BLUEBELLS & WOODLAND PHOTOGRAPHY: Bluebells & Wood Anemones

Описание: This week you find me photographing Wood Anemones and Bluebells at dawn in a local woodland location.

I cover a few technical and compositional techniques I like to use. But for me it is as much about experiencing the amazing wildlife and surroundings of our countryside and I've tried to convey that as much as the photography.

For me, one of the most magical places and times of the year, is in an ancient deciduous woodland as Spring erupts with birdsong and wildflowers. The contrast with just a few weeks before is staggering especially this year with the severe winter experienced across the whole of the UK.

INSTAGRAM: I'm at   / nigelpmorley  
MY WEBSITE: www.nigelmorley.co.uk

**Grammar Alert ** Yes I know I spelt "anemone" wrong once on the video! As they say, "a schoolboy error" !! :-) .

I'm lucky to live in an area with plenty of ancient woodland but as development increasingly encroaches, much of it is becoming isolated pockets effectively trapping the wildlife in them and making them sadly very vulnerable to problems like pollution, damage etc with no vital wildlife corridors to encourage movement.

In Part One I take you though a few technique tips that I find useful and just concentrate on the wonderful Wood Anemone. A oft-forgotten flower but it is the classic early signal of undisturbed ancient woodland and a great indicator that the ecosystem is healthy as they takes a huge amount of time to spread and need the constant annual supply of leaf-litter to keep their habitat in great shape. So coppiced woodland like this is perfect for them, providing a balance of light and shade as the leaf canopy develops above them.

Hope you enjoy it and I'd love to hear any comments.

IMAGES:
The small intimate shots were all at ISO64, shutter speeds of 1/40th-1/60th at f/3.2 including the stacked shot

The "Yellow Glow" Anemone was at 1/125th simply due to the increased light of course

The overhead "Foliage" image was at ISO400 at 1/60th at F5/6 as it was handheld as I had to lean right over and couldn't put my tripod anywhere without damaging at least one flower.

Hope you enjoyed this video and hopefully Part Two will cover the Bluebells !!

PLEASE PLEASE: Just a request that if out walking/photographing the springtime wildflowers never walk on them. Research has proved that even minimal damage and breaking stems of these delicate flowers (and footfall on the bulbs underground) whilst they are out is devastating to their long term survival so please enjoy them but protect this fantastic habitat we are so lucky to have here in the UK.

EQUIPMENT USED:
Nikon D810
105mm Nikon MIcro lens
Manfrotto tripod.
Other essentials:
--BIN BAG !! to kneel/sit/lie on..no brainer as they weigh nothing..take two if you're over 5ft 3 !!

FOR THE VLOGGING:
Canon G7x Mark II
Separate audio via Zoom Audio recorder and a Rode lav mic.
GoPro Hero5 Black
Mavic Pro drone
Gorillapod
Lowepro backpack