Birds! Birds! Birds!

This month, I have been mostly photographing birds.

Followers of my Instagram page (@luke_bennett_photos) may be aware that one of my photographic missions this spring is to capture a nice photo of grebes doing their little mating dance ritual. I had some success with this recently; just in the last few minutes of daylight I witnessed a minor courtship display. It petered out very quickly and didn’t fully develop into anything much, but I captured what looked a little bit like a bird tango, with each grebe passing the side of the other, wings-a -flutter in charming choreography.

It wasn’t exactly what I had envisioned - I’d been thinking more along the lines of the classic face-to-face mirrored head and body movements - but it was still lovely to see. The mission continues…

On the same evening, in the last moments of sunlight I also had some fun playing with the ripples and reflections on the water and lining up whatever happened to be nearby. In this instance a solitary greylag goose.

When not walking around the lake near me, I’ve enjoyed watching the garden birds outside my window, taking advantage of the bird bath and feeder.

Birds (mainly herons!) in Flight

I’ve just been looking at some bird edits from the last 12 months or so and collated what I think are my most successful bird in flight images to date. As mentioned previously on this blog, it’s something I’ve been trying to do more of and improve on.

It seems, I have a bit of a leaning towards the heron, which forms most of the images below. When I think about it, it’s obvious why - They’re big, they fly low and close, they fly slowly, and they’re not at all uncommon. Luckily for me there are at least four that like to hang around the lake near me. Even better, they omit a loud, high-pitched squawk before taking flight, as if to let you know to get your camera ready!

BBC feature on Photographers from the Midlands

At the end of last year I was fortunate enough to be asked by the BBC News website to submit a ‘favourite’ image from the previous 12 months, to be featured within a 2023 roundup of other midlands based photographer’s work.

I’m pretty indecisive/changeable at the best of times so don’t really do favourites, but I submitted the following:

Recency bias is definitely a thing, as I took this only a few weeks previously on a cold and frosty autumnal morning in Shropshire. I was very pleased with how the weather conditions combined with the peak autumn colour (- the leaves thankfully not having shed yet).

In a very clear demonstration of my changeable/indecisive nature, no sooner had I submitted the shot, I decided I preferred the photo below:

I think (at least at the moment I do…) it’s the more interesting composition and better highlights the colours of the season as they were that morning.

Either way, the article can be viewed via the following link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-67754785

"I'm not much of an early riser, but I made the effort on this occasion to get up at the crack of dawn and head to Ragleth Hill, near Church Stretton in Shropshire, in the hopes of a scene like this presenting itself.

"This image comprises Caer Caradoc and Helmeth Hill, with the Wrekin in the far background. Just entering the scene on the right is Hope Bowdler Hill. It was my first time up Ragleth, and it's a beautiful view of the Shropshire Hills, so I plan on returning next year."

Autumnal Tree Photography

These were all taken within the last two weeks, where the colour of autumn has combined with some atmospheric weather conditions, to provide the perfect opportunity for some tree portrait photography!

Shropshire Landscapes - Caer Caradoc, The Lawley and The Wrekin

Below are three views of Caer Caradoc, as viewed from Hope Bowdler in Shropshire last month. The light that evening was really nice. Next time I want to try focus stacking so that the foreground trees/bushes are as sharp as the background.

The fourth image is from a different occasion, of the Wrekin, but I saw it in my catalogue by chance and liked it so thought I’d upload it :)

Wildlife in Warwickshire

This week, I have been mostly photographing wildlife in Warwickshire.

The kestrel, fallow deer and grey squirrel were all found on one outing, at Charlecote Park; a place I love to visit semi regularly, precisely because of these kinds of photographic opportunities.

The fox was found elsewhere (location to remain secret). While walking through the undergrowth, I suddenly saw a hint of movement and colour and realised there was a fox to my right. It was walking very close by, but quickly through the adjacent field and well hidden by the fence and shrubbery.

The settings on my camera were not optimised for this particular shot, so it’s one of a burst taken at 1/100 of a second (far too slow), and the only one remotely sharp or correctly focused as a result. The foliage in the foreground immediately next to me and that surrounding the fox made this a challenging photo to take in the split second opportunity provided, but I feel lucky to have got one worth keeping at least.

Shropshire Landscapes - Caer Caradoc and the Lawley

Usually when I go to Shropshire I tend to end up in the Long Mynd exploring the well known hills of Church Streton. This time, for a change I thought I’d check out some of the hills that can be viewed in the distance from the Long Mynd, but up close.

I went in the evening, hoping for some nice lighting and shadows, with the intent of getting some successful landscape photos.

As the sun got lower in the sky, some brilliant shadows started to drape over the landscape. I particularly like the dramatic contrast on this last shot with half the woodland shrouded in darkness and the top half starkly lit by the orange glow of the setting sun.

