictures were just a bonus to experiencing this magnificent bird.
Thanks Larry, yes, it is these images and encounters that are special and mean a lot to the photographer. I have many images I took with my late mate Matt and those images will always have that extra special meaning as we took them together. Cheers, Duade
I like the way you present these points as ideas and not strict rules. I also like your final point the best. We have to remember that we need to first and foremost love our own photography for the joy it gives us, and I really believe we will take the best pictures we can if we follow this route.
Spot on video Duade. Another super video mate. Like you, I get a tremendous feeling when I spot a bird I've never seen before, or get an image of it, or lo and behold, an even better image than I'd never managed to do so before. There's that HAPPY moment that is just so hard to describe. I'm still working on everything, but that JOY component is something I really love. Next time you're up in Brissie, would be great to catch up. Would be happy to let you use my R3 and see what you think of it when we meet up. I still love my 7D II. PS wow - what a surprise at the end too. My jaw fell off. Thank you!
My pleasure mate, spreading the joy is what it is all about. Thanks for the offer, not sure when I am next up that way. Happy birding with the new kit in 2023. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Thanks mate! I'm planning to head down to O'Reilly's in Lamington National Park tomorrow if I feel OK. It's a 2-2.5 hour drive South of Brisbane. Won't get there early though (1. I'm not a morning person and 2. I have sleep issues, which means it is difficult for me getting to sleep earlier in the night and 3. I have no aircon in my room, and my room is like a furnace until around 1am in Summer typically, so getting up at 4am isn't really feasible for me). I'll get up at 7am, leave home at 7.30am and get there around 9.30am. Not ideal, but better than nothing. Last time I was there was way back in 1999 and I managed a shot of a male Regent bower bird (film though of course). Slighty soft in the focus, but I was dealing with a crappy cheapie Sigma 75-300 zoom that had pretty horrid AF, even on my 1n. Still, better than a kick up the bum! Would love to repeat that tomorrow.
A great wrap up for 2022, Duade. Thanks for the video! I think your cormorant shot that you favored was impactful because of the color, negative space & artistic use of the silhouette, for me. I appreciated the points you made about the process, art & value of chasing those wildlife shots. I agree with many of your ideas. The one thing I believe that is overarching is the fact that this genre, like most others, should not be defined through a more institutional filter.... Art for arts sake, I say. I don't believe in rules of what is right & wrong when it comes to artistic endeavors. What the photographer thinks & feels for their craft is paramount. Great job putting together an impressive collection of your own shots & those of your subscribers. Truly inspiring captures across the board & good on those giving it a go, each day they head out. Well done, all! Thank you for the video & story behind so many images. May the start of '23 treat you well. Looking forward to your next effort. Best regards & may the summer be good shooting ~ Chris
Thanks Chris, very much appreciated and totally agree with what you have said. Have fun birding in 2023, I enjoyed seeing your Dipper shot and I look forward to seeing your image in a years time. Cheers, Duade
Thank you, Duade. I also wanted to thank you for putting together another appealing calendar of some of your quality shots for members! I will enjoy having them look back at me from the desktop throughout the year.
You should do a video on "get good at deleting" mirrorless makes this a real challenge and as you said you still can't avoid comparing 20 shots for eye sharpness with burst mode and lightroom has no "sharpness compare" algorithm ( I asked them for an enhancement in CC Cloud ).
PS: my wife will love you forever if you can deliver a rapid workflow to find the 3 "sharpest" images in a series of 30 where 10 are all ok poses and pass the basic "sharp" smelltest
Thanks Simon, yes, it is a bit of a process isn't it and with modern cameras so many shots are almost identical. I will look at doing a video on this in the future. Cheers, Duade
G'day Simon, I use the star method available in Photo Mechanic and others were I simply give the photo a rating out of 5, after going through the images I simply delete all images without a star rating which often leaves between 5-10% of the images. In a series of shots I might have a few that are similar and I will compare the top two rating side by side at 100% and then edit the sharpest one. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade OK - clear - I am almost at same workflow : I do a 1st pass where I get rid of obviously poor and star as 3* ( candidates), 4* ( good), then Delete all
@@simonbooker Good to hear Simon, the only difference is I only star a couple from a burst if the subject doesn't move. So I don't star multiple similar images if that makes sense. I generally give an image say a 4 star and simply go through the images and if none are better I don't star them. I might keep one or two others if the pose or eye contact is slightly different. Cheers, Duade
Hello Duade, I was wondering if you could switch the content up one day and list some of your favorite spots for wildlife and birds in Australia, such as wetlands. I want to come to Australia and photograph wildlife, but I believe that if I were to come I would look up spots on a website with millions of viewers, and if I do so, there will be many, many people in these spots, resulting in not many birds. Thank you!
Ebird is your friend and it is unlikely the spots with lots of people will also have birds. If you do end up coming shoot me an email at duade.paton@gmail.com and I will give you some pointers. There is a book on finding Australian Birds by Dolby, Clarke which is also very good. Cheers, Duade
I haven't been around for a while (life was busy) but when I watch your vlogs they are always uplifting and inspiring. Plus, you carry a kindness (reminds me of us Canadians ;) lol ). Thanks for another great video. Hope 2023 is kind to you.
As the years go by with my photography, I prefer perception of the particular moment and process of photography more than the actual results. If I took thousands of photos on one session, and only three of which satisficed me, that's enough.
As we progress, I guess we be very hard on ourselves. Satisfying ourselves seems the toughest task ! And yes, it ends up like what you said - picking 3 from a thousand...
Thanks Gino, I totally agree with you, the fact I am out with my camera either alone or with friends is what I treasure. Of course getting a memorable image is icing on the cake, but if I don't get a shot I still go home happy and that is the key. Happy birding in 2023. Cheers, Duade
I think that is a very complete list Duade (somehow you are breaking down what Beauty is composed of) - I would only add possibly 'Diversity' as after all, all the photos are beatifull also as a group because they propose various feelings and perception of beauty through many different photographers' eyes. And we should keep in mind what we like and love evolve with time depending on how we grow as an individual. A question for you Duade, could that mean you could look at pictures you somehow 'discarded' a few years ago you could now think are in fact beautiful now ? For me that is why I rarely delete an image, it has to be really poor quality, I'm always concerned I might like it in a few years ! Thank you for this really good video to reflect on early in the new year !
