Wildlife, Reptiles and Frogs - Winter Edition Saturday 29 June 2019

Wildlife, Reptiles and Frogs - Winter Edition Saturday 29 June 2019 Hi everyone, Please join me for a very special and cool workshop. Yes, its being held mid-winter and that means access to animals that are sometime a bit too wild to bring out in warmer weather. This is a one off opportunity (for 2019) to see and photograph these reptiles, frogs, birds and mammals. Many are all but impossible to photograph in the wild without a BBC Wildlife budget. Numbers are very limited so get in quickly! You will have an amazing opportunity to photograph tame native wildlife at a private breeder’s collection. Some of the native wildlife species that we will photograph (depending on availability on the day) include, but not limited to: ▪ Golden tailed Gecko ▪ Land Mullet ▪ Granite Belt Cunningham’s Skink ▪ West Aus. Gold Fields Shingleback ▪ Central netted Dragon ▪ Woma Python ▪ Brown Tree Snake (Night Tiger) ▪ Lace Monitor ▪ Perentie (goanna) ▪ Pygmy Freshwater Crocodile ▪ Boobook Owl ▪ Channel billed Cuckoo ▪ Long nosed Potoroo ▪ Ringtail Possum ▪ Northern Brush tailed Bettong (highly endangered) If you have any special requests please let me know and we'll see if they can be made available. Click here for details: Wildlife, Reptile and Frog - Winter Edition details Hope you can make it along. Cheers, Mark Live, Laugh, Photograph

Love wildlife? Here are 5 tips to improve your shots.

Five Tips to Help Improve your Wildlife Photography.

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1. Shoot from the eye level of your subject (or slightly lower). The difference is remarkable when compared to just standing and shooting down on your subject. Shooting shorebirds? Take a towel or canvas sheet with you and lay down on the sand to shoot. Try the different angles next time you're out in the field and you will soon notice the difference.

Get down at eye level


2. Focus on the eye. Make sure you get those eyes in focus or your image will surely fail. It is just that simple. The eyes must be tack sharp and if they are, you are halfway to a great shot.

Focus on the eyes 


3. Blur out your background. Shoot "wide open", i.e. use a large aperture, say, f/2.8 to f/5.6 depending on your lens of course. This will eliminate distractions in the background and allow all of your viewer's attention to be directed to your subject. Nice soft bokeh (background blur) can make or break a good photo. The added advantage to shooting with a wide open aperture is that, automatically, your shutter speed will be faster. Faster shutter speed equals less chance of a blurred image due to movement or camera shake especially when using a longer focal length lens.

Shoot wide open and blur the background.

4. Watch your composition. Leave space in the direction the animal or bird is facing or leaning towards. Reduce the space at the subject's back.

Leave space in front of your subject

5. Choose your background carefully when composing your shot. You can't always do this with moving subjects as you may just have to grab the moment, but if you do have time, study your background. Moving a small distance may mean the difference between having a stick growing out of your subject's head or not. It is easy to get carried away with the excitement of the moment but that small change of position could be the difference between a good shot and an award winner.

Watch your background

Love bird and nature photography. Check these out!

Birds - Birds - Birds

Love bird and nature photography. Check these out!

Flinders Ranges 2019 is already sold out but there's plenty more bird photography coming your way.

North Queensland - Daintree - Atherton Tablelands - Cairns - Now Open for Bookings

11th October to 21st October 2019

We thought our inaugural itinerary in 2017 year was amazing, 2018 was even better and 2019 is going to be absolutely awesome! We have tweaked a few things to bring you even more private visits to special spots, combined with many tried and true locations.

A day boating to the outer reef for the opportunity to get some close-up photos of nesting and roosting sea birds on Michaelmas Cay. The most common being Sooty Tern, Lesser-crested Tern and Common Noddy with a sprinkling of Brown Booby and Frigatebirds. Bridled and Black-naped Terns and other rarities can sometimes be present as well.

Golden Bowerbirds, Riflebirds, Sunbirds and so much more.

Read more.....

Hunter Valley - Newcastle - Cessnock - Now Open for Bookings

23rd October to 1st November 2019

We'll take you to Maitland to visit Walka Water Works. This is a fantastic resource for birds, both water and bush. An amazing old 19th century pump station has some wonderful colours in its brickwork too. 

You'll visit many of Dick’s secret locations.


A morning on the water will have you photographing Albatross and many other pelagic birds. 


The Hunter Valley Zoo and Hunter Valley Gardens will provide many, many opportunities for amazing images. 


A day at the Hunter Wetlands centre will be a highlight but there's so much more.