Black and White Horse Photography

I’ve been continuing to learn and enjoy my new camera system over the last few weeks. Most recently I’ve been had fun viewing the horses during my evening walks locally.
I feel like I’ve caught a few interesting stances and expressions in the shots below. I processed the first one in black and white eventually as I felt it suited the mood of the portrait; the horse looking powerful and aggressive (for that split second in time at least). The edit ended up suiting the rest, too, so I made a series.

Bird in Flight Photography

One of my photography goals over the last 6 months has been to do more bird in flight stuff. I’ve been a bit limited in terms of my longest range until recently (that being the Fuji 50-140mm f2.8 plus 1.4x teleconverter), as well as the continuous auto focus ability of that particular combination (- let’s just say the 1.4x converter definitely doesn’t help matters…), but I’ve managed a few shots I’m really happy with regardless -

I’ve also developed a new-found fondness of the 16:9 ratio it would appear.

Over the last few weeks I’ve sold all my Fuji gear (it was a good innings, from 2016, with lots of fun along the way, we’re still friends, but I wanted to see what the competition had to offer) and have found myself with a Nikon Z 400mm f4.5. I’ve only taken it out on two walks so far and been getting used to the new system, setting the camera up to my liking, but I think it’s going to do juuuust fiiiine -

Snooping on Foxes and Fox Cubs in Warwickshire

A few years ago I had an amazing experience where I stumbled upon an area of wasteland full of fox holes carved into a stretch of sloped woodland. By sheer luck and good fortune I encountered a group of fox cubs playing in the afternoon sun. They allowed me to get really close and either didn't notice my presence or didn't seem to mind it. I only had my phone with me but made sure I took loads of video footage of them darting in and out of their hole and chasing each other around. It left me feeling privileged to have seen it and was easily the best wildlife encounter I've ever had.

Then, disaster struck (and a lesson learnt) - when upgrading phones and after backing everything up to my PC, I formatted the phone memory card, convinced everything had been transferred to the computer. But... it hadn't. 😭 The videos were missing and the phone was now wiped. Gutted was an understatement.

Each April/May since I've returned to the same spot in hopes of seeing more fox cubs, but so far I've had no luck. A few weeks ago, however, I visited the area again with a sense of optimism and anticipation.

Suddenly I heard a series of terrifying screeches and squeals in the distance, so I headed slowly - covered head to toe in camouflage - in that direction. The sounds got louder and after my eyes adjusted to the scene I could see glimpses of movement up ahead, but I still wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I knew that foxes sometimes sound like babies crying when they fight, but these were closer to the kinds of noises a pig would make when scared.

But sure enough, after a little while I noticed three fox cubs darting in and out of their den, chasing each other and rolling around in the dirt.

The light was terrible and shrubbery was very much in the way, so I didn’t get any of those actions shots. I was sitting a fair distance away on this occasion, too, so the photos are cropped to all heck, but I was very pleased to get them anyway.

The first two photos of the adult fox were taken about two weeks prior to those of the fox cubs, in a slightly different area, but I suspect they are they same family.

Big Horse, You Come to Me

This may be the biggest horse I’ve ever encountered, in terms of height at least. It towered over me when it came over to see who I was and why I had the nerve to let myself into his field.
The lighting that evening was brilliant, the sun covering everything it touched with a lovely glow. In the background is The Wrekin.

British Bluebells, Again

I think, given they’re not around for long, it’s perfectly OK to keep making bluebells the focus of my photography in late April/early May. And if you don’t agree, well, shame on you.

I’d forgotten about this trio of trees in my local woods, but was pleased to rediscover them as an interesting backdrop to the purple carpet in front.

At one point I noticed a couple of muntjac deer in the distance behind me snaffling their way past the coppice next to them.

Bluebells in Britain's Woodlands

Hi there, Blog. How are you? I’m sorry for not writing.

And with apologies to my Blog for not updating it out the way, here’s an update. This week, I have been mostly photographing bluebells. That’s because they tend to only be at their most blue for a couple of weeks before they wither away and disappear for another year. These were all taken in a woodland local to me in Warwickshire. Each year I tend to gravitate to the same areas in the woods, as this is where the light falls as the sun sets, and coincidentally/fortunately the most photogenic spot anyway. I thought I might have got tired of going to the same areas several years in a row, but no, I still love it.

I’ve also decided, in an attempt to update this space more often, I’m probably just going to post photos I like from now on, with less in the way of tags and words and thinking and all the things that put me off posting.