Thanks Sylvain, very true and Diversity would have been a great addition, I wish I had thought of it. Diversity is key in keeping things interesting and I am trying myself to try different things. Yes, I have gone back and processed some older photos wondering why I did not process them at the time. Cheers, Duade
Thank you Duade. I realise how much effort it takes to prepare each of your videos. I think the message is clear, if you enjoy the process the final result is less important. But we strive to find those unique shots, the ones that bring joy to others as well. I am starting to look more wholistically at the scene and transitioning from just taking shots of every bird that sticks it's face in front of the lens. Then I process selectively those images that make me feel move me in some way. Thank you for posting one of my shots. It was very, very encouraging. Have a great year.!
Thanks Kim, yes, I totally agree, I really enjoy those unique shots and I am happy if others do as well. I have a very cool image to show in my next video that I am very happy with from a recent shoot. Enjoy your birding in 2023 and thanks for the support. Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade. Another great video to start 2023. Some brilliant images from you and other members around the world, just great to see them all. Your words certainly giving me some things to think about and aspire to. As you say the most important thing of all is the pleasure/joy we get ourselves from our own and other photographers images. Thanks again. John
Hello! I would like your advice on two zoom lenses! I have the Canon EOS R6. Which one do you think is better in general? Sigma (C) 150-600mm or the Tamron 150-600mm G2? In my country Sigma costs €990 and Tamron €1,200. Thank you in advance
Fantastic - thanks!! Very thorough. Am more into filming - you might enjoy this showreel Duade. The croc' tearing apart a pig at 1.20 was just one of those fluke things I came across. All ground clips except one filmed with Panasonic GH5 and GH5 ii.Keep up the great work! th-cam.com/video/hH87FKHLgs0/w-d-xo.html
Thanks Duade another great video. Something I appreciated was the variety of cameras used by everyone. So often we become brand eccentric which diminishes the essence of photography; which is as you said the JOY of the capture.
@@Duade Yes Duade I've shot Pentax all my life and unfortunately because of their decision to stay SLR they are being maligned badly - so glad you don't think that way.
Thanks, it is all subjective and that is why photography is so interesting. I love the fox shot and I'm sure many others do also. I am sure many of your own photos will be exactly the same. Cheers, Duade 👍
I'm 18 and I got my first DSLR camera last year (Canon rebel t7) and although I can't capture as high quality images as I would like, I've been having a lot of fun practing out in nature. Thank you for your videos, they have helped me improve soo much and I really admire your work. I would love to make it my job someday. Do you have any videos or advice in general on how to make money in this field? Thanks!
Some of these pictures are truly great (in my personal view), but others are really not to my liking. I think my favourite is the rhino image. Of course I can't read the animal's mind (for all I know it could be feeling really sick). But it reminds me of moments I've had in my childhood on hot days in the summer of resting and just enjoying the warmth and everything around me and simply allowing my thoughts to wander in no particular direction. "Rhino Siesta" is my interpretation of the image. The picture also reminds me of a visit to a zoo when I was 13 where I reached down and touched the head of a rhino. She made a little jump, but I gently caressed her behind the ears where the skin is soft. She seemed to enjoy it, and a little later she came back for more. The pictures against a black background are not my thing, though. And in a few of the photos the bokeh is too busy for me. In my humble opinion background blur is much over-used in photography. And "black & white" (=greyscale) images is something I would never want to do. Some greyscale pictures are good, I guess, but I always think, "what happened to the colours? Why are we not allowed to see those? The picture would have been so much better". Of course if your white balance is so far off it can't be saved, greyscale can become a necessary evil. Some of the images remind us all what a cruel place the world can be. I can't help thinking how the poor skink and frog must be feeling, being caught by a bird that's going to devour it. An even worse fate must be to be caught by a spider who won't even bother killing you before slowly eating you. Good pictures for sure, but not something I enjoy looking at.
Simply fun and engaging video Duade. I learn something thru this video, that you just need to go out and take photos. I don't own a long telephoto lens, but I say an image of the Osprey taken with the Nikon Z50 and 50-250 mm lens (which I own) and it was fantastic. I need to go out with my camera and start shooting....
Glad I found your channel. Aussie from Victoria now living in Maine. Always been an avid birder and now getting into bird photography. Really enjoying your videos. Getting some great tips and loving seeing all my bird favorites from home. Australia really has the best wildlife! Cheers
G'day Duade, what a marvelous video to start the year with, and what a joy to watch it !! Your 11 essentials are indeed the key, but most of them are not technical, making it very hard (even impossible) to "organize" the conditions to hit most of them. Which in a way is good, because otherwise you'd badly fail on the key of uniqueness ;-) So indeed, all one can do it go out as often as one can, search for interesting animals, shoot from different angles and hope they reward you with some interesting behavior. Over 2022, seems like I took a little more than 100k images, but they didn't include as many great shots as what you showed in this video so for me 2023 still has some room for improvement ;-)
Thanks Werner, very true, we simply need to put in the time and the rewards will come. If we can enjoy the process then the good images are just a bonus. Good luck in 2023. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Exactly, spending the time in nature has already as direct reward the fact it's damn good for mental health. Getting from time to time an exceptional shot will give an extra rush, but when one expects each shoot to provide this reward will only lead to bitter frustration. I hope you saw my card with the 2023 wishes ;-)
@@Duade While sleeping, I came up with a 12th key to take amazing images: by watching your videos (and some of your peers like Jan), we get extra inspiration on what works and what doesn't, and also ideas how to try different things/angles to make certain conditions work better. It's not about imitating, but seeing what others can achieve simply helps to raise your own bar. On a technical note: some of your great images like the cormorants only seem to have tints of orange. Are they kept as true color, or did you convert them to a single color ? Few weeks ago (using DxO Photolab) I put an image in Sepia and raised the intensity slider to get a very similar look (except it was an Icelandic long exposure waterfall instead of your Australian lake ;-))
The spoonbill with his wings up tells a story that the bird is foraging for food and using its wings to remove the glare from the water. Excellent shot.
