Dev Wijewardane Photography

Garden Orb Weaver Spider- Sydney, Australia

2012-01-25T20:42:00.000+11:00

Garden Orb-weaver Spider (Eriophora transmarina) - Sydney, Australia

I took the macro lens out over the weekend hoping to photograph some spiders in the garden. I found a number of Garden Orb Weavers in the shrubs along the driveway and spent some time photographing them. The fact that they spend a lot of time under their webs made the whole task a lot harder.

More photographs inside.

Garden Orb-weaver Spider (Eriophora transmarina) - Sydney, Australia

Garden Orb-weavers are common, non venomous spiders found in Australia. They are usually brightly coloured and vary in terms of size, shape and colour within Australia. They are nocturnal feeders and weave their webs in the evenings. One of the spiders I saw over the weekend was actually in the process of weaving its web. It was interesting to actually see how the spider set about creating such an intricate web.

Garden Orb-weaver Spider (Eriophora transmarina) - Sydney, Australia

I had been trying to figure out how spiders actually sets about creating a web across a void when I came found an article which actually described the process. Apparently the spiders use air/wind to spread the initial line across a void. The spider is said to move to a vantage point and raise its abdomen and release a steady stream of silk from it's spinnerets. The wind will then pick up the silk and carry it until it snags on a solid object. Once the initial strand is firmly snagged, the spider will move out along it to build the web.

Garden Orb-weaver Spider (Eriophora transmarina) - Sydney, Australia

Interestingly the Orb-Weavers build a web every night and then remove it at dawn, unlike some other spiders who stay in the web day and night. Apparently the reason for this behaviour is predator avoidance. Although the "orb" section of the web disappears, some of the support lines will be left in place. During the day the spiders "hide" near a location where these support lines meet a solid object.

Garden Orb-weaver Spider (Eriophora transmarina) - Sydney, Australia

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100mm macro lens. The lighting was again from a Canon 430EX II fired at 1/8th from high (relatively) camera left. Like with the photograph of the Weaver Ants the strobe was handheld. It's not the easiest thing to do when you are trying to lock focus using a macro lens!

Leopards - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

2012-01-22T15:10:00.000+11:00

Leopard - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

On our last trip to Sri Lanka we were able to visit Wipattu while we were staying in Anuradhapura. Due to time constraints we were able to do just one drive in the park. However, we were quite lucky as we atually managed to see 3 Leopards in the park.

More photographs after the jump.

Leopard - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

The first sighting was just five minutes after we entered the park. We had just picked up the tracker from the office and headed into the park when we saw the first Leopard just off the road. We had actually driven past him before we realised and had to reverse back to where he was. He wasn't too bothered with us and was happy to sit in the shade and be photographed. We had been there for about five minutes when a tractor approached and spooked the Leopard.

Leopard - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

The second sighting was a mother and a cub who were playing on the road when we saw them. Unfortunately they were some distance away and we had to be cautious when we approached. Our driver wasn't very experienced and he stopped a relatively long way from the Leopards making photography almost impossible. By the time we were close enough to the Leopards to photograph them, the cub had moved away.

Leopard - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

A few minutes later the mother moved off to the right hand side of the road. The cub saw her move and followed her. It was still in a playful mood and I was fortunate to photograph it running across the road and jumping on its mothers back. The two moved into the undergrowth and were there for sometime before they disappeared into the jungle.

Leopard - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

The photograph above is of the mother when she was about 10 meters away.

All the photographs on this post were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Emerald Dove - Sri Lanka

2012-01-18T22:58:00.001+11:00

Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

Of all the pigeons found in Sri Lanka, the Emerald Dove is easily the most striking. It's brilliant green wings and red beak and feet make identification easy. It's a shy bird and as a result, although common, is rarely seen. On my last trip to Sri Lanka I photographed this species in Sinharaja as well as in Wilpattu.

More photographs inside.

Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

The sighting in Sinharaja was the best in terms of photography. We had just walked in through the gate and around the first corner of the main road when we saw a male Emerald Dove (males have a white patch on their shoulder) walking towards us. I was expecting it to stop briefly and then disappear into the undergrowth on the side of the road but fortunately this was not the case. The bird just walked straight at us and I was able to fire off a number of frames as it approached. It continued until it was well beyond where we were standing before it took flight.

Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

I was also surprised to see a number of them in Wilpattu. They were foraging along the edge of almost every road we drove on and took flight as the vehicle approached. They were probably on the road as they are not used to vehicles driving in the park (the park had been closed to visitors for years and opened up very recently). Most of them flew into the forest and disappeared into the undergrowth pretty quickly. One of them flew up and perched on a branch by the side of the road and allowed me to take the second shot on this post.

Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

Both Wilpattu and Sinharaja are have a thick canopy and very little direct sunlight gets through. As a result, to get decent photographs of these birds I had to jack up the ISO. In Sinharaja I had to use an ISO of about 2000. All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Grizzled Giant Squirrel - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

2012-01-15T16:01:00.001+11:00

Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The Grizzled Giant Squirrel is a large tree squirrel found in Sri Lanka and India. According to the IUCN, it is a "vulnerable" species which is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. As a result, it can be found on the IUCN's "Red List" of threatened species.

More photographs inside.

Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

I have seen Giant Squirrels in Colombo, Anuradhapura and in the central hills of Sri Lanka. Considering it's range, I was actually quite surprised to hear that it was on the Red List. These photographs were taken in July when I came across Giant Squirrels on two occasions while in Anuradhapura.

Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

One of my cousins found a Giant Squirrel for sale in a market in Colombo a few years ago (people have them caged as pets). She bought it and looked after it for sometime before releasing it in the garden. After it was released the squirrel was often seen in the trees around the house and would visit the kitchen for a hand out of fresh fruit on a fairly regular basis. We were pleasantly surprised when she found a mate in the heart of the city (the male was much bigger than she was and also darker in colour). She also gave birth to a single pup which we saw on a number of occasions.

Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The Giant Squirrel is fairly easy to see as it runs along branches feeding on fruit, leaves and the occasional insect. On the two occasions when I saw it in July, the rustling leaves gave away its location as it moved from branch to branch.

These photographs were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Crested Serpent Eagle - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

2012-01-10T21:43:00.000+11:00

Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela spilogaster) - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

The Serpent Eagle is one of the more common birds of prey found in Sri Lanka. Although it is found across tropical Asia, the Sri Lankan subspecies is endemic. In total, 21 subspecies of the Serpent Eagle have been identified across its range.

More photographs after the jump.

Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela spilogaster) - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

On my last trip to Sri Lanka in July, I saw the Serpent Eagle in Kandy, Arugam Bay and Wilpattu. The sighting in Wilpattu was the best in terms of photography as we were around 10 meters away from the Eagle. We came across it while driving down a road which had thick undergrowth on either side. The bird was perched on a branch that was about 10 feet off the ground and overhanging the road.

Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela spilogaster) - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

Fortunately for us, it was not spooked by the approaching vehicle and was content to watch us as we drove up and stopped almost under the tree. I was able to photograph it while leaning out of the jeep window. We spent about 10-15 minutes with the eagle before driving off right under its perch. When we came back about half an hour later, we were surprised to see it still on the same perch.

Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela spilogaster) - Wilpattu, Sri Lanka

All these photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Weaver Ant - Colombo, Sri Lanka

2012-01-06T22:37:00.001+11:00

Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

Weaver Ants are one of the most common ant species found in Sri Lanka. I came across a nest in the garden and used the macro lens to photograph them. These ants are known for their skills in building nests by weaving leaves together using larval silk. Colonies can be extremely large and sometimes consist of up to about half a million workers.

More photographs inside.

Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

Interestingly the "worker" ants fall into two categories based on physical size. The major worker ant is about 10 millimeters in length and the minor worker ant is about half that size. There is said to be a division of labour based on the type of worker ant. The Major workers forage, defend, maintain and expand nests and colonies whereas minor workers stay within the nest and tend to the young and "milk" insects within close proximity to the nest.

Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

These ants are extremely territorial and can be quite aggressive when defending their territories. Although the ants do not have a functional sting, they are capable of delivering a painful bite onto which they spray formic acid resulting in intense discomfort. Some indigenous farmers in southeast Asia are known to use them as natural bio-control agents.

Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

The worker ants are capable of exchanging information by means of chemical and tactile signals, particularly when foraging and defending the colony. When a forager comes across a new food source it lays down a pheromone path to help recruit other workers to the source. These trails are also laid by patrollers to recruit workers to defend the colony from intruders. Tactile communications, such as body shaking, are also used to stimulate activity in other workers.

Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

Photographing the ants was not easy as I wasn't using a tripod at the time. I had to balance the camera as well as a handheld flash while trying to compose these photographs. The fact that the ants were very active at the time (defending their colony from me) didn't help matters. I used a Canon 7D and the 100mm macro lens for all the photographs on this post. The light source was a handheld Canon 530 EX II.

Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) - Colombo, Sri Lanka

Tailed Jay - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

2012-01-03T22:46:00.001+11:00

Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I photographed the Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) on a couple of early morning trips to the Thalangama wetland in July. I hadn't photographed this species before and was fortunate to get quite close to it. Again, the fact that these photographs were taken in the morning helped as the butterfly wasn't very active.

More photographs after the jump.

Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Photographing the upper sides of the Tailed Jay wasn't easy as it perched with its wings folded. The photograph above shows the widest it spread its wings while perched during these sightings. They are strong fliers and quite active. Males are said to frequent flowers from Lantana, Ixora, Mussaenda and Poinsettia.

Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Graphium agamemnon can be found in India and Sri Lanka, through South East Asia and also in Northern Australia. Although Tailed Jays are active throughout the year, their abundance depends on the local monsoon season and the availability of host plants. They have a fast life-cycle and the time taken to grow from egg to adult is around one month. They can produce up to 7 - 8 broods per year.

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Buduruwagala - Sri Lanka

2011-12-21T20:35:00.001+11:00

Rock Carving of Maithri Bodhisathva - Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

Buduruwagala was one of several stops I made on my way to Arugam Bay in July. The area is known for an archeological site located in the middle of the jungle relatively close to the town. The main features of the site are the seven figures that have been carved into the side of a large rock. The rock itself is said to look like an elephant kneeling down with its trunk in its mouth. Buduruwagala loosly translates to "Stone images of the Buddha".

More photographs inside.

Rock Carvings of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva - Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

The centre carving is a standing Buddha statue which measures 51 feet. This is the tallest standing Buddha statue in Sri Lanka and perhaps the world (since the Bamiyan statues were destroyed). The statue is complete above the waist but the bottom section is still rough. This may indicate that this statue was actually a model.

The Buddha Statue - Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

The main figure in the group to the right of the Buddha statue is Avalokitesvara Bodhisatva. This figure has retained a substantial amount of its white finish and traces of orange around the head. The main statue too has traces of white robes. The centre of the crown of the Avalokitesvara statue is a figure of the Buddha in meditation. The figure to the left of the Avalokiteswara has been identified as Tara Devi and the figure to the right is said to be Prince Sudhana.

Rock Carvings of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva - Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

The centre figure on the group to the left of the Buddha statue is the Maithri Bodhisatva , the fifth Buddha for this aeon (first photograph). The details of the crown, ornaments and the robe can be clearly seen. The statues on either side of the Maithri Buddha have not been identified.

The statues at Buduruwagala - Sri Lanka

We made it to Buduruwagala at around midday and the light was terrible for photography. We had a long drive and there was no way we could have made it any earlier. Since we were driving on to Arugam Bay on the same day, we were not able to stay overnight in the area. I've converted some of these photographs to black and white images as I felt they brought out the textures a bit more.

All photograps on this post were taken with the 24-105mm lens and the Canon 7D.

Common Sailor - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

2011-12-18T15:57:00.001+11:00

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The wetlands in Thalangama are best known for the bird life around the marshes but they are also home to a large number of butterflies. I have seen and photographed the Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) at Thalangama on numerous occasions but, for some reason, never got around to posting them on the blog.

More photographs inside.

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Common Sailor is found throughout India, Sri Lanka and Burma. Its range is said to extend to Indomalaya as well. It has a wet and dry season form which only differs in the narrowness of the white markings on the wings. This species has been observed making sounds by clicking its foremost pair of legs. However, the reason for this behaviour has not been identified.

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I did find photographing this species relatively easy as they let me get quite close to them. Most of my trips to Thalangama are early in the morning so this may have helped. The Common sailor is known for settling on damp patches, a behaviour I witnessed in Kandy (photograph below).

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) - Kandy, Sri Lanka

All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. I didn't have to use flashes to light the images as the ambient light was sufficient. I did have to bump up the ISO to 400 though.

Coppersmith Barbet - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

2011-12-14T20:09:00.002+11:00

The Coppersmith Barbet - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Of the resident Barbets of Sri Lanka, I have found the Coppersmith, or Crimson-breasted Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala), the hardest to photograph. I had seen the bird before but it had always been from a distance. Those sightings were not the best for photographing the Barbet as it is quite small.

The Coppersmith Barbet - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

My luck changed in July when I found a nest just outside the house in Anuradhapura. I was able to photograph the parents on a fairly regular basis from the verandah, as they flew in to feed the chicks. Each time they flew in with food, they appeared to clean up the nest and fly away with the rubbish.

The Coppersmith Barbet - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

According to GM Henry (Birds of Ceylon, 1954), the Coppersmith is found in the dry zone of sri Lanka and "does not penetrate far into the districts which receive the south west monsoon". However, they are not endemic and can be found in South and Southeast Asia. When compared to the other Barbets found in Sri Lanka, it is most similar to the Ceylon small Barbet. However, the Coppersmiths large red breast patch, pale yellow face and dusky green colouration help differentiate the two species.

The Coppersmith Barbet - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

These photographs were taken with a Canon 7D and the Canon 100-400mm lens. Conditions were not the best as the bird was in the shade and the sky in the background was blown out. Hopefully I'll get an opportunity to improve on these shots soon.

Macro Hydrangeas

2011-12-11T17:29:00.001+11:00

Blue Hydrangeas

I'm pretty new to macro photography and I've got a fair bit to learn. The Hydrangeas are in bloom and since they make good macro subjects, I took the opportunity to practice a little. The hardest part of taking these photographs was the lighting.

More photographs inside.

Pink Hydrangeas

In order to achieve a greater depth of field, relatively small apertures are used in macro photography. The photographs on this post were shot at around the f14 mark. Because of the small apertures, artificial lighting and a tripod are pretty much essential.

Blue Hydrangeas

I used a Canon 430 EX II to light these images. The flash was handheld and triggered via the 7D's flash trigger system. I think I fired the flash at around 1/8th power. I'm still not too happy with the dark areas on the image and I will probably look at using a second flash to light up those spaces. However, I do think the shadows give the photograph a bit more depth and I'd have to figure out how preserve them.

Pink Hydrangeas

I used the Canon 100mm macro lens and the 7D for these photographs.

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

2011-12-07T22:49:00.001+11:00

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I have photographed the Ceylon Small Barbet (Megalaima rubricapilla), also called the Crimson-fronted Barbet, on several occasions. I have found them in the garden at home in Colombo and they are abundant at our place in Kandy. However, on these occasions the birds were some distance away.

More photographs inside.

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

My luck changed on one of several visits to Thalangama in July. While I was walking along the bank of the tank I noticed a Black-rumped Flameback in one of the trees by the road. I stopped and photographed it for a few minutes and then noticed that a Golden Oriole had settled in the same tree. I was in the middle of photographing the Oriole when a Ceylon Small Barbet flew down onto one of the lower branches of the same tree.

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I fired off about 15 or 20 frames and then stopped to watch the bird as I had not seen it in such close proximity before. My presence didn't seem to disturb it as it soon started moving along the branch pecking at the bark and foraging for insects. It gradually worked its way up into the canopy and disappeared. Due to the colour of its plumage, it is not the easiest bird to find in the canopy.

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.The light wasn't the best and I bumped up the ISO to compensate.

Variegated Flutterer - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

2011-12-04T17:08:00.001+11:00

Variegated Flutterer (male) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Variegated Fluterer (Rhyothemis variegata variegata) was one of several dragonflies I photographed while in Sri Lanka. They are relatively common and since they are found around ponds, paddy fields and tanks, Thalangama is an ideal location to photograph them. It is also known as the Common Picture Wing.

More photographs after the jump.

Variegated Flutterer (female) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

In terms of appearance, the female is slightly different when compared to the male Variegated Flutterer. The tip of the females wings are clear where as the tips of the male's wings are black in colour (see first and third images on this post).

Variegated Flutterer (male) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Variegated Flutterer is a relatively small dragon fly with an abdomen measuring 20-25mm and a wingspan of 34-37mm. It is easily identifiable because of the variegated blackish-brown and golden yellow patterns on the wings.

Variegated Flutterer (male) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 100-400mm lens and the Canon 7D.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

2011-11-30T20:14:00.001+11:00

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Thanthirimale is a small village which lies in thick jungle approximately 40 km away from Anuradhapura. The temple in Thanthirimale is both religiously and historically significant and still attracts thousands of pilgrims during Poson. The history of Thanthirimale is said to date back to the 6th Century BC.

More photographs inside.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

References to Thanthirimale can be found in the Mahavamsa in the sections that describe the Bo (Ficus religiosa) sapling being brought to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. The Bo tree in the temple is said to be a sapling from the sacred Bo tree in Mahamewuna Uyana.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

There are five ancient Buddha statues, four of which are incomplete (6th image on the post), on the temple premises. The largest of these is the sleeping Buddha (photograph above) which has been carved out of the rock. Surprisingly, the proportions of the statue seemed to be incorrect as the legs look short when compared with the size of the upper body. This is the first time that I'd actually seen an ancient statue that was out of proportion.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The remains of an ancient library have been found on the premises. A number of rock huts and caves, which have most probably been used for meditation by monks for centuries, have also been discovered on the site.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

In 1909 archeological evidence was found in a cave close to the temple which suggests that a prehistoric civilization existed in this area. The evidence included fragments of cherts, a piece of crystal and drawings, which are still visible, on the walls of a cave.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

To top off the day we witnessed a stunning sunset on the drive back.

All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 24-105mm lens.

Thanthirimale - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Brown Falcon - Sandy Hollow, Australia

2011-11-27T21:49:00.001+11:00

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) - Sandy Hollow

We were up at a friends farm in the Hunter region of New South Wales on our annual visit over the October long weekend when I came across a pair of Brown Falcons. The area is full of raptors as there is an abundance of prey on the farms. On our previous trips I had photographed Black Shouldered Kites, Kestrels and Wedge Tailed Eagles but had not seen any falcons.

More Photographs Inside.