Read more ......

Wildlife, Reptiles and Frogs Photography Workshop Sunday 19 May 2019

Wildlife, Reptiles and Frogs Photography Workshop 

Sunday 19 May 2019

Hi Everyone,

Come along and join me as I teach you  how to photograph the amazing world of small creatures.

Special guest, Tony Holden, from Nikon Australia will be along on the day with some terrific Nikon gear for you to try out. If you've been thinking about the amazing new Z cameras this will be a great chance to see and try.

Where:  Closeburn - N.W. Brisbane outskirts near Samford

We will start off with a session detailing correct camera settings and the best techniques for optimising exposure and focus. If you are not familiar with Back Button Focus all will be revealed and your cameras set up.
Some of the species are all but impossible to photograph in the wild, so this is a chance you will not want to miss.

You will have an amazing opportunity to photograph tame native wildlife at a private breeder’s collection.  Some of the native wildlife species that we will photograph (depending on availability on the day) include: 

• Leaf-tailed Gecko and Knob-tailed Gecko
• Bearded Dragon, Southern Angle-headed Dragon, Water Dragon and Boyd’s Rainforest Dragon
• Pink-tongue Skink, Blue-tongue Skink and Shingleback Lizard
• Carpet Python, Diamond Python and Brown Tree Snake
• Magnificent Tree Frog, Gold Tree Frog, Green Tree Frog, White-lipped Tree Frog and Burrowing Desert Frog
• Various other reptiles 

You will receive professional photographic tuition throughout the workshop. I will teach you how to take better photos as well as getting the most out of your camera.

To find out more just click on this -> LINK. or give me a call on 0459 221 678

Spaces are limited to 8 participants so you will have unfettered access to photograph and plenty of one-to-one tuition.

Hope you can make it along.

Cheers,

Mark

New Zealand - South Island 6 - 20 March 2019 - 2 spots left

New Zealand - South Island

6 - 20 March 2019 - 2 spots left.

New Zealand - Land of the Long White Cloud Hi Everyone, There is still time to climb on board and join me as we explore New Zealand's magnificent South Island for a jam packed photographic adventure with our spacious and luxurious Mercedes mini-bus. Whether you're a beginner looking to improve your photography in an amazing location or a long time shooter wanting to enjoy the company of like minded people in stunning surroundings, this is for you. This really is the ''Best of New Zealand" south island photography tour. Check out some of the details below or go straight to the website for all the information -> HERE We start in Christchurch for our first get together and then we head west for a day of landscape photography with a little wildlife thrown in for good measure. We will travel through the picturesque Castle Hill rocks and up over Arthur's Pass to our accommodation in Greymouth. Along the way we will conduct a waterfall session explaining the techniques required to obtain amazing cascade and waterfall images. We also pass through a known habitat for the gorgeous Kea so you will need your bird lenses at the ready for our first wildlife session. The Devils Punch Bowl and Waimakariri River will provide more spectacular landscape opportunities. A terrific New Zealand welcome is in store for us at Greymouth as Trekabout regulars, Dayaram and Joanne, kindly host a welcome BBQ. Next we'll head south stopping at Lake Mahinapua to demonstrate the use of 'Big Stopper' neutral density filters to good effect, to remove ripples from the water to create a mirror-lake surface. The Whataroa River fed by blue glacier water will captivate you. Along the way you'll have the opportunity to take an optional helicopter flight south over the glaciers. As well as Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers you'll see many others that are to all intents and purposes, inaccessible other than by air. A stop at Okarito lagoon and a bird walk and then onto our accommodation at Franz Joseph Glacier. You'll take an easy hike through other worldly terrain to the base of Franz Joseph Glacier and Fox Glacier. The grandeur and scale of these massive flows of ice will astound you. Heading further south, we have a day of waterfalls and streams in store. Hidden gems just begging for your tripod and camera await along our route. We'll shoot Jimmy's Falls, Haast Falls, Fantail Falls and others. Then the famous Wanaka Tree. Sunset will be a special treat as we photograph the famous icon. For those who are keen we'll re-shoot the tree after dinner with the Milky Way as our backdrop. On our way to Queenstown you'll visit St Bathans to photograph the Blue lakes. We'll lunch at a wonderful old hotel in Omakau where there will ample time to photograph the old buildings and farm machinery. A day of rest (maybe) in Queenstown jet boating, chair lift or just relaxing. You will visit Arrowtown where you can wander and explore the Old Chinese Settlement. We'll take you out towards Glenorchy to access the many lookouts along the way. Scenic landscapes across the water abound and there are a few waterfalls along the way. Near Tea Gardens we'll stop for a bird session where Tui, tomtit and fantail can be found along the creek. You're in for a treat at Milford Sound for an amazing day on the water. The Mitre Peak boat will get up close and personal to seals along the way and if you’re game you can sit up front while the skipper noses in under one of the huge waterfalls. We'll mind your camera gear while you take your refreshing waterfall shower. An early start for a full day out to photograph Doubtful Sound. We are taken by boat across Lake Manapouri where we are met by a bus and taken to our cruise boat to explore Doubtful Sound. After Doubtful Sound we head south to overnight in Invercargill. Then there's The Catlins. This area abounds in magnificent scenery and yet more waterfalls. The Otago peninsula Albatross colony is a must see. You'll have the opportunity to photograph these magnificent birds as they soar on the coastal updrafts. We'll visit a colony where you'll have access to see some of the albatross nesting. As we head north we'll visit the Orokonui Ecosanctuary (great bird opportunities) before making our way to Moeraki. The Moeraki Boulders will be a landscape highlight of your New Zealand adventure. A sunset shoot will see these incredible structures at their best. A sunrise shoot at the Moeraki Boulders will be followed by a visit to photograph Yellow-eyed Penguins and seals. Next we'll head off to Lake Tekapo. You'll get the afternoon off to relax for some well earned R&R and then, after dinner, we'll head over to the Church of the Lost Shepherd. Here you can try your hand at some light painting with the stars as your back drop of this magnificent stone church. Please get in quick and book your spot today. For all the details and booking information click HERE to go to Trekabout website.

