DP reader Paul Stephens spent the day with
birds of prey and pro photographer Lewis Philips.
Capturing birds
of prey
Capturing a native bird of prey as it soars
across the countryside is a familiar photo wish for many enthusiast wildlife
photographers. However, finding such amazing sights in the wild is not
so easy or even a guaranteed occurrence in your local area. This issue, Digital
Photographer teamed up professional photographer Lewis Phillips (www.lewisphillipsimages.com) to
offer one lucky reader the chance to photograph some of these incredible birds
up-close.
Taking a trip over to the stunning Kent
countryside, our reader Paul Stephens was fortunate enough to go on a one-to-one
workshop day with Lewis at the Eagle Heights Wildlife Park (www.eagleheights.co.uk). With access
to some of its most majestic birds of prey, Paul was able to photograph their
natural behaviour and get some great shots of the birds up-close and even while
in flight. Thanks to a well-organised and full itinerary. Paul was able to take
home a variety of great wildlife photographs for his portfolio.
Lewis’s workshops offer a completely unique
shooting opportunity, catering to all photographers whether you’re at a
beginner or professional level. What’s more, as well as showing you all the
essential camera settings and composition rules on the day, Lewis also shares
his passion for conservation.
The Bird of Prey workshop runs regularly on
the third Sunday of every month, but book early to secure you place. Lewis also
runs other group workshops and one-to-one sessions on request. To see what
other workshops are available and get further information on dates and pricing,
please visit his website: www.lewisphillipsimages.com.
Flight
Paul Stephen’s comment: ‘I like how this
shot shows of Skye’s huge wing span as she makes use of the thermals in the air
to glide effortlessly. Unfortunately the sky was only grey that tday, as I
think a blue sky would really add to this photo’
Lewis Phillips’ critique: ‘Paul got a good
shot of Skye in flight. It’s been well-exposed with room around the subject to
breathe and it’s also sharp where it matters’
Gaze
Paul Stephens’ comment: ‘Before setting off
on a flight, Skye spent her time studying the fields around her time studying
the fields around her; in this shot I wanted to capture the thoughtful
expression on her face as she contemplates her next move’
Lewis Phillips’ critique: ‘This is a great
portrait shot of the bird with a good depth of field and, most importantly, a
sharp eye.’
Eagle silhouette
Lewis pointed out that lighting is key and
that you sometimes have to be very patient and wait for the right time to
capture the scene. For his image above, Lewis underexposed the shot slightly to
give the image more of a silhouette effect.