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) - Sandy Hollow

The raptors were perched on some machinery in a field by the side of the road when I passed them. Unfortunately I didn't have the camera with me so had to make a mad dash to the house and back. I was able to pull up and fire off a few frames before one of them decided to fly off. The first shot o this post was taken as soon as the bird took off.

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) - Sandy Hollow

I initially thought the bird was an Eagle due to its size. It seemed substantially bigger than the Kestrel but this maybe due to proximity. I would have liked to get a few flight shots but it was nearly impossible for me to lock focus on them and the light wasn't great because it was close to midday.

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) - Sandy Hollow

The Brown Falcon is said to be one of the more common raptors found on mainland Australia. Apparently it is often seen on perches close to open roads which offer clear views of the surrounding area. Something to keep an eye out for in future.

These photographs were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

2011-11-23T22:54:00.001+11:00

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Purple Coot, also know as the Purple Swamphen, is a common bird found in the lowland marshes of Sri Lanka. The subspecies found in Sri Lanka, Porphyrio porphyrio poliocephalus, is one of up to 13 subspecies identified through Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. The thirteen subspecies mainly differ in the colour of their plumage.

More photographs after the jump.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Purple Coots are easy to identify because of their bright plumage and loud call. It is said to be able to fly long distances and for a bird without webbed feet, it is a good swimmer. They are seasonal breeders but the seasons vary across their range. The season correlates to the peak rainfall or summer temperatures in more temperate climates.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Multiple females may lay eggs in the same nest, which is built amongst reeds or other debris, and share incubation duties. Incubation lasts from 23-27 days and is performed by both males and females. "Helpers" are also known to assist with the incubation. After hatching, chicks are fed for a period of 10-15 days, after which they fend for themselves.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Although the species is considered to be in the "least concern" category according to the IUCN, some subspecies have declined. This includes the subspecies found in the Mediterranean. An introduced population exists in Florida but biologists are trying to eradicate them.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens combo during several early morning visits to Thalangama.

52/52 - Talk to the hand

2011-11-20T20:35:00.001+11:00

Talk to the hand

Here's the last entry for the project. I can't believe its been a year but I'm glad that I was able to actually complete it! I used a standard two light setup to light this one. I wanted this shot to have a bit of a cold feel to it so opted to use blue gels on the main light.

Lighting setup after the jump.

Lighting diagram - Talk to the hand

The main light was a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/32 and zoomed to 105mm, through a full CTB gel. This coloured the highlights on the fingers as well as the hand.

A Canon 430 EX II was fired at 1/64th from camera right (zoomed to 105mm) through a CTO gel. I used a CTO gel to correct the tungsten colour balance on the camera.

I'm thinking of starting another project 52 focusing on Macro photography but not straight away. possibly in the new year.

The Leopards at Wel Mal Kema - Yala, Sri Lanka

2011-11-16T20:21:00.000+11:00

Leopard at Wel Mal Kema - Yala, Sri Lanka

Wel Mal Kema is a rocky area within block 1 of the Yala national park. There are a couple of water holes amongst the rocks and apart from the rock itself, there aren't any open areas. The road actually runs up the rock and relatively close to one of the water holes. The area is known for Leopard and Bear. It's not the easiest road to drive along.

More photographs inside.

Leopard at Wel Mal Kema - Yala, Sri Lanka

On our first drive through Wel Mal Kema we found fresh Leopard tracks along one side of the road. We knew the Leopard was close by but visibility wasn't the best due to the thick jungle on either side of the road. Our best chance of seeing the Leopard was if it was on the road. Fortunately for us it was. We saw it from about 25 meters away as it peered around a rock to watch us. The engine was promptly tuned off and we waited hoping to get a better view.

Leopard at Wel Mal Kema - Yala, Sri Lanka

After a few minutes the Leopard crossed the road and climbed up on the rocks to our right. Unfortunately for us another jeep pulled up at that moment and the inexperienced driver (there are a lot of them around Yala) didn't turn off his engine and the Leopard got spooked and left.

Leopard at Wel Mal Kema - Yala, Sri Lanka

On another one of our trips we had a brief sighting of a Leopard as it walked away from the road. I did manager to get a couple of photographs of the Leopard as it walked away and scent marked a tree.

All the images on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

51/52 - Estée Lauder

2011-11-13T19:09:00.001+11:00

Estée Lauder

For this weeks entry I decided to go for a high key (sort of) product shot. I picked up this bottle of Estée Lauder lotion as lighting the reflective lid would be a challenge. I used two lights for this shot but if I did have a third I would have used it to light the background and bring up the white a bit more.

Lighting setup inside.

Lighting setup - Estée Lauder

This was a two light setup but the two flashes were aimed away from the subject. Two foam-core boards were used to bounce the light back onto the subject. Instead of lighting the lid directly, I lit the reflection.

A Canon 580 EX II was fired at 1/32 from camera left at a white foam-core board also placed on the left of camera.

A Canon 430 EX II was fired from camera right at 1/32 onto a white foam-core board placed on the right hand side of the image.

A piece of glass was used under the subject to create a reflection. A piece of white paper was used to create the background.

Ruwanweliseya - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

2011-11-09T23:52:00.002+11:00

Ruwanweliseya - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

During our trip to Anuradhapura in July I decided to head out early morning to photograph some of the main stupas in the area. I first visited Thuparamaya and then walked around the complex in the general direction of Ruwanweliseya. At 6.00 AM you pretty much have the whole area to yourself as it is way too early in the morning for tourists and pilgrims. The light being at it's best is an added bonus.

More photographs inside.

Ruwanweliseya from the Thuparamaya complex - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

After spending sometime wandering around the Thuparamaya complex I drove along the the bund of the Basawakkulama tank (Sri Lankans use the word tank to refer to man made lakes which are found throughout the dry zone of the island) taking in the views. I was able to use the trees along the bund in an number of different compositions.

Ruwanweliseya across Basawakkulama - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The area surrounding the Abhayagiriya complex was my last stop for the morning. Ruwanweliseya is a massive stupa and it towers above the trees and other buildings in the area. It is clearly visible form a number of locations around Anuradhapura. I caught a glimpse of it across some paddy fields close to Abhayagiriya and hopped out to take a few photographs. I was fortunate to be there as some farmers started their days work and included them in the foreground of the image. I personally think they add another layer of foreground interest to this photograph.

Ruwanweliseya - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

All photographs on this post were taken with a Canon 7D and the 24-105mm lens. I think I should have used a graduated ND filter but unfortunately it didn't cross my mind at the time.

50/52 - The Pianist's Hands

2011-11-06T15:15:00.002+11:00

The Pianist's Hands

This is the 50th entry for my project. I've got two weeks to go and I'm looking forward to doing something different. Possibly another project 52 focusing on macro photography.

I used a basic two light setup for this shot. One for the base exposure and a second strobe was used as a key light.

Lighting setup shots inside.

Lighting setup - The Pianist's Hands

A Canon 580 EX II was used as the main light for the photograph above. It was fired at 1/8th into a reflective umbrella which was positioned above the piano. I also used a CTO gel on the flash to warm up the light a bit.

The key light was a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/32 through a homemade snoot, directly at the pianist's hands. This flash was also fired through a 1/2 CTB gel to cool down the colour of the highlight.

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher - Kandy, Sri Lanka

2011-11-04T00:13:00.002+11:00

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher - Kandy, Sri Lanka

One of the best sightings that I have had of the Tickell's Blue Flycatcher was in Kandy in July. The bird made several appearances and spent quite a bit of time around the house, allowing me to photograph it. I would have liked to get a lot closer to it but unfortunately this was not possible.

More photographs inside.

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher - Kandy, Sri Lanka

The Tickell's Blue Flycatcher is a relatively common resident and is often seen from the wet lowlands to the mid hills of Sri Lanka. It may also be found in suitable forests in the dry zone. The female is duller in colour and has a lighter throat and breast. Based on this, I believe the bird pictured in this post is a male.

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher - Kandy, Sri Lanka

This species breeds in tropical south Asia and its range extends east from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia. It shows regional variations in plumage and size with several of these variations being designated as subspecies. The Sri Lankan population is a separate subspecies named jerdoni.

Tickell's Blue Flycatcher - Kandy, Sri Lanka

All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm combo.

49/52 - They're Alive!

2011-10-30T19:01:00.001+11:00

They're Alive!

I have used a number of lighting mods (mostly home made) throughout this project but realised that I hadn't used any gobos to date. So for this weeks shot I used 2! A gobo (derived from "go between" or goes before optics) is something that can be used to block light and control what is lit.

Lighting setup inside.

Lighting Setup - They're Alive

The main light for this shot was a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/128 and zoomed to 105mm from camera right. I also used two picture frames as gobos to ensure the light only hit wall-e and didn't spill onto the marbles. I used a third picture frame, which was white in colour, to bounce the light form the 580 EX II on the other side of Wall-e.

The second light was a Canon 430 EX II fired from high camera right. This strobe was fired at 1/32 and zoomed to 105mm. The red gel on this strobe created the "eyes" on the marbles.

Common Iora - Thalangama and Yala, Sri Lanka

2011-10-27T22:17:00.001+11:00

Common Iora (female) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

While I was in Colombo in July I visited the Thalangama wetlands almost every morning to photograph the bird life. On one of my visits I came across a few Common Ioras. I hadn't photographed them before and took the opportunity to shoot a few frames. The photograph above is one of my favourites because of the warm early morning light on the bird.

More photographs inside.