Nine Day Java - Volcanos and Ancient Kingdoms - June 2019

Nine Day Java - Volcanos and Ancient Kingdoms  Photography Tour and Workshop presented by David Metcalf and Mark Rayner 18th to 26th June 2019 Take advantage of the stronger AUD and book now to secure your spot on this amazing photography workshop and tour.  Hi Everyone, Dayak Dave (David Metcalf) and Buffalo Master (myself) are pleased to announce our amazing adventure photography workshop and tour in Java is on again for 2019. The workshop is planned to show you the real culture and landscapes on the Island of volcanos. This workshop is designed to challenge you as a photographer, teach you new skills and techniques under the watchful guidance of Mark and Dave, capture some amazing Images and give you a great insight into culture of the mountain people of Java. Click HERE to jump straight to full details. This is a workshop not to be missed. Java is truly extraordinary. It is described as the most habitable and the most hospitable place in all of Asia, a veritable tropical paradise with stunning landscapes, soaring volcanoes featuring balding cones on top, forests in the middle and rice terraces below. Truly luxurious accommodation  We'll fly you to the historic town of Malang in East Java, one of Java’s hidden treasures, a large town of around one million people and a great base for exploring the area. Malang is a very well planned city with many parks, tree lined streets and old Dutch architecture. You'll be staying at the beautiful historic Tugu Hotel. We will start our photography adventure in the nearby bird and flower market and mix with the local friendly Javanese. We will catch the late afternoon light and do some street photography around the canals and small kampongs of this wonderful city. The Tugu is one of the most beautiful historic hotels in Indonesia and a photography project in its own right. Volcanos and Wild Horsemen Travelling in modified four wheel drives we'll visit Mt Bromo where you can catch a horse ride ( or walk ) to the top of the crater and photograph a live active Volcano. You'll see the Tengger horseman as they gallop across the sand sea, like a scene out of Lawrence of Arabia. We'll take you to visit the charming Tengger Villages in the area. The tengger are hobbit like and the last remaining group of Hindu’s in Muslim dominated Java. Very friendly they will invite us into their homes and we can get some charming portraits. . Temples from the Past Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, is a spectacular sight and we will be there to photograph the star trails over this amazing monument, then the sunrise as the first light hits the many stupas. To the north and east, a majestic procession of Volcanoes soars to heights of more than 3000 meters, making for an unforgettable sight. David Metcalf, now living in Indonesia, has travelled extensively in Bali and Indonesia for the last thirteen years. In his younger days Dave and his wife Stephanie travelled 20,000 kms by bicycle through 12 different countries. Dayak Dave as he is known in Indonesia, due to his love and interest of the Dayak tribe of Kalimantan, has a great interest and passion for everything Indonesian and Bali in particular. Keep an eye out for Dave's book, Looking for Borneo, about his travels throughout Indonesia. Have a look here and order on line and help assist the children of Indonesia as 100% of all profits go to charity. For all the details click -> HERE We'd love to have you along. Cheers, Mark