Excellent video! Great images from the contributors too. Agreed with all the 11 key essentials but quite hard to achieve. Some birds have the aura to make our heart skip a beat & lost our composure lol. However, thank you for the pointers for 2023. Cheers!
Thank you for another awesome video Duade, and thanks for showing my hummingbird picture’s. I really enjoy taking pictures of them, I am originally from the Netherlands and we don’t have them over there so when I moved to California I was amazed by them. It was also really nice to see everyone else their pictures, all of them are great. Looking forward to your next video!. Marco.
It was my pleasure Marco, thanks for sharing them with me, I can only hope I get the same opportunity one day. Take care and happy birding in 2023. Cheers, Duade
Great video. So important to attempt to get our own shots that fill one or more of these elements. As you mentioned, not every outing yields these images but the images we get cause the brain to recall the other elements that contributed to our experience. Also, being able to just enjoy the success other photographers had without being overwhelmed with negative emotions like jealousy.
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo on a vertical branch - its lonely. Freckled Duck in a spot of light - seductive. Yellow-eye Penguin - its off for an adventure. These photos evoke emotions we can relate to.
Happy New Year Duade! Brilliant video. I love habitat shots better these days than catalogue shots. We're all different of course but they speak to me ❤️
Happy New Year, Duade. Some wonderful images and great tips in this video. Thank you. Also, my hat is off to those whose work you presented here as examples of your tips. I look forward to your offerings this year in 2023.
Hi Duade, some great images from everyone in this weeks show, thank you for taking the time to make these video's I look forward to them, the only thing at 70 I don't do it go out and take images in the wind and rain any more, my arthritis in my hip and knees can't stand it when it's wet.... One question mate, Is your wife a photographer or interested at all of what you do? Thanks..
G'day Tel, yes, I must admit I am not a big fan of the cold and wind myself. My wife is very supportive and knows how much joy photography brings me. She is not a photographer herself but her input is very much valued as a different point of view. Cheers, Duade
Great video Duade! All of the images are amazing, but your summary at the end is the best! It is the joy of the image created that makes this all so special. Happy New Year and looking forward to 2023.
Another great video Duade. Thank you so much for these tips. All are great, but I believe that #11 is my favorite, the Joy - that for me is the key to the reason I get out and take pictures. It started as almost like an act of healing, but it really has become so important to me to walk in nature and then just be in the moment to capture birds and wildlife. I look forward to going out in 2023 with my newer kit and using these tips. Again thanks.
G'day Bruce, my apologies for the delay in responding, not sure how I missed it but yes, I totally agree about the joy, that is what I love about it also. I hope 2023 has started off well for you. Cheers, Duade
Unique uncluttered images always grab my imagination but I also like close and personal. To get that combination.... that's when you need an appointment with the animal, and that doesn't happen very often. At least not for me. It is a pleasure to see these incredible images. It would be impossible for me to pick one I like best!
What a beautiful video!! It’s so lovely to see you celebrating the gorgeous photography of your followers alongside your own amazing shots, and in such an encouraging and informative way. I’d love to see more of these videos - maybe discussing the edits that you made to your favourite images to elevate them even more?
Very engaging Duade, just wondering how many great shots are out there if this is a sample then the numbers are staggering almost unimaginable. Wish I could see them all but am satisfied seeing what you put up for now. Keep up the great work always enjoy your vids, will be looking👀for the next on. Have a great new year.🎉
Thanks George, yes, the with so many amazing photographers there is a plethora of great shots out there which is great for us as viewers. Cheers, Duade
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always Duade 👍I believe that a photo that stands out from the rest is a photo that shows some type of emotion human like or a feeling of caring, is like when you take a picture of a bird feeding the chicks 🐦❤️🤗
I had learned 70% on how to take great shots during 2022 through your lessons. You are my No 1 preference.
Thanks mate, good to know, I am sure 2023 will be very productive for you. Cheers, Duade
hear hear - my birding photography has massively improved due to Duade. So glad I came across Duade's channel by pure accident (his 1Dx review). Best birding photography channel on TH-cam imho.
As one who often takes “field guide” type photos, I was grateful for your reminder that more special shots are rare and require persistence. And I really resonated with your description of feeling in-the-zone while photographing birds! Thanks so much for keeping me inspired!
Excellent video! You've really captured why we do what we do. You have a way of presenting all aspects of photography in a very relaxing and understandable way. I agree with your final essential for success. It is definitely the joy realized when capturing, what you believe, is a great image. It is something a non-photographer will never understand. I can't wait to see what 2023 will bring.
Thanks James, glad to hear I am not the only one who thinks like that. Yes, we are very fortunate to have found this hobby. Cheers, Duade
Thanks so much for another great video. These are some amazing images. I shoot a lot of humming birds and I think all three of the images are great but I agree the 3rd stood out to me. Unless you have tried to capture these little beauties it's hard to understand just how difficult it is to capture such great images. Thanks so much for the calendar it's great!
Thanks, yes, that image struck me straight away, I can imagine how hard it is and hope to get the opportunity one day. My pleasure re the calendar. Cheers, Duade
Fantastic video, and wow the images. The fox was beautiful, I have always wanted to get a shot of one in the wild. Another was the Kingfishers again on my wish list.
I think the final part is what matters most for me, the joy. I have been out many times and not really managed to capture ‘THE’ shot but it was being out there in the wild that made it great.
Thank you for showing my image, absolutely bouncing. Seeing all the images in this video just inspires me even more. You have a great following, thank you Duade.
Regards Gary
Thanks Gary, yes, that fox was amazing as were many other shots. Your Kite was lovely and I really enjoyed seeing it and including in the video. Have fun in 2023 and I look forward to seeing your best shot in a years time. Cheers, Duade
Every time you upload it feels like Christmas! Happy Late New Year btw
Thanks, that is nice to hear, I hope you too had a happy holiday. Happy birding in 2023. Cheers, Duade
A really good video Duade, as a professional I think you put the facts across very well. A good image will jump out at you. I enter club competitions, and looking at good images on the web helps you improve. Sometimes watching TV you can say 'that is a 20'. Mind you replicating something with your kit may prove tricky.