Common Iora (male) - Yala, Sri Lanka

The males proved to be a bit more elusive and I wasn't able to get many shots of them. Males are unmistakable as their upper parts are a blue-black in colour where as the females are a dull yellow. The Common Iora is found throughout the lowlands and the mid hills of Sri Lanka. It is a very vocal bird but can be difficult to see due to it's plumage.

Common Iora (female) - Yala, Sri Lanka

The male Common Iora is said to perform an "acrobatic courtship display" during the breeding season. It is said to puff up it's feathers and dart into the air and spiral back to the same perch. Once it lands, it spreads its tail and droops its wings. I am yet to see this performance.

Common Iora (female) - Yala, Sri Lanka

All the photographs on this post were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. I did push up the ISO to allow me to use a faster shutter.

48/52 - Cherries

2011-10-24T21:18:00.004+11:00

Cherries

This weeks shot is of water splashing off some cherries. The hardest part of this shot was getting a decent splash. I wanted to light the cherries using two lights. I wanted one of them to light the overall image and the second to act as a key light. I could have used one light and the ambient to achieve a similar result.

Lighting setup inside.

Lighting setup - Cherries

The main light was a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/4th through a shoot-through umbrella from high camera left.

The key light was a bare Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/32 from camera right.

I used a black foam-core board as the background. I tried a white foam-core board but the water droplets were not as clear.

The Statues at Maligawila - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

2011-10-20T21:57:00.003+11:00

The Maligawila Buddha Statue - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

Maligawila is a small village approximately 250km from Colombo. The area is sparsely populated and is covered in jungle. In 1951 the fallen remains of a 7th century giant free standing Buddha statue (said to be the tallest free standing Buddha statue in Sri Lanka) were discovered in the area. The statue was part of a larger complex which also included a large statue thought to be of the Avalokitheswara Bodhisatva and a gedi ge (A Buddhist shrine).

More images inside.

The Maligawila Buddha Statue - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

The Buddha statue is carved out of a single limestone rock and stands at a height of around 14 meters. When it was first discovered in 1951, it had fallen and was broken into pieces by a combination of the fall and treasure hunters. The first attempt of raising the statue was made in 1974 but was unsuccessful. The statue was finally raised and restored in 1980 by a team of local engineers.

The Maligawila Buddha Statue - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

The statue was said to have been built by a King named Aggabodhi who ruled the southern region of Sri Lanka in the 7th century. A stone pillar found within the complex also documents the work done by King Mahinda IV (956 - 972 AD) to uplift Buddhism and also defines the rules laid down for the administration of Buddhist sites.

Statue of the Avalokitheswara Bodhisatva - Maligawila, Sri Lanka

The statue of the Avalokitheswara Bodhistva is a short distance away from the Buddha statue. It too is carved out of a single limestone rock and stands at a height of approximately 10 meters. This statue too was found broken into several pieces due to its fall and the damage done by treasure hunters. The intricate details on the face of this statue have been preserved quite well due to the fact that the head had been lying face down for an extended period of time (possibly hundreds of years). It was successfully restored in 1990. When we visited in July this year we found a scaffolding around it and more restoration work in progress.

All images on this post were captured with a Canon 7D and the 24 - 105mm lens.

47/52 - Marble

2011-10-17T21:09:00.000+11:00

Marble

This week's shot is a bit late as I was away over the long weekend. I decided to photograph a marble and I wanted the colour to drop off towards the left of frame. I picked a "Sangria" coloured gel to create the background colour. If I were to shoot this photograph again, I would try and get a bit more colour on the right hand side of the marble.

Lighting setup inside.

Lighting Setup - Marble

I used a snooted Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/8 to light the image. I tried firing the stobe in a number of positions, including straight down at the marble, before I settled on firing it straight into the background. I'm not sure how to expose the right hand side of the marble. Should I use another flash or should I just re-position the snooted strobe?

I'll probably end up experimenting with this one after the project finishes. The setup, as you can see, is quite straight forward.

The Hybrid Black-rumped Flameback - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

2011-10-12T22:42:00.001+11:00

The Hybrid Black-rumped Flameback - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

I had been hoping to photograph the hybrid species of the black-rumped Flameback for a couple of years but didn't get a chance to do so until recently. The closest I came to photographing it before our recent trip to Sri Lanka was in Anuradhapura in 2009. The bird visited the garden while I was away photographing butterflies!

More images inside.

The Hybrid Black-rumped Flameback - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The subspecies of Flameback found in the southern part of Sri Lanka (Dinopium benghalense psarodes) has a crimson back and the dark markings are blacker in colour and are more extensive. The subspecies found in the north of Sri Lanka (jaffnense) has a golden back and a shorter beak.

The Hybrid Black-rumped Flameback - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The species "hybradises" in Puttalam, Kekirawa, Trincomalee and Anuradhapura. I came across a pair of Flamebacks near Abhayagiriya and found that one of them was actually a hybrid (See the 3 photographs above). Fortunately I had my camera gear with me and was able to take a number of photographs of the pair.

The Hybrid Black-rumped Flameback - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

I'm not sure whether the second bird, photograph above, was actually a hybrid. The variation in colour was a lot more subtle but I thought there was a variation. I visited the same area again the following day hoping to shoot a few more frames of the pair but they did not make an appearance.

Next on the list of shots would be to photograph the Northern Sri Lankan species as well as better shots of the hybrid.

All the photographs on this post were taken with the 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Black-rumped Flameback part 1

Black-rumped Flameback part 2

46/52 - Smokin

2011-10-09T23:28:00.002+11:00

Smokin

Here's this weeks entry for the project. I know I have photographed a Tennis ball before but opted to use one again for this shot. I wanted to use smoke to give the shot a feel of speed and movement. I'm nto sure if I succeeded but here are the results anyway.

Lighting setup shots inside.

Lighting Setup - Smokin

I used a two light setup for this one (I would have preferred to use three lights but I've got only two!).

A Canon 580 EX II was fired "on axis" at 1/128th and zoomed to 105mm to light the ball. The camera was set to a white balance of tungsten to give the smoke a blue colour. To correct this, I used CTO gels on the 580 EXII.

The second light was a Canon 430 EX II fired from camera right at 1/64th and zoomed to 105mm to light up the smoke. The light from this strobe was bounced back onto the ball with a white foam-core board form camera left.

A black foam-core board was used for the background.

Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher - Yala, Sri Lanka

2011-10-04T22:50:00.001+11:00

Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis) - Yala, Sri Lanka

The Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher is similar in appearance to the immature Indian Paradise Flycatcher, which is a winter migrant to Sri Lanka. I came across a number of these birds in Yala and Anuradhapura during the month of July. I was fortunate to photograph a number of them at fairly close proximity on a number of occasions during these sightings.

More photographs after the jump.

Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis) - Yala, Sri Lanka

Adult males are easily identified by their long tail feathers which can grow up to about 30cm in length. It is found in wooded habitats throughout the island and breeds in the dry lowlands and the lower hills. It is known to visit other areas during the migration season.

Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis) - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The female, pictured above, has a smaller tail but a similar body size to the male. The birds can be located relatively easily as they have a high pitched call which is used often. The male's long tail also gives it away in flight.

Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis) - Yala, Sri Lanka

One of the main challenges in photographing these birds is getting the shutter speed correct. Although this is dependent on the speed of the lens being used, the available light also plays a part in this. I tend to push up the ISO on my camera to compensate for the aperture of f5.6 on the 400mm end of the lens I use.

Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis) - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Ceylon Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis) - Yala, Sri Lanka

45/52 - Ace

2011-09-29T23:48:00.002+10:00

Ace

I was quite sure that the strings on a Tennis racquet could be used to produce bokeh if lit from the correct angle. I decided to test this out yesterday and produced a couple of photographs which doubled up as this week's entry for my project. The main problem which I had to contend with was working out an angle which produced bokeh as well as a half decent composition for the photograph itself.

Lighting setup shots inside.

Lighting Setup - Ace

This again was a two light setup.

The main light was a bare Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/64th from camera left. This light was used to light the closer edge of the racquet. I placed a white foam-core board at a slight angle under the racquet to bounce the light from the 430 EX II back onto the under side of the racquet and create some separation on the black bottom edge. The effect is subtle and can be seen on the bottom edge of the racquet on the right hand side of the "Wilson" sticker. If I hadn't placed the white foam-core board under the racquet, this section would have been black and would have merged into the background.

The bokeh was created by a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/128th from in front of the camera and slightly to the left. This flash had a CTB gel on it. The light from this flash also created the highlights on the further edge of the racquet.

I used a black foam-core board as the background.

The Tusker - Yala, Sri Lanka

2011-09-28T00:28:00.001+10:00

The Tusker - Yala, Sri Lanka

On one of our morning rounds in Yala we sighted a massive Tusker striding across one of the plains. He seemed to be in a bit of a hurry as he crossed the plain pretty quickly and disappeared into the jungle. I was a bit disappointed as the sighting had been relatively brief.

I'm pretty sure that this Tusker is named "Thilak". Can someone please confirm?

More photographs inside.

The Tusker - Yala, Sri Lanka

He seemed to be heading in the direction of a nearby waterhole so a decision was made to drive towards it and wait for him to make an appearance. Fortunately there were no other vehicles near the waterhole and we were able to position ourselves directly opposite where we thought the Elephant would approach form.

The Tusker - Yala, Sri Lanka

It turned out to be a short wait of about ten minutes before the Tusker was spotted across the water. I spent the time photographing a flock of Green Pigeons, a pair of Bee-Eaters and a Grey Heron who had also come for a drink and a bath.