Pet Photography - Why Cats Are Such Great Subjects

Why are cats such good subjects for a photographer? This is something I’ve pondered over the years. I’ve concluded it’s hard not to want to take their photo - after all, if they’re part of the household they’re usually available during the day for a shoot and they don’t charge much, just some tummy rubs and treats. It’s a reasonable fee.
They know how to pose, too, without any instructions at all (though the chances of them doing what you ask are pretty minimal…). Professional models could learn a lot from the natural poise and elegance of the average cat. They know exactly how to hold their body; the lines, the arches, the pointed limbs, the mysterious look on their faces… All the things that once mastered make for a pleasing portrait. They do it all completely naturally.

I took the opportunity for an impromptu pet portrait photo shoot with my family’s cats during a recent visit. They enjoy lounging around in the afternoon sun, soaking in the warmth the way that cats do and providing some nice light and shadow dynamics.

If you would like to arrange a ‘model shoot’ for your pet cat, dog, hamster, crocodile, shark (anything, I love them all!), please say hello.

Ironbridge Photography

As my family live ten minutes away, I often find myself taking a wander through the town of Ironbridge in Shropshire. It’s always picturesque and I can’t help but want to take some photos. Due to lockdown, during my last visit a few months ago, the streets were mostly empty of the usual tourism you would find there.

One thing that stuck out of me on this occasion is the church. Whilst the Iron Bridge is always impressive and nice to see, the light at the time I arrived happened to be illuminating St Luke’s as it looked down from higher up the gauge.

The Iron Bridge is a bridge that crosses the River Severn in Shropshire, England. Opened in 1781, it was the first major bridge in the world to be made of cast iron, and was greatly celebrated after construction owing to its use of the new material.

In 1934 it was designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument and closed to vehicular traffic. Tolls for pedestrians were collected until 1950, when ownership of the bridge was transferred to Shropshire County Council. It now belongs to Telford and Wrekin Borough Council. The bridge, the adjacent settlement of Ironbridge and the Ironbridge Gorge form the UNESCO Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.[1] The bridge is a Grade I listed building, and a waypoint on the South Telford Heritage Trail.

All photos of The Iron Bridge in Ironbridge were taken on the Fuji X-H1 with the Fujifilm XF16 - 55mm f/2.8 Lens, processed from RAW with Capture One.

Please visit the rest of my website, www.lukebennettphotos.com for much more content, including further landscape and nature photography from the UK and visit my Print Gallery to buy high quality prints of my UK landscapes.

Also, if you are interested in hiring me as your wedding photographer in Solihull, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, the Midlands or Beyond, please say hi!

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Snow Photography in Warwickshire - Woodlands, Sheep and Horses Braving the Cold

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I love snow!

I love the way it looks when it’s falling, all gentle and hypnotic. I love the way it looks when it has settled, coating everything across the land in a clean white sheen. I love the way it reminds us that nature doesn’t care about our systems or our road network or our need to do things. It just comes along, plonks itself down and causes a beautiful chaos.

Obviously it’s got some pretty strong competition in terms of the chaos part lately - For anyone reading this in the distant future (where hopefully the human race still exists in a renewed state of ignorant bliss), I’m writing this just after having had my first COVID-19 vaccine dose…

I made the most of the snow over the mid January weekend and ventured out, first on Saturday to Hay Wood in Solihull, one of my favourite places all year round. There wasn’t a huge covering of snow, especially deep under the cover of the trees, but it was lovely and cold and crisp, with a slight lingering mist in the air.

On the Sunday I took a walk locally around the block and off down a nearby footpath cutting through some farmer’s fields. Here I encountered a lovely horse and some sheep, grateful for their woolly jumpers.

All photos of the snow in Warwickshire were taken by Luke Bennett.

Please visit the rest of my website, www.lukebennettphotos.com for much more content, including further landscape and nature photography from the UK and visit my Print Gallery to buy high quality prints of my UK landscapes.

Also, if you would like me to photograph your wedding or event in Solihull, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, the Midlands or Beyond, please say hi!

Up Above the Streets and the Houses, Rainbow Climbing High (over the Wrekin)

I took a much needed walk up to the top of the Wrekin in Shropshire just before Christmas. It was a very cold and wet day, with huge muddy puddles everywhere and very slippery under foot. The kind of conditions where you need to be careful how you hold yourself and mindful of your surroundings. The best kind of conditions! Luckily, the sun was also out from time to time, for some lovely lighting at the top and clear-ish views over the surrounding areas.

As seems to be a common theme lately, I almost took a tumble a couple of times whilst scrambling around on the icy rock face. As I’m sure many other photographers can relate to, my immediate priority whilst slipping was to hold my camera out of danger, ignoring the potential breaks and bruises awaiting me on impact. Luckily I was fine and some well chosen swearwords seemed to aid my balance.

On the way back the light suddenly changed, covering everything in an orange glow and a lovely big rainbow could clearly be seen arching from one side of the Wrekin to the other. I could almost see the gold at the other end it was that close.