Thanks for that, yes, I agree, some images just pop and it can be hard to recognise why, but if we study those images they do have similarities that we can use as goals in our own work. Cheers, Duade
Thank you, Duade! When my mum saw your wonderful image of cormorans she told me that their reflection constitutes the form of fish. From myself I would add, that this is a symbol of interdependence in nature and universe. These birds are so much dependent on fishing, and their collective image metaphorically represents this connection. Best wishes, Alex
Thanks Alex, now you have said it I can't help but see the fish also, thanks to your mum as that makes the image even more special to me now. Cheers, Duade
You nailed it with #11. I photograph birds and wildlife because I love it. It brings me great joy. Number 10 (subject) is also powerful - I have absolutely terrible shots of a California condor soaring a mile up over Zion National Park, but those images mean a lot to me knowing that there were only about 240 of them in the wild at the time (and not that many more now).
Thanks Greg, totally agree, we can get lost in the social media haze, but getting an image like you mentioned is what makes it enjoyable for me. Cheers, Duade
Never had it so good. Not a second wasted , words weighed with photos that impress.
Thanks Nitin, I appreciate it, Cheers, Duade
Thank you, Duade, for this. So incredibly inspiring, and gorgeous images. Happy new year, sir and looking forward to more amazing images in 2023.
Thanks Karl, yes, I was very happy with the images from the community, so many skilled photographers, Cheers, Duade
Excellent video Dunkin my favourite shop was the hummingbird hawk moth they are so fast and don’t stop in one place for a split second and I must say the pelican picture was stunningly beautiful thanks for your time thanks very much for sharing❤
Thanks Andy, yes, a very impressive image to be sure, Cheers, Duade
Hey Duade, great video as always. I am planning to visit Australia sometime in October this year and I was wondering if it's a good time weather wise and also wanted to know a few places that I definitely need to visit for some bird photography.
Hi Rahul, it really depends on what part of the country you visit, it is a good time as its not too hot and bird are in their spring breeding and should be plenty about. Visit Ebird for good sites or look at Finding Australian Birds book by Dolby and Clarke. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Thanks for the info. We'll mostly be visiting Melbourne and Sydney.
Great video Duade and gotta say i really empathise with your approach to photography and life journey with photography & health challenges. Also t your mindset to aking pics, take advantages of the big opportunities that come along. I had to laugh because in one of your videos you basically said image quality is totally proportional to "light"., but I see you moderate that here. I am also reading David Yarrow's book "How I Make Photographs" , although he always shoots in B&W he does recommend stormy days for great skies and atmospheric skies. Perhaps its cos you live in Oz and in UK we get a lot of shite days to live with :-) :-) I agree with you BUT sometimes you just have to work hard in Lightroom/Topaz and build a mood shot with crummy light.
Signed up - you do a great job - keep going. Regards Simon
Thanks mate, yes, I am spoiled here with the endless sunny days so I can simply wait a day or two for the weather to improve but then images start looking the same. Photography is an endless evolution and I am enjoying the journey. Cheers, Duade
Your videos are always full of proper content, and puts a smile on my face when I see you added a new video
Glad to hear it, Cheers, Duade
Great video Duade. I have an idea for a video if possible. With the leak of a RF 500mm F4 L on the horizon, perhaps you could do a review of a 600mm Prime vs 500mm prime side by side. What are you missing with the extra 100mm and is it worth it when you look at the price and weight difference? I know you use the 500mm EF already but if you could borrow the 600mm EF or RF version that would be great. Cheers!
Yes, that would be a fun comparison for sure, I may reach out to Canon to see if I could borrow a 600, not sure they have many for loan though. Cheers, Duade
which months are good for birds photography in Australia? Which place is good to capture the song birds and parrots?
Spring is pretty good so Sep-Nov when its not too hot and birds are feeding on new flowers etc. Australia is so big and birds everywhere. Ebird is a good start and the book Finding Australian Birds by Dolby and Clarke. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Thanks a lot Be Blessed always
You are great.
Smiled trough the whole #11
Thanks, yes, that is why we do it, Cheers, Duade
Dear Duade your improvement is 200 percentage 👍👍👍🪔🪔🪔
Thanks Tony, Cheers, Duade
All wonderful captures! Very inspiring for me, to get out and try harder!
Btw, are kangaroos ALWAYS fighting?… even first thing in the morning! Lol. (@ 14:55).
Most of the time it is young males playfighting to learn how to fight when they are fully mature. Usually it is one alpha male in a mob much like lions and they need to get their skills up when they are young. Cheers, Duade
Love your videos. May I suggest that people investigate the rules of image composition that have developed over the centuries, then play around with your images and see what works for you and then break the rules when necessary. For example your cormorant shot breaks the rule of using only odd numbers of elements.... or does it? ... with two birds overlapping does that make the elements odd??? I have been a photographer since I received my OM 1 in 1977 with my major passion being macro but since my purchase of my R6 plus your inspiring videos I have branched (pun intended) out towards birds as well. Looking forward to your next video.
Thanks Stephen, I still have a lot to learn and I just go off instinct most of the time, I guess after enough time things just start to look right. I am always learning of course and open to feedback, Cheers, Duade
Duade, Thank you very much for this great content.
Are planning to organise any workshops or birding tours in the future???
TIA
G'day, thanks for the comment and sorry I am not able to offer any workshops at present. In Australia David Stowe and Craig Greer are two of the best photograph guides. In the Americas Glenn Bartley would be one of the best. Cheers, Duade
It’s encouraging to hear I’m not alone taking hundreds of photos for every special photo. 😅Thanks for putting into words the many facets of a great shot.
Thanks Kevin, it is very true and I think helpful for those starting out, it really does take a lot of time and patience. Cheers, Duade
Duade, I have never commented before but felt compelled to after seeing this video. This was helpful and you deliver the lesson in an engaging way. I devour wildlife photography videos on TH-cam. But this was one of my favorites.
Thanks so much for your feedback, I really do appreciate the feedback, Cheers, Duade
Wonderful video Duade. Minor correction: you misspelled the state of Oregon consistently. Pronounced Ore-gun by the natives.
Sorry about that, will remember for next time. Cheers, Duade
Happy new year to you, great video thanks. Enjoy what you do and if you enjoy it, you will do it well. In this world keeping well is paramount so, keep well & stay safe. Dave 😊👍🇬🇧
Thanks Dave, great words of wisdom there.