The Tusker - Yala, Sri Lanka

The Elephant hesitated when he saw the vehicle but then climbed down the embankment and approached the waterline. He settled down for a lengthy drink in the shade of one of the overhanging trees and provided me with a number of opportunities to photograph him.

The Tusker - Yala, Sri Lanka

After spending around ten-fifteen minutes having a drink, he walked up the embankment and disappeared into the jungle. By this time two other vehicles had also arrived at the waterhole and we decided to move on. It was a really good sighting of the Tusker at close range and I was able to come away with a number of photographs of the animal.

The Tusker - Yala, Sri Lanka

The photographs on this post were captured with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. I would have liked to get down to ground level to take these photographs but getting out of vehicles is banned in Sri Lankan National Parks.

44/52 - Measure

2011-09-25T23:09:00.001+10:00

Measure

This weeks entry for my project 52 is a photograph of a set of measuring spoons. I used a slate cheese board as the background as it added a texture to the photograph. I used a two light setup for this photograph.setup shots and explanation after the jump.

Lighting setup - Measure

The main light for this shot was a Canon 580 EX II. I fired it at 1/2 at the ceiling to light the image evenly.

The key light was a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/64th and zoomed to 105mm from the top of the frame. It created the highlights on the spoons and brought out the texture of the slate plate.

Crested Hawk-Eagle - Sri Lanka

2011-09-21T20:56:00.001+10:00

Crested Hawk-Eagle - Yala, Sri Lanka

The Crested Hawk-Eagle, also called the Changeable Hawk-Eagle, is a common raptor found throughout the dry lowlands. We saw a number of these raptors in Yala, Arugam Bay, Anuradhapura and Willpattu while we were in Sri Lanka. I was fortunate to take a few decent images of the raptor during these sightings.

More images after the jump.

Crested Hawk-Eagle - Yala, Sri Lanka

Identifying the Changeable Hawk-Eagle is relatively easy. Its upright crest and streaked underparts are easily recognised. However, there is a variation in plumage based on the birds age. The younger birds look cleaner as their upper parts are lighter in colour. Their underparts are white too.

Crested Hawk-Eagle - Yala, Sri Lanka

The sightings in Yala were probably the best sightings we had during the trip. The first and third photographs on this post were taken while we were watching the Rukwilla cubs. I think the bird had a nest in one of the Palu trees (Manilkara hexandra) nearby as we saw it in the area on a number of occasions.

Crested Hawk-Eagle - Yala, Sri Lanka

The photograph above was taken on the Welmal Kema Road. We noticed the young eagle in the tree because of it's call. We watched the bird for about ten minutes. Much to the amusement of our driver who kept saying "it's just a bird". People seem to be coming to the park to see only Leopard and Bear. It's a sad situation really.

Crested Hawk-Eagle - Willpattu, Sri Lanka

We also had a good sighting of a Crested Hawk-Eagle in Willpattu. It was perched on a low branch just off the road. Unfortunately there were a few branches between the camera and the raptor and I couldn't get a clean shot.

All the photographs in this post were captured with a Canon 7d and the 100-400mm lens.

43/52 - Spice it Up

2011-09-18T12:02:00.000+10:00

Spice it Up

I raided the pantry cupboard for spices to come up with this shot. I found Cinnamon, Szechuan Pepper-corns, Cardamoms, Cloves, Curry leaves, Chilli Powder and Garlic. Coming up with a decent composition was not easy as all the spices had to be visible and I didn't want to shoot from above.

Lighting setup inside.

Lighting Setup - Spice it Up

As far as lighting goes, this was a straight forward two light setup.

I used a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/2 and zoomed to 24mm from camera right. The flash was fired over the spices, at a white foam-core board that was positioned on the left of the frame. The board was positioned to re-direct the light back onto the spices. I used the board so that the entire image was evenly lit.

I also used a Canon 530 EX II fired at 1/128th and zoomed to 105mm (not in setup shot) from camera right as a key light. This created the highlights on the Cinnamon and the Szechuan Pepper-corns.

The Leopards at Karaw Gas Wala - Yala, Sri Lanka

2011-09-14T21:48:00.002+10:00

A Leopardess having a drink - Yala, Sri Lanka

One of the best sightings we had while in Yala, was of a female Leopard and her cub at Karaw Gas Wala. We were on an evening round when we crossed another vehicle and were informed that a Leopard was seen in the area. Our driver had a hunch that the Leopard would be heading towards the water hole at Karaw Gas Wala and headed off in that direction. He had seen the Leopards stopping there for a drink before and thought they would make an appearance.

More photographs inside.

Leopard cub emerging from the undergrowth - Yala, Sri Lanka

When we got to the water hole we were greeted by three or four Buffalo in the water and a couple of Painted Storks but no sign of the Leopard. A decision was soon made to wait there for a while and see if we got lucky. Unfortunately a number of other vehicles that drove passed decided to stop and wait as well! It was getting a bit too crowded for our liking and hoping to lead the other jeeps away, we drove "around the block" and got back ten minutes later to find all the other vehicles gone.

Leopardess and Cub - Yala, Sri Lanka

We were rewarded 20 minutes later when the cub emerged from the undergrowth. It was a bit hesitant and initially poked its head out and stared at us for a while. It was soon joined by it's mother (I was annoyed to later discover that a stick in the foreground had actually got in the way of a photograph with the mother staring directly at the camera! The shot above).

The Leopardess approaches - Yala, Sri Lanka

After a few minutes the Leopardess led the cub towards the road along a gully and we lost sight of them briefly. We were pretty confident that it would cross the road behind our vehicle so we stayed put. We didn't have to wait too long.

The Leopard comes up to the road- Yala, Sri Lanka

The female re-appeared a bit further away from us to cross the road. She was uneasy and kept staring at the vehicle while she was in the open. During this period I was able capture a number of photographs with her staring directly into the camera.

AFemale Leopard crosses the road - Yala, Sri Lanka

A little while after she crossed the road, the cub followed. It was very tentative and took a while to work up the courage to actually walk across. Soon after it crossed the road it disappeared into the undergrowth on the further side of the water hole. Probably because it was unsettled by the presence of both our vehicle and the buffalo.

The Leopard cub crosses the road - Yala, Sri Lanka

Soon after the cub crossed the road the female started to drink. Thankfully she positioned herself at the far end of the waterhole, directly opposite us. she had a long drink throughout which she didn't take her eye's off the vehicle. I was glad because this meant I was able to get more photographs with her staring straight into the camera.

A Leopardess having a drink - Yala, Sri Lanka

A few minutes after the Leopard started drinking, the buffaloes became restless. They didn't seem to have any young with them so I'm not really sure what agitated them. They approached the Leopard threateningly, stamping their hooves and snorting and succeeded in chasing the Leopard away.

The Leopard walking away - Yala, Sri Lanka

The whole experience lasted about 15 minutes. It was one of the best sightings I've had of a Leopard in Yala and having it to ourselves was a big bonus. I think I fired off about 50 frames during the fifteen minutes. I was expecting to have taken a lot more to be honest!

The photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

42/52 - Ignition

2011-09-11T18:10:00.001+10:00

Ignition

I've never tried to photograph smoke before so I thought I'd experiment a bit. I wanted the photograph to be a bit more than just smoke and ended up with this. The hardest part of taking this photograph was obviously the timing. Thankfully I invested in a remote trigger sometime ago and it came in pretty handy!

Lighting setup shot and details inside.

Lighting setup - Ignition

Sorry this photograph is a bit dark. Most of the space is taken up with a black foam-core board which I used for the background.

The only flash used for this shot was a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/64th and zoomed to 80mm.

I used a piece of white paper to bounce light onto the tea-light.

The light at the back of the shot is the TV. I was watching Australia play Italy in the rugby world cup.

Kudumbigala Monastery - Sri Lanka

2011-09-08T19:49:00.003+10:00

Cave temple at Kudumbigala - Sri Lanka

The Kudumbigala Monastery is located along the south east coast of Sri Lanka. The area is very sparsely inhabited and the monastery is in the middle of thick jungle. The complex is said to have been built in 246 BC during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa and is made up of around 200 caves. Inscriptions in brahmini script found in one of the caves, named maha sudarshana lena, and other evidence shows that the cave was "built" and gifted to the priests by one of King Dutugemunu's "yodayas".

More photographs inside.

The entrance to the complex - Kudumbigala, Sri Lanka

The monastery was one of the places which we wanted to visit while we were in Arugam Bay. We had heard several stories about people getting lost in the jungle around Kudumbigala, before leaving Colombo and needless to say, we left with a lot of confidence! Getting to the monastery itself wasn't easy because I didn't know exactly how to get there. Our only directions were vague and obtained from a policeman at the last village we drove past. The only trace of a monastery was a relatively modern meditation hall that visible from the road but with no signposts or people about, there was no way to be certain.

The path to the Monastery - Kudumbigala, Sri Lanka

We walked around looking for someone or something that actually gave us an indication that we had reached the monastery but found nothing. While walking around a small temple built on one of the rocks by the road, we found a path that led into the jungle. Having run out of options, we followed the path (photograph above) up the rock and finally came to one of the cave temples (first photograph). Continuing on beyond this cave we came to a plateau where the main complex was situated.

The main complex - Kudumbigala, Sri Lanka

We spent a fair bit of time climbing the rocks around the plateau and taking in the 360 degree views of the area.