On the drive back, satisfied with a good walk and some nice photography opportunities I had to pull over for one final shot as the sun came down. This is (I think) part of the Long Mynd as viewed from the road by the Wrekin, looking very atmospheric in the cold winter light.

All photos of the Wrekin were taken in Shropshire by Luke Bennett.

Please visit the rest of my website, www.lukebennettphotos.com for much more content, including further landscape and nature photography from the UK and visit my Print Gallery to buy high quality prints of my UK landscapes.

Also, if you would like me to photograph your wedding or event in Solihull, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, the Midlands or Beyond, please say hi!


The Stiperstones

I took the opportunity to re-visit the Stiperstones in Shropshire a few weeks ago. I’d been before and took what I think were a nice series of photos, only in a moment of what can only be described as ‘stupidity’, I formatted my memory card before uploading them anywhere. Not my finest hour. But, a lesson learnt - always back up, always double check before deleting!

This most recent visit, whilst sharing the same rainy atmosphere was about 10 times as windy! It looks pretty nice and peaceful in some of the photos, but I’ve never experienced such windy conditions. At one point I was actually kept on my feet by the severe gale blowing against my back when I ended up losing footing on my way down the rock formations. So, thanks wind, I owe you one.

According to Wiki -

The Stiperstones is a distinctive hill in the county of Shropshire, England. The quartzite rock of the ridge formed some 480 million years ago. During the last Ice Age Stiperstones lay on the eastern margin of the Welsh ice sheet. The hill itself was not glaciated though glaciers occupied surrounding valleys and it was subject to intense freezing and thawing which shattered the quartzite into a mass of jumbled scree surrounding several residual rocky tors.[1] At 536 metres (1,759 ft) above sea level it is the second-highest hill in the county, surpassed only by Brown Clee Hill (540 metres (1,772 ft)). Stiperstones' 8-kilometre (5 mi) summit ridge is crowned by several jagged outcrops of rock, which may be seen silhouetted against the sky.
The general area has a long history of lead mining, most notably during the Roman occupation of Britain. Several pigs of lead have been found nearby, and the tradition continued into Victorian times.

The area around the Stiperstones is rich in myths and folklore relating to the rocks of the Devil's Chair. According to one legend, the ghost of Wild Edric, a Saxon earl who held lands that were confiscated after 1066 and successfully defied the Normans, for a time at least, rides the hills whenever England is threatened by invasion.

Aside from the incredibly blustery conditions and the spitting, cold (surprisingly painful) rain, there were frequent breaks in the cloud where the sun lit up the land through the atmospheric haze. I look forward to visiting again in the future.

All photos of the Stiperstones were taken in Shropshire by Luke Bennett.

Please visit the rest of my website, www.lukebennettphotos.com for much more content, including further landscape and nature photography from the UK and visit my Print Gallery to buy high quality prints of my UK landscapes.

Also, if you would like me to photograph your wedding or event in Solihull, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, the Midlands or Beyond, please say hi!

Wild Welsh Ponies on the Long Mynd, Shropshire

I was lucky enough to chance upon the wild Welsh ponies living atop the Long Mynd earlier this year. It’s always a pleasure to see them living naturally without (much) human interference in the wilds of the Shropshire Hills.

They tolerate their human observers pretty well and don’t seem to mind having their photos taken. A few of the mares looked to be heavily pregnant with large round abdomens; this was back in September, so I’m assuming they’ve had their offspring by now. Hopefully they won’t get too cold up there over the winter time! Although it would be lovely to see them in the snow, thinking selfishly as a photographer.

All wild Welsh pony photos were taken in Shropshire.

Please visit the rest of my website, www.lukebennettphotos.com for much more content, including further landscape and nature photography from the UK and visit my Print Gallery to buy high quality prints of my UK landscapes.

Also, if you would like me to photograph your wedding or event in Solihull, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, the Midlands or Beyond, please say hi!

Bluebells in the Warwickshire Woodlands

I’m a bit late posting this, given that bluebell season is now well and truly over, but I thoroughly enjoyed photographing this year’s batch. My local woodlands is a lovely place for walking and photography throughout the year, but for a short window somewhere around April/May it takes on a whole new character. The air is alive with the sounds of bees and insects performing their duties, the spring sun provides beautiful light and shade through the trees, and the carpet of bluebells adds a sprinkle of bright, refreshing colour to the scene, like something out of a fairy tale.

All bluebell photos were taken in woodlands within Warwickshire.

Please visit the rest of my website, www.lukebennettphotos.com for much more content, including further landscape and nature photography from the UK and visit my Print Gallery to buy high quality prints of my UK landscapes.

Also, if you would like me to photograph your wedding or event in Solihull, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, the Midlands or Beyond, please say hi!