Thanks Duade. First time I’ve come across this channel. Brilliant content. Had to subscribe.
Welcome to the channel David, glad you found the video and I hope you enjoy the future content. Cheers, Duade
Superb video full of excellent advice about what really matters in photography and not about the gear. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure Alec, Cheers, Duade
Amazing video!! Love it!
Where can we send you images to review/see? I took a couple photos of birds the other day.
Thanks, my email is duade.paton@gmail.com, Cheers, Duade
Your videos are very inspiring thanks for giving tips for bird photography. I learn everyday something from your videos.
Thanks Farhat, great to hear, Cheers, Duade
Thanks for your great experience lessons. I love all your 11 points, specially the last one “joy”. Yes it is. Does not matter what brand gears you using or subjects you taking photography, if you are happy and enjoying with your hobbies, then that is your best life result.
I agree 100% the key is getting out there with whatever gear you have, being out in nature and observing nature is just good for the soul. Cheers, Duade
Is the photo taken with the r6 mark ii and the 400mm lens your old 400mm lens and does it pair really well with the Mark ii? I saw that lens for about $700 from a reputable seller and am interested.
Hi Mark, yes, it works however it is starting show its age with the lack of IS and FPS is restricted on the R6 II to I think 20fps Electronic and around 7 mechanical I think. 400mm is also a little short on a FF. I prefer the RF100-400 as an all around lens for landscape, flowers, reptiles and larger mammals. The RF800 f11 is an interesting lens that works well with the R6II. The EF400 5.6 is a stellar BIF lens and is very sharp, just be aware of the limitations. Cheers, Duade
Marvelous Duane, incredibly thoughtful and uplifting
Glad to hear Barney. Cheers, Duade
Interesting and thoughtful. It's nice to know I'm not the only one taking loads of photos and just a few really hit the emotional response. Sometimes you just see something at the right time, hits the spot and yes, I totally agree Mood has a lot to do with it. Great video.
Thanks Honor, I totally agree, I have been at this for 12 years and spent thousands of hours in the field but only captured a handful of those special shots. I am just happy I enjoy being in the field regardless of the result. Cheers, Duade
No you are defo not! I just lashed out on a Z9 and 20FPS has made my workflow go haywire with too many pictures BUT so much higher % of keepers and 0.1X of those are emotionally strong ones v documenting wildlife for my website.
The shot of the group of little black cormorants looks like an eye - a birding eye... it belongs on a wall for sure.
Thanks Reuben, I have had a Fish and Crocodile so far so an eye is great also. Cheers, Duade
Great video Duade! So good to see all of the amazing shots from your members. I’ve really been enjoying that you have been “branching” out to showcase these beautiful shots that incorporate the habitat and some creativity from the photographer in addition to pure technical skill. I’ll keep these elements in mind when shooting, they’re super helpful!
Thanks Ben, yes, I love our community and the amazing shots were a joy to look at and I am glad you enjoyed them. 2023 is going to be an amazing year and I am sure when I do this again in a year it will be even harder. I look forward to seeing your favourite shot come years end. Cheers, Duade
What an enjoyable and inspiring experience in watching all those fantastic images! Thankyou for sharing them with us.
Thanks Simon, it was my pleasure, Cheers, Duade
Thanks for the feature Duade. Another great video!
I got my first "birding lens" just over 12 months ago and have used your videos as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of bird photography. My partner and I look forward to each new video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge in such a pleasant and mild mannered way. Best wishes for 2023 ~ Gary
Thanks Gary, I am glad I waited to film the video and got your image included. Great to hear you are enjoying your lens and wildlife photography. Cheers, Duade
I wanted to like this video 10 times. 😂 Keep going, I love your content.
Thanks Paul, great to hear you really liked it :-) Cheers, Duade
Love your videos and pictures. My favorite picture(s) I have taken were far from my best images, but the encounter was the highlight of a river cruise in the summer of 2021 in central China. On the cruise going through the Three Rivers Gorge I spot a Golden Eagle up in the tree tops near the top of the mountain ridge. Hundreds of people on the observation deck and I think I was the only one to witness this magnificent bird. I was so far away from the eagle that at 600mm it was very small in the frame, but the pictures were still good enough to clearly identify it as a Golden Eagle. The pictures were just a bonus to experiencing this magnificent bird.
Can you please share your Instagram handle .
Thanks Larry, yes, it is these images and encounters that are special and mean a lot to the photographer. I have many images I took with my late mate Matt and those images will always have that extra special meaning as we took them together. Cheers, Duade
I was bitten by an orb spider on my side one time when I was out photographing. Did not feel good, at all.
Sorry to hear that, we have a lot of spiders here so I need to be more careful. Cheers, Duade
Looking for the “Join” button you mentioned. Not appearing on my iPad.
Thanks for letting me know Ken, does this link work for you www.youtube.com/@duade/join I appreciate the support. Cheers, Duade
I like the way you present these points as ideas and not strict rules. I also like your final point the best. We have to remember that we need to first and foremost love our own photography for the joy it gives us, and I really believe we will take the best pictures we can if we follow this route.
Thanks Woody, I totally agree, if you enjoy what you do then the images will come and they are a bonus when they do. Cheers, Duade
Thank you Duade. Great video and very informative. Cheers.
Thanks mate, my pleasure, Cheers, Duade
Spot on video Duade. Another super video mate.
Like you, I get a tremendous feeling when I spot a bird I've never seen before, or get an image of it, or lo and behold, an even better image than I'd never managed to do so before. There's that HAPPY moment that is just so hard to describe.
I'm still working on everything, but that JOY component is something I really love.
Next time you're up in Brissie, would be great to catch up. Would be happy to let you use my R3 and see what you think of it when we meet up. I still love my 7D II.
PS wow - what a surprise at the end too. My jaw fell off. Thank you!