The monastery was abandoned in 1994 after LTTE cadres killed 17 civilians in the closest village. As a last threat to the monks of Kudumbigala the terrorist threw tar on one of the old Buddha statues in the complex. We did come across a couple of priests meditating in the area around the complex. However, I'm not sure if they actually lived at the monastery itself.

Close up of one of the Dagabas - Kudumbigala, Sri Lanka

I have read that this is the only cylindrical dagoba in Sri Lanka but I am not sure how accurate this statement is.

All photographs on this post were taken with a Canon 7D and the 24-105 mm lens. I also used a circular polariser for all these shots.

41/52 - Idea

2011-09-04T23:33:00.001+10:00

Idea

As this project winds down I seem to find it a lot more difficult to come up with ideas for weekly photographs. I guess going out and shooting something outdoors is an option but for one reason or another I have been unable to do so. I've got 11 weeks more to change this!

Lighting setup shots inside.

Lighting Setup - Idea

This was another two light setup.

The main light was a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/32 through a shoot through umbrella from camera right, in front of the subject.

The key light was a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/32 from camera left. The strobe was zoomed to 80mm to ensure it only lit the edge of the tiles and created a highlight on the frame.

Sambar - Yala, Sri Lanka

2011-08-31T19:22:00.002+10:00

Sambar - Yala, Sri Lanka

We came across this pair of Sambar on one of the drives we did in Yala. They had just come out into the open and were about to drink at a waterhole when we drove up. Initially they seemed a bit uncomfortable with our presence but within a few minutes they settled down and had a long drink.

More photographs after the jump.

Sambar - Yala, Sri Lanka

Unlike at Horton Plains, where large herds of Sambar are frequently seen, Sambar sightings in Yala are usually limited to a pair or a single individual. On our trip we saw this pair and caught a glimpse of another Sambar as it disappeared into the bush. We were fortunate enough to have a lengthy sighting where the animals were quite close and not bothered by our presence.

Sambar - Yala, Sri Lanka

They are a relatively large species of Deer which measure up to 160 cm in height and weigh up to 280Kg. They are found through most of South Asia and vary widely across their range. The sub-species found in Sri Lanka is Rusa unicolor unicolor which is one of the largest.

Sambar - Yala, Sri Lanka

These photographs were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. The photographs seen here have not been cropped.

Sambar - Yala, Sri Lanka

40/52 - Forks

2011-08-28T23:11:00.002+10:00

Forks

I hadn't done a high-key shot for a while so I thought I'd shoot one for this weeks entry for the project. This was a single light setup and the biggest challenge with this shot was to control the shadow and use it to add to the image.

Lighting setup shots inside.

Lighting setup - Forks

The only light used for this shot was a Canon 580 EX II. I positioned the flash above the subject but slightly behind it to light the white foam-core board. It was fired at 1/4th. The light which bounced off the foam-core board lit the forks.

Sri Lankan Frogmouth - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

2011-08-24T22:20:00.001+10:00

Sri Lankan Frogmouth - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

One of the highlights of our recent trip to Sinharaja was being able to photograph the Sri Lankan Frogmouth. When I was planning the trip I did wonder whether we'd actually get to see one of these birds but I didn't get my hopes up because they are nocturnal. We were quite fortunate to come across a pair of them in a daytime roost.

More photographs after the jump.

Sri Lankan Frogmouth - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

The birds are found throughout the Western Ghats of India and in Sri Lanka. Their habitat consists of dense tropical forest with thick undergrowth. The guide we were with did a good job locating this pair as they were hidden deep in the undergrowth well off the track. Their plumage helps them blend into the gloomy environment as well. However, the fact that they use the same daytime roosts for up to a month worked in our favour.

Sri Lankan Frogmouth - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

I was actually quite surprised by the size of the Sri Lankan Frogmouth. I had seen the Tawny Frogmouth in Australia and was expecting the Sri Lankan Frogmouth to be a similar size but it was actually 2/3 the size of the Tawny Frogmouth.

Sri Lankan Frogmouth - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

Photographing this pair was quite a challenge. Firstly, the dense undergrowth limited the choice of compositions that were available. As you can see in these photographs, there is a branch that was diagonally between the two birds and made it impossible to get a clear shot. Secondly the light wasn't great. I had to bump up the ISO a fair bit to be able to use a shutter speed of 1/125th. There was no room to setup a tripod.

These photograph were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

39/52 - Brownies and Cream

2011-08-21T20:09:00.001+10:00

Brownies and Cream

I was running out of time for this weeks entry for the project and didn't have any idea as to what I was going to shoot. Coming up with a new idea every week is probably the hardest part of this exercise. I opted to photograph one of the Brownies which my wife had baked earlier in the day. I'm glad I photographed them when I did because they didn't last much longer.

Lighting setup shots inside.

Lighting Setup - Brownies and Cream

The main light for this photograph was form a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/8th through a shoot-through umbrella. The umbrella was placed slightly behind the Brownie.

The angle of the main light meant the front of the Brownie was in shadow. To only light this area I used a Canon 430 EX II fired through a grid spot at 1/16th. The grid spot allows you to control the light from a strobe and only light a very small area. The highlighted area in the photograph below was lit by a grid spot.

A Brownie only lit by a grid spot

Sri Lankan Kngaroo Lizard - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

2011-08-17T19:36:00.000+10:00

Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

I hadn't photographed a Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard until our recent trip to Sinharaja. Surprisingly, they were relatively easy to approach and photograph and there were a number of them in the leaf litter along the walking tracks in the park.

More photographs inside.

Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard is an endemic, ground dwelling agamid Lizard that is found in the wet zone of the island (up to an elevation of 1300m). Its diet consists of insects, tender shoots and larvae. It is said to lay 4-5 eggs which take around 60-70 days to hatch. When startled, the Lizard may rise up and run its hind legs.

Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

Photographing the lizard wasn't hard. I found a number of specimens in the leaf litter or perched on the rocks by the side of the road. Although they were alert, they didn't run away as I approached them. The quality of light in the area wasn't good as it was filtered through a thick canopy overhead. Shutter speeds for these photographs were around the 1/40th mark.

Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard - Sinharaja, Sri Lanka

All photographs on this post were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. A tripod was not used.

38/52 - Little Creatures Pale Ale

2011-08-14T12:13:00.002+10:00

Little Creatures Pale Ale

This weeks entry for my project 52 is a photograph of the cap of a bottle of Little Creatures Pale Ale. I had to play around with a few different compositions before I settled for this one. I liked the effect of the condensation on the bottle top (click on the image to see a larger version) and I tried to light it in a way which would emphasise the droplets. Not sure if I succeeded but I like the end result.

Read on for lighting info and setup shots.

Lighting setup - Little Creatures Pale Ale

I wanted to light this from two separate angles so that the photograph had a bit more depth.

I used a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/128th through a CTO gel as the main light. It was placed on the left of the camera and slightly behind the subject. This light created the highlight on the left hand side of the lid.

I used a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/32 through a 1/2 CTO gel and a reflective umbrella to bring out the label on the neck of the bottle and the right hand side of the lid. This light was placed slightly behind the subject on the right of the camera. I used a reflective umbrella because I wanted the image to be lit evenly.

I created some Bokeh by placing a red tea light holder just behind the lid. The effect is subtle but I think it helps balance out the image.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

The Herd - Yala, Sri Lanka

2011-08-10T19:36:00.001+10:00

Huddling around the calves

One of the highlights of my trip to Yala was the encounter we had with a herd of 8-10 Elephants. We had already been on a couple of rounds inside the park and were yet to see a herd of Elephants when we came across them. It was about 6.15 AM and we had just entered the park and were driving along the main road when we saw the Elephants feeding. I think we had actually driven past them before we realised!

More photographs after the jump.

Smallest member of the herd

There were two calves in the herd and the adults seemed to be quite protective of them. As soon as we pulled up alongside them the adults gathered around the two calves. They also kicked up a bit of dust which was presumably a warning (first photograph).

Sub-adults of the herd

The Elephants did eventually come a lot closer to the vehicle to feed on the shrubs by the road but didn't stay too long. Again they were watchful of the calves but I did manage to get a few shots of the young ones.

The Approach

The matriarch was massive but we didn't get a good look at her as she didn't venture out towards the road. She can be seen in the background of the third photograph. I was hoping they would cross the road so that we would be able to get a look at the whole herd but that didn't happen. The sighting lasted about fifteen minutes before the elephants decided to head off. By this time there were a couple of other jeeps as well and we moved on.

One of the Calves heading off

Surprisingly (to me anyway) this was the only herd of Elephant we saw on our 5 rounds in the park. I'm not sure whether this was because the park was dry and the elephants had moved on to better feeding grounds or if the Elephant population in the area has decreased.

A dust bath

All the photographs on this post were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. The Elephants were in such close proximity of the vehicle that the 100mm focal length was too long.

37/52 - Jeans for Genes

2011-08-07T13:26:00.000+10:00

Jeans for Genes

The 5th of August was Jeans for Genes day in Australia. Jeans for Genes is a charity event aimed at raising funds for the Children's Medical Research Institute and is held on the first Friday of August. People are encouraged to wear Jeans on the day and donate generously.

Lighting setup inside.

Lighting Setup - Jeans for Genes

This was a single light setup. I used a canon 430 EX II fired form the top right of the image at 1/16th. I opted to use a shoot through umbrella to create even light across the jeans. The light was positioned at a relatively low angle so that the folds on the jeans would create shadows and add a bit of depth to the image.