My pleasure mate, spreading the joy is what it is all about. Thanks for the offer, not sure when I am next up that way. Happy birding with the new kit in 2023. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Thanks mate! I'm planning to head down to O'Reilly's in Lamington National Park tomorrow if I feel OK. It's a 2-2.5 hour drive South of Brisbane. Won't get there early though (1. I'm not a morning person and 2. I have sleep issues, which means it is difficult for me getting to sleep earlier in the night and 3. I have no aircon in my room, and my room is like a furnace until around 1am in Summer typically, so getting up at 4am isn't really feasible for me). I'll get up at 7am, leave home at 7.30am and get there around 9.30am. Not ideal, but better than nothing. Last time I was there was way back in 1999 and I managed a shot of a male Regent bower bird (film though of course). Slighty soft in the focus, but I was dealing with a crappy cheapie Sigma 75-300 zoom that had pretty horrid AF, even on my 1n. Still, better than a kick up the bum! Would love to repeat that tomorrow.
Terrific video. Thanks for both the beauty and the inspiration.
Thanks Rick, my pleasure ,Cheers, Duade
Great year end review and some great tips, especially the last one. Oregon is the correct spelling.
Ah thanks for that, Cheers, Duade
A great wrap up for 2022, Duade. Thanks for the video! I think your cormorant shot that you favored was impactful because of the color, negative space & artistic use of the silhouette, for me. I appreciated the points you made about the process, art & value of chasing those wildlife shots. I agree with many of your ideas. The one thing I believe that is overarching is the fact that this genre, like most others, should not be defined through a more institutional filter.... Art for arts sake, I say. I don't believe in rules of what is right & wrong when it comes to artistic endeavors. What the photographer thinks & feels for their craft is paramount.
Great job putting together an impressive collection of your own shots & those of your subscribers. Truly inspiring captures across the board & good on those giving it a go, each day they head out. Well done, all!
Thank you for the video & story behind so many images. May the start of '23 treat you well. Looking forward to your next effort. Best regards & may the summer be good shooting ~ Chris
Thanks Chris, very much appreciated and totally agree with what you have said. Have fun birding in 2023, I enjoyed seeing your Dipper shot and I look forward to seeing your image in a years time. Cheers, Duade
Thank you, Duade. I also wanted to thank you for putting together another appealing calendar of some of your quality shots for members! I will enjoy having them look back at me from the desktop throughout the year.
You should do a video on "get good at deleting" mirrorless makes this a real challenge and as you said you still can't avoid comparing 20 shots for eye sharpness with burst mode and lightroom has no "sharpness compare" algorithm ( I asked them for an enhancement in CC Cloud ).
PS: my wife will love you forever if you can deliver a rapid workflow to find the 3 "sharpest" images in a series of 30 where 10 are all ok poses and pass the basic "sharp" smelltest
Thanks Simon, yes, it is a bit of a process isn't it and with modern cameras so many shots are almost identical. I will look at doing a video on this in the future. Cheers, Duade
G'day Simon, I use the star method available in Photo Mechanic and others were I simply give the photo a rating out of 5, after going through the images I simply delete all images without a star rating which often leaves between 5-10% of the images. In a series of shots I might have a few that are similar and I will compare the top two rating side by side at 100% and then edit the sharpest one. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade OK - clear - I am almost at same workflow : I do a 1st pass where I get rid of obviously poor and star as 3* ( candidates), 4* ( good), then Delete all
@@simonbooker Good to hear Simon, the only difference is I only star a couple from a burst if the subject doesn't move. So I don't star multiple similar images if that makes sense. I generally give an image say a 4 star and simply go through the images and if none are better I don't star them. I might keep one or two others if the pose or eye contact is slightly different. Cheers, Duade
Hello Duade,
I was wondering if you could switch the content up one day and list some of your favorite spots for wildlife and birds in Australia, such as wetlands. I want to come to Australia and photograph wildlife, but I believe that if I were to come I would look up spots on a website with millions of viewers, and if I do so, there will be many, many people in these spots, resulting in not many birds. Thank you!
Ebird is your friend and it is unlikely the spots with lots of people will also have birds. If you do end up coming shoot me an email at duade.paton@gmail.com and I will give you some pointers. There is a book on finding Australian Birds by Dolby, Clarke which is also very good. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade thanks very much!
I haven't been around for a while (life was busy) but when I watch your vlogs they are always uplifting and inspiring. Plus, you carry a kindness (reminds me of us Canadians ;) lol ). Thanks for another great video. Hope 2023 is kind to you.
Great video with some inspiring images and thoughts to encourage me to go out more 😀
Thanks Jim, happy birding in 2023, Cheers, Duade
Great advice, and very inspiring. Thank you!
Thanks Gabe, happy birding in 2023, Cheers, Duade
As the years go by with my photography, I prefer perception of the particular moment and process of photography more than the actual results. If I took thousands of photos on one session, and only three of which satisficed me, that's enough.
As we progress, I guess we be very hard on ourselves. Satisfying ourselves seems the toughest task ! And yes, it ends up like what you said - picking 3 from a thousand...
Thanks Gino, I totally agree with you, the fact I am out with my camera either alone or with friends is what I treasure. Of course getting a memorable image is icing on the cake, but if I don't get a shot I still go home happy and that is the key. Happy birding in 2023. Cheers, Duade
There are so many amazing images. It's really interesting to see the fantastic work that the members of this channel do.
Thanks Tomaz, I totally agree, Cheers, Duade
Thanks Duade for a terrific and inspirational video!
My pleasure Michael, Cheers, Duade
I loved this video, shows the passion you have for photography
Thanks Tony, I sure do :-)
I think that is a very complete list Duade (somehow you are breaking down what Beauty is composed of) - I would only add possibly 'Diversity' as after all, all the photos are beatifull also as a group because they propose various feelings and perception of beauty through many different photographers' eyes. And we should keep in mind what we like and love evolve with time depending on how we grow as an individual. A question for you Duade, could that mean you could look at pictures you somehow 'discarded' a few years ago you could now think are in fact beautiful now ? For me that is why I rarely delete an image, it has to be really poor quality, I'm always concerned I might like it in a few years ! Thank you for this really good video to reflect on early in the new year !
Thanks Sylvain, very true and Diversity would have been a great addition, I wish I had thought of it. Diversity is key in keeping things interesting and I am trying myself to try different things. Yes, I have gone back and processed some older photos wondering why I did not process them at the time. Cheers, Duade
Thank you Duade. I realise how much effort it takes to prepare each of your videos. I think the message is clear, if you enjoy the process the final result is less important. But we strive to find those unique shots, the ones that bring joy to others as well. I am starting to look more wholistically at the scene and transitioning from just taking shots of every bird that sticks it's face in front of the lens. Then I process selectively those images that make me feel move me in some way.