I'd like to find out what you guys think of the end result. If you do have a minute to spare let me know via the comments.

The Rukvilla Cubs - Yala, Sri Lanka

2011-08-03T19:11:00.004+10:00

One of the Rukvilla Cubs - Yala, Sri Lanka

The Rukvilla cubs are the current stars of Yala. Born around a year or so ago, they have grown up surrounded by noisy safari jeeps and don't seem to be too bothered by them anymore. Due to this fact they offer lengthy sightings and are one of the first stops made by most jeep drivers. We actually experienced a number of traffic jams, caused by the cubs, in the Rukvilla area during our 2.5 days in the park.

More shots after the jump.

One of the Rukvilla Cubs - Yala, Sri Lanka

Yala has changed a lot over the years. I remember going to the park as a child and spending five days in the park and not seeing a single Leopard. This trip we stayed outside the park and were able to see Leopard on every single drive into the park (No, we didn't see the Rukvilla cubs over and over again!). From what I have heard this is the norm.

One of the Rukvilla Cubs - Yala, Sri Lanka

The mortality rate for cubs during the first year is around 41% - 50%. Thankfully these cubs seem to be doing well. Although they are able to fend for themselves from now on, they will remain with the mother for another 6 - 12 months before moving off on their own.

One of the Rukvilla Cubs - Yala, Sri Lanka

The photographs on this post were taken with a Canon 7D and a Canon 100-400mm lens.

36/52 - Tune Up

2011-07-31T15:06:00.002+10:00

Tune Up

Firstly, sorry for the delay between my last post and this one. I was away in Sri Lanka on a months holiday and just got back (with about 130 GB of images to process). I tried to keep the project going while I was away but with the trips and the fact that I didn't have a computer with me made things a bit difficult. However I did shoot a couple of shots, this one included, specifically for the project.

Lighting info and setup shots after the jump.

Lighting setup - Tune Up

This was a two light setup and I wanted to focus on the tuning pegs of the guitar.

The main light for this shot came from a canon 580 EX II fired at 1/64th through a 1/2 CTO gel. The flash was fired from camera right.

The key light was a Canon 430 EX II also fired at 1/64th from camera left through a 1/2 CTB gel.

In order to get a dark background I used a black towel to hide the patterns on the table cloth.

If I were to shoot this photograph again I'd use a slightly smaller aperture to increase the depth of field. I used an aperture of F4.0 for this one.

Humpbacks in Sydney

2011-06-30T20:12:00.002+10:00

A Humpback Whale dives

The migratory season for Humpback Whales is well underway and a large number of them are currently making their way north from the Antarctic Ocean toward the breeding grounds in North Queensland. One of our friends got us tickets to go Whale watching and we booked the trip for last weekend.

More photographs inside.

Whales surface close to a boat

We were lucky not to have to go looking for Whales when we went out. As soon as we headed out of the harbour the skipper was informed that whales had been sighted just north of the heads. The trip north didn't take too long and we soon came up to a number of stationary whale watching boats. Apparently Humpbacks dive for about 5 minutes on average and we didn't have to wait long before they surfaced.

A Humpback Whale dives off the coast of Sydney

They didn't seem to be too bothered by the large number of boats which were in the vicinity. They were quite inquisitive and came close to the boats on a number occasions. At one point they were just 5 or 10 meters away. The water was quite clear and we saw them swimming under the boat on a number of occasions.

Whales surfacing

We sighted about four or five separate pods over the entire trip. Since there were so many Whales the boats were quite spread out and didn't crowd them. The Whales were not the most playful and we were not lucky enough to see them breach. They lifted their tails out of the water very often as they dived and we saw a few whales slapping their flukes.

A Humpback slaps a fluke

These photographs were captured with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. The ISO performance on the camera and the great light helped me get some sharp photographs. My only regret is not having taken a Circular Polariser on the trip.

A Humpback tail slapping

35/52 - Yet another pair

2011-06-27T21:13:00.000+10:00

Yet another pair

I've never understood women and their need for shoes. However, with my wife bringing so many of them home I guess it was only a matter of time before I decided to photograph them as part of this project. I went for a black background to make the colour of the shoes stand out a bit.

Lighting setup after the jump.

Lighting setup - Yet another pair

This was a two light setup.

I fired the Canon 430 EX II at 1/4th into a reflective umbrella. This was the main light and also created the specular highlight on the back of the shoe on the left.

I used the Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/128th as the key light. It's effect is subtle. The highlight on the shoe on the right and the back of the shoe on the left were created by it.

I also used a black foam-core board as the background and placed the shoes on a piece of glass to create a reflection.

Surfers at Bronte

2011-06-24T23:14:00.005+10:00

Carving it up at Bronte

* Photographs must be viewed at a larger size. Please click on each image.

The weather last weekend was the best we've had in Sydney for a while. I decided to take advantage of it and headed out to the Eastern Beaches to do some surf photography. Bronte and Tamarama were the locations of choice due to the fact that they are relatively small bays which are surrounded by cliffs. Fortunately the zoom on the 100-400mm lens was sufficient for me to shoot from shore.

More shots inside.

The big white

I cranked up the ISO on the 7D to freeze the droplets of the waves as they broke over the surfers. I started off with the ISO set to 100 but the shutter speeds I was able to get were not fast enough. The fast shutter speed also allowed me to shoot without a tripod which was a handy bonus.

In the drink... almost

I think the facial expressions of the surfers added a lot to these images. I was pleasantly surprised that the zoom on the 100-400 was long enough to capture the facial expressions of the surfers. It was a bit hard to gauge exactly how far away the surfers were because I was on top of a 40 meter cliff. I'd guess they were close to 300 m away.

The green wall

The surfers in these shots are all positioned on the right of the image as they were all taken at Bronte where the break was from the right. I tried a few compositions with the subject on the left but the white water didn't really add to the overall compositions. They images were a lot more dynamic when "the wall" was more dominant. The only exception was the shot below.

The Break

The day got off to a great start when a pod of 8 humpbacks made an appearance a few hundred meters off shore. The surfers paddled out beyond where the waves broke and sat on their boards watching the pod for about 45 minutes. At times they would have been no more than 50 meters apart. They swam off towards Bondi and disappeared. We are going whale watching on Sunday and hope we get lucky again.

34/52 - A Mars a day

2011-06-20T21:29:00.000+10:00

A Mars a day

The inspiration for this weeks entry for the project came from an advertisement for Mars bars that runs on TV. The actual shot in the commercial is a lot closer than this one but I wanted to include the texture of the chocolate on the top of the bar and had to shoot a bit wider as a result. I felt this composition was better than a zooming right into the chocolate and making the nougat the dominant feature.

Lighting setup after the jump.

Lighting setup - A Mars a day

This was a two light setup.

The texture for the chocolate came from the main light which was a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/8th into a reflective umbrella which was placed behind the subject on the right of camera (about 2 o'clock on the final shot).

The insides of the chocolate was lit by a Canon 530 EX II fired at 1/16th through a home made grid spot from below the subject. The chocolate was placed on a piece of glass and this created a reflection.

A Piece of white paper was placed just out of frame on camera left to bounce the main light onto the subject and light the other side of the chocolate.

A black foam-core board was placed behind the chocolate for the background.

Red Browed Finch

2011-06-16T19:23:00.000+10:00

Red-browed Finch - Neochmia temporalis

The Red-browed Finch was one of several species we spotted around the Barrington tops area. Although it wasn't a lifer for me, it was the first time I managed to photograph them. Photographing them isn't easy as they are constantly moving while they forage on the floor. They were feeding in the undergrowth and the combination of the canopy and the undergrowth guaranteed that the quality of light wasn't the best.

More photographs after the jump.

Red-browed Finch - Neochmia temporalis

There are four "races" of Red-browed Finch and they are spread along the east coast of Australia. They are found in undergrowth forests, grassy clearings, coastal scrubs, heath, mangrove habitats. Females are similar in appearance to mails. This Red-browed Finch is also known as Red-browed Firetails.

Red-browed Finch - Neochmia temporalis

I used the 100-400mm Canon lens and the 7D to photograph these birds. I pushed up the ISO to about 400 from memory for these shots. In hindsight I should have pushed it up a bit more!

Red-browed Finch - Neochmia temporalis

33/52 - The Macro

2011-06-13T10:15:00.001+10:00

The Macro

I photographed my macro lens for this weeks entry. The challenge with this photograph was controlling the specular highlight on the lens itself. I had thought the process through and was happy with the fact that I had to actually use only one light setup. At lest I seem to be learning something! I used a two light setup for this one.

Lighting setup shots after the jump.

Lighting setup - The Macro

The lens was lit using a snooted Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/8th through a 1/2 CTB gel. I used the snoot because I only wanted a section of the lens to be lit. The highlight on the edge of the lens was created by this flash.

The specular highlight on the lens was created by a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/32 into a white foam-core board on the right of the frame.

Brown Ringlet

2011-06-09T23:46:00.000+10:00

Brown Ringlet - Hypocysta metirius

I photographed a number of Brown Ringlets while I was up at the Barrington Tops. Since I was out early almost every morning I managed to photograph them while they warmed up in the early morning sun. Due to the fact that they were still "warming up", I was able to get really close to the butterfly. Having the 100-400mm lens on also helped.

More images after the jump.

Brown Ringlet - Hypocysta metirius

The Brown Ringlet is a small butterfly and has a wingspan of around 55mm. I would have liked to get a bit closer to photograph them but was restricted by the minimum focusing distance on the 100-400mm lens. It would have been good to use the 100mm lens to photograph them but I didn't want to missout by going indoors to change the lens,

Brown Ringlet - Hypocysta metirius

I'm not sure how other photographers set about photographing butterflies. Do they approach butterflies once they settle on a plant or do they set up hides and wait for the butterfly to settle? The second option could be time consuming and may lead to people "baiting" the butterflies. I've never baited animals for photography before and I am not too keen to start it now. What do you guys think?

Brown Ringlet - Hypocysta metirius

All photographs on this post were captured with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

32/52 - The Rose

2011-06-06T19:04:00.001+10:00

The Rose

This weeks entry for the project was fairly quick and pain free. I used a single strobe and the macro lens to produce the shot above. I did move the flash around a bit to add a bit more depth to the image by creating shadows of the layers of petals. I converted the shot into a black and white image and I'm quite happy with the result.

Lighting setup shots and a black and white version after the jump.

Lighting Setup - The Rose

I used a Canon 580 EX II fired at 1/16th to light the flower. Looking down at the end result, the strobe was positioned at about 2 o'clock. The flower used for the shot is highlighted in the setup above.

Here's the black and white version.

The Rose in Black and White

The Tram Sheds - Glebe, Sydney

2011-06-02T19:56:00.002+10:00

Some of the Trams - Glebe Tram sheds

The Tram sheds in Glebe have been popular among photographers for ages. The sheds belong to the Harold Park Paceway and although they are locked, getting into them is pretty easy. The sheds themselves are two massive rooms covered in graffiti. Inside, there are 7 old Trams and a bus. The trams and the bus too are covered with graffiti.

More photographs after the jump.

A Panorama of the Tram Sheds in Glebe

Last week I read an article in the papers about a proposal to clean up the tram yards and restore the trams. I had a seen a number of really good photographs online and I had been waiting for an opportunity to get down there. Reading the article was the kick I needed. I called one my friends and made plans to head down there on Sunday morning!

Some of the Trams - Glebe Tram sheds

Apart from photographers, the sheds are used for filming advertisements and TV programs. While we were there another photographer came in with a model for what looked like a portfolio shoot. A second group came in just as we were leaving. So much for having the place to ourselves at 8.00AM on Sunday morning!

One... flat tyre - Tram sheds, Gebe

I took the 7D with the Canon 24-105mm lens on this trip. I wasn't sure what sort of focal length would be useful so decided to go for a zoom lens. I also took along the two speed lights and the tripod. I only used the speed lights for a couple of shots but the tripod came in very handy.

Interior of a Tram - Tram Sheds, Glebe

I'm not sure exactly when the restoration work on the sheds are going to start, so if anyone is interested in shooting inside, I'd suggest you get there fast. If you want some inspiration, check out flickr or any of the photo guides online.

The Lone Wolf - Tram Sheds, Glebe

If you'd like to see more photographs of graffiti, check out - Hosier Lane in Melbourne.

31/52 - In the drink... again

2011-05-31T18:37:00.002+10:00

In the drink...again

Here's another shot I was experimenting with last weekend. I got the idea for this shot when I came across some unused golf balls at home. I didn't have a fish tank to use for the shoot so opted for a rectangular vase instead. This was a two light setup but I would have liked to use a third light fired through a get to light the background and make it a bit more interesting.

Setup shot after the jump.

Lighting Setup - In the drink...again

The lighting for this shot was fairly simple. I used a canon 430 EX II from the left and a Canon 580 EXII from the right and fired them both at 1/64th.

I also used a black foam-core board as the background.

Australian King Parrot

2011-05-28T09:24:00.001+10:00

Male Australian King Parrot - Alisterus scapularis

The male Australian King Parrot is the only parrot with a completely red heard. During mating season their habitat is limited to heavier coastal and mountain forests on the south east coast of Australia. Once they have nested, king parrots will frequent farms, parks and even gardens in the area.

More photographs inside.

Female Australian King Parrot - Alisterus scapularis

Although these Parrots frequent parks and gardens, including ours, I hadn't got around to photographing them. While we were at the Barrington tops I noticed a number of them around and took the opportunity to capture these images. It wasn't too easy to get close to them but fortunately I had the 100-400mm lens with me.

Male Australian King Parrot - Alisterus scapularis

The male and the female are easily identifiable as the female has a green head and the male's head is completely red in colour. The eye of the adult birds is yellow while juveniles have brown eyes. The birds are generally found in pairs or small flocks. I noticed that the birds which frequent camp sites are a lot easier to approach as they are used to people feeding them.

Male Australian King Parrot - Alisterus scapularis

All these photographs were captured with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm combination. I loved the bokeh on the first image and, as a result, decided to use it as the lead image for this post.

Male Australian King Parrot - Alisterus scapularis

30/52 - Pomegranate

2011-05-24T19:08:00.001+10:00

Pomegranate

Its Pomegranate season so I thought I'd use one for this weeks shot. I'm not too sure about the composition for this one and would like to get your feedback on it. I thought of including a few of the seed casings in the fore ground to add another layer of interest to the composition and the Pomegranate itself to the top right hand corner to fill up the empty space.

Lighting setup inside.

Lighting setup - Pomegranate

This was a one light setup. A conon 430 EX II was fired into a reflective umbrella from behind the subject on camera right (about two o'clock). The flash was fired at 1/4th power. A white foam-core board was placed just out of the frame on camera left to bounce the light back onto the fruit.

Satin Bower Bird

2011-05-21T13:34:00.000+10:00

Female Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

The Satin Bowerbird is the best know of Australia's Bowebirds and can be found along the coast of New South Wales and Southern Queensland. I had seen the male in the Royal National Park on a number of occasions (record shot inside) but hadn't been able to see the female until recently. Due to its size and calls, it is relatively easy to identify as it draws attention to itself. I was able to tick off the female Bowerbird on our trip to the Barrington tops. A number of females Bowerbirds frequented the area near where we stayed and provided me with a number of opportunities to photograph them.

More images after the jump.

Male Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

The photograph of the male above was a record shot taken in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney. A better shot of a male Satin Bowerbird is on my shot list! Both male and female juvenile Satin Bowerbirds look like the female to being with. The male starts changing around the third year with the overall blue-black plumage not appearing until the seventh year.

Female Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

The Bowerbirds have bright lilac coloured eyes which make them unmistakable. They are usually seen in rainforests and wet eucalyptus forests but move out to more open woodlands throughout the autumn and winter months.

Female Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

The photographs of the female Satin Bowerbird were captured with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. A Canon 400D was used for the photograph of the male.

29/52 - Spaghetti from Above

2011-05-17T18:13:00.000+10:00

Spaghetti from Above

This weeks entry for the project is quite literally, Spaghetti from above. I saw a similar photograph on flickr sometime ago and really liked the way the Spaghetti seemed to be shooting out at you from the black center. It sort of looked like a long exposure shot of fireworks to be honest.

Lighting setup shots and details after the jump.

Lighting Setup - Spaghetti from Above

Although two flashes are visible in the setup shot only one is actually lighting the subject. I used the second lash to trigger the first one. I was using the flash control system on the 7D which relies on the on camera flash to trigger the external flashes. I could have use my Cactus triggers and a single flash but why simplify something that can be complicated?

The light for this image was from a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/2 power into a reflective umbrella from above the subject on the right of camera. The Canon 580 EX II was used to trigger the 430 EX II. I couldn't trigger the 430 EX II as the flash from the 7D was pointing down at the subject and would not be "seen" by the 430 EX II above.

Yellow Admiral

2011-05-14T09:50:00.001+10:00

Yellow Admiral - Vanessa itea

While we were up at Barrington Tops I managed to photograph a number of species of butterfly. The Yellow Admiral, also known as the Australia Admiral, was probably one of the more colourful butterflies I saw on this particular trip (I'll upload the other species over the next few weeks). They are native to Australia, New Zealand and the Norfolk Islands.

More photographs inside.

Yellow Admiral - Vanessa itea

Yellow Admirals are quite common throughout their range as long as their food plants are available. Unfortunately for me, their food plants include stinging nettles which were in abundance near where we stayed. These butterflies are strong fliers and, according to some web sites, have survived wind blown travel from Australia to New Zealand across the Tasman sea.

Yellow Admiral - Vanessa itea

The best time to photograph butterflies is probably early morning as butterflies take a while to "warm up" and get active. I was surprised at how close I was able to get to them to take these photographs. I was actually limited by the minimum focusing distance on the 100-400mm lens which I had on at the time.

Yellow Admiral - Vanessa itea

These photographs were captured with a Canon 7D and the Canon 100-400mm lens.

28/52 - Oreos... Dunk or Lick??

2011-05-10T18:07:00.000+10:00

Oreos - Dunk or Lick??

I wanted to take a photograph that actually highlighted the texture on the face of an Oreo for this weeks entry. To be honest I'm not thrilled about this shot. The glass of milk isn't too obvious as only a small part of it is visible. I didn't want to zoom out as that would have resulted in the cookie being small and less dominant in the frame. The only reason I included the glass of milk is because I thought it balanced the image. Please let me know what you think in the comments.

Lighting setup inside.

Lighting Setup - Oreos... Dunk or Lick??

This was a two light setup, I would have used a light tent but improvised as I don't have one.

I used two white foam-core boards and a white