Thank you for posting one of my shots. It was very, very encouraging. Have a great year.!
Thanks Kim, yes, I totally agree, I really enjoy those unique shots and I am happy if others do as well. I have a very cool image to show in my next video that I am very happy with from a recent shoot. Enjoy your birding in 2023 and thanks for the support. Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade. Another great video to start 2023. Some brilliant images from you and other members around the world, just great to see them all. Your words certainly giving me some things to think about and aspire to. As you say the most important thing of all is the pleasure/joy we get ourselves from our own and other photographers images. Thanks again. John
Thanks John, my pleasure and I am glad you enjoyed the video. Happy birding in 2023. Cheers, Duade
Thanks for another wonderful vid. !
My pleasure mate, congrats on the image, Cheers, Duade
Hello! I would like your advice on two zoom lenses! I have the Canon EOS R6. Which one do you think is better in general? Sigma (C) 150-600mm or the Tamron 150-600mm G2? In my country Sigma costs €990 and Tamron €1,200. Thank you in advance
Which aspect ratio do you prefer to shoot bird and nature pictures? 4:3 or 3:2?
3:2 generally as I am used to that ratio. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Allright thank you
the penguin started to sing but has a very bad voice!
Thanks Klaus, love it, that would be me!!
Fantastic - thanks!! Very thorough. Am more into filming - you might enjoy this showreel Duade. The croc' tearing apart a pig at 1.20 was just one of those fluke things I came across. All ground clips except one filmed with Panasonic GH5 and GH5 ii.Keep up the great work! th-cam.com/video/hH87FKHLgs0/w-d-xo.html
Thanks Duade another great video. Something I appreciated was the variety of cameras used by everyone. So often we become brand eccentric which diminishes the essence of photography; which is as you said the JOY of the capture.
Thanks mate, yes, I was happy to see a Pentax in the mix and other brands. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Yes Duade I've shot Pentax all my life and unfortunately because of their decision to stay SLR they are being maligned badly - so glad you don't think that way.
the fox picture is not relaxed not the fox the picture
Thanks, it is all subjective and that is why photography is so interesting. I love the fox shot and I'm sure many others do also. I am sure many of your own photos will be exactly the same. Cheers, Duade 👍
I'm 18 and I got my first DSLR camera last year (Canon rebel t7) and although I can't capture as high quality images as I would like, I've been having a lot of fun practing out in nature. Thank you for your videos, they have helped me improve soo much and I really admire your work.
I would love to make it my job someday. Do you have any videos or advice in general on how to make money in this field? Thanks!
Amazing video,mister as usual...but how Can WE send a photo ??? Raw or JPEG ?
Thanks
Some of these pictures are truly great (in my personal view), but others are really not to my liking.
I think my favourite is the rhino image. Of course I can't read the animal's mind (for all I know it could be feeling really sick). But it reminds me of moments I've had in my childhood on hot days in the summer of resting and just enjoying the warmth and everything around me and simply allowing my thoughts to wander in no particular direction. "Rhino Siesta" is my interpretation of the image.
The picture also reminds me of a visit to a zoo when I was 13 where I reached down and touched the head of a rhino. She made a little jump, but I gently caressed her behind the ears where the skin is soft. She seemed to enjoy it, and a little later she came back for more.
The pictures against a black background are not my thing, though. And in a few of the photos the bokeh is too busy for me. In my humble opinion background blur is much over-used in photography.
And "black & white" (=greyscale) images is something I would never want to do. Some greyscale pictures are good, I guess, but I always think, "what happened to the colours? Why are we not allowed to see those? The picture would have been so much better". Of course if your white balance is so far off it can't be saved, greyscale can become a necessary evil.
Some of the images remind us all what a cruel place the world can be. I can't help thinking how the poor skink and frog must be feeling, being caught by a bird that's going to devour it. An even worse fate must be to be caught by a spider who won't even bother killing you before slowly eating you.
Good pictures for sure, but not something I enjoy looking at.
Simply fun and engaging video Duade. I learn something thru this video, that you just need to go out and take photos. I don't own a long telephoto lens, but I say an image of the Osprey taken with the Nikon Z50 and 50-250 mm lens (which I own) and it was fantastic. I need to go out with my camera and start shooting....
Glad I found your channel. Aussie from Victoria now living in Maine. Always been an avid birder and now getting into bird photography. Really enjoying your videos. Getting some great tips and loving seeing all my bird favorites from home. Australia really has the best wildlife! Cheers
G'day Duade, what a marvelous video to start the year with, and what a joy to watch it !! Your 11 essentials are indeed the key, but most of them are not technical, making it very hard (even impossible) to "organize" the conditions to hit most of them. Which in a way is good, because otherwise you'd badly fail on the key of uniqueness ;-)
So indeed, all one can do it go out as often as one can, search for interesting animals, shoot from different angles and hope they reward you with some interesting behavior.
Over 2022, seems like I took a little more than 100k images, but they didn't include as many great shots as what you showed in this video so for me 2023 still has some room for improvement ;-)
Thanks Werner, very true, we simply need to put in the time and the rewards will come. If we can enjoy the process then the good images are just a bonus. Good luck in 2023. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Exactly, spending the time in nature has already as direct reward the fact it's damn good for mental health. Getting from time to time an exceptional shot will give an extra rush, but when one expects each shoot to provide this reward will only lead to bitter frustration.
I hope you saw my card with the 2023 wishes ;-)
@@WernerBirdNature Thanks Werner, and yes I agree, thanks for the card, I appreciate it, Cheers, DUade
@@Duade While sleeping, I came up with a 12th key to take amazing images: by watching your videos (and some of your peers like Jan), we get extra inspiration on what works and what doesn't, and also ideas how to try different things/angles to make certain conditions work better. It's not about imitating, but seeing what others can achieve simply helps to raise your own bar.
On a technical note: some of your great images like the cormorants only seem to have tints of orange. Are they kept as true color, or did you convert them to a single color ? Few weeks ago (using DxO Photolab) I put an image in Sepia and raised the intensity slider to get a very similar look (except it was an Icelandic long exposure waterfall instead of your Australian lake ;-))
Very inspiring sharing, tq Duade
My pleasure, Cheers, Duade
Man that picture of the pelicans gave me goosebumps. That is amazing
Thanks, yes, one of the best images I have ever seen. Cheers, Duade
Just discovered your channel it is amazing thanks for all this amazing content !
Hi mate, Silhouettes can make for some vey interesting photography!
The spoonbill with his wings up tells a story that the bird is foraging for food and using its wings to remove the glare from the water. Excellent shot.
Duade, is that a leveling head/base on your tripod? If so, which type is it?
hi duade, fantastic tips & thank you. keep up the good work, from Sri Lanka
Excellent video! Great images from the contributors too. Agreed with all the 11 key essentials but quite hard to achieve. Some birds have the aura to make our heart skip a beat & lost our composure lol. However, thank you for the pointers for 2023. Cheers!
Thanks Jordan, it was a lot of fun to but together and I agree very difficult to achieve. Cheers, Duade
Another brilliant video!
Thank you, Cheers, Duade
Thank you for another awesome video Duade, and thanks for showing my hummingbird picture’s. I really enjoy taking pictures of them, I am originally from the Netherlands and we don’t have them over there so when I moved to California I was amazed by them.
It was also really nice to see everyone else their pictures, all of them are great. Looking forward to your next video!. Marco.
It was my pleasure Marco, thanks for sharing them with me, I can only hope I get the same opportunity one day. Take care and happy birding in 2023. Cheers, Duade
Marco your hummingbird shots were an absolute highlight. Well done! 👏
Thank you Mark! Appreciate the nice feedback!, I had a lot of fun taking them.
Great video. So important to attempt to get our own shots that fill one or more of these elements. As you mentioned, not every outing yields these images but the images we get cause the brain to recall the other elements that contributed to our experience. Also, being able to just enjoy the success other photographers had without being overwhelmed with negative emotions like jealousy.
Thanks George, I totally agree with you and once we get to that point I believe we enjoy ourselves a lot more. Cheers, Duade
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo on a vertical branch - its lonely. Freckled Duck in a spot of light - seductive. Yellow-eye Penguin - its off for an adventure. These photos evoke emotions we can relate to.
Thanks Pawel, my feeling also, Cheers, Duade
The 3rd picture of the Cockatoo stood out to me, it seemed more interesting as the pose was different than standard pictures.
Happy New Year Duade! Brilliant video. I love habitat shots better these days than catalogue shots. We're all different of course but they speak to me ❤️
Thanks May, yes, they are growing on me also and will try more in 2023. Cheers, Duade
I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your work and videos. Thank you for this wonderful set of tips.
Thanks Matthew, it is my pleasure, Cheers, Duade
Happy New Year, Duade. Some wonderful images and great tips in this video. Thank you. Also, my hat is off to those whose work you presented here as examples of your tips. I look forward to your offerings this year in 2023.
Thanks Jim, yes, it was a lot of fun and I was very impressed with the images also. Cheers, Duade
Hi Duade, some great images from everyone in this weeks show, thank you for taking the time to make these video's I look forward to them, the only thing at 70 I don't do it go out and take images in the wind and rain any more, my arthritis in my hip and knees can't stand it when it's wet.... One question mate, Is your wife a photographer or interested at all of what you do? Thanks..
My wife used to love photography. Now seeing me spending a lot of time clicking, more than that picking and editing later, she is exhausted!
G'day Tel, yes, I must admit I am not a big fan of the cold and wind myself. My wife is very supportive and knows how much joy photography brings me. She is not a photographer herself but her input is very much valued as a different point of view. Cheers, Duade
The sad fact is we won’t be seeing many more pictures of the White rhino!
#11 The Joy is my favorite. The "wow" factor of the photo is what puts the ear-to-ear smile on my face. Thanks for sharing your "wow" images.
Thanks John, yes, joy is very important and is why we keep getting up early and heading into the field. Cheers, Duade
Great video Duade! All of the images are amazing, but your summary at the end is the best! It is the joy of the image created that makes this all so special. Happy New Year and looking forward to 2023.
Thanks James, I am glad everyone is connecting with #11 as that is the key to this hobby. Take care and happy birding in 2023. Cheers, Duade
Another great video Duade. Thank you so much for these tips. All are great, but I believe that #11 is my favorite, the Joy - that for me is the key to the reason I get out and take pictures. It started as almost like an act of healing, but it really has become so important to me to walk in nature and then just be in the moment to capture birds and wildlife. I look forward to going out in 2023 with my newer kit and using these tips. Again thanks.
G'day Bruce, my apologies for the delay in responding, not sure how I missed it but yes, I totally agree about the joy, that is what I love about it also. I hope 2023 has started off well for you. Cheers, Duade
Waw, the very last picture is simply astounding. Thank you for this great video!
Thanks Cláudio, I totally agree, Cheers, Duade
Unique uncluttered images always grab my imagination but I also like close and personal. To get that combination.... that's when you need an appointment with the animal, and that doesn't happen very often. At least not for me. It is a pleasure to see these incredible images. It would be impossible for me to pick one I like best!
Thanks, yes, very tough indeed, so many wonderful images which was great to see. Cheers, Duade
What a beautiful video!! It’s so lovely to see you celebrating the gorgeous photography of your followers alongside your own amazing shots, and in such an encouraging and informative way. I’d love to see more of these videos - maybe discussing the edits that you made to your favourite images to elevate them even more?
Thanks Jess, I will look at doing an editing video in the future. Cheers, Duade
You are amazing but I have a t7 try finding a great lens
Very engaging Duade, just wondering how many great shots are out there if this is a sample then the numbers are staggering almost unimaginable. Wish I could see them all but am satisfied seeing what you put up for now. Keep up the great work always enjoy your vids, will be looking👀for the next on. Have a great new year.🎉
Thanks George, yes, the with so many amazing photographers there is a plethora of great shots out there which is great for us as viewers. Cheers, Duade
Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always Duade 👍I believe that a photo that stands out from the rest is a photo that shows some type of emotion human like or a feeling of caring, is like when you take a picture of a bird feeding the chicks 🐦❤️🤗
Thanks Miguel, yes, that feeling is key isn't it, Cheers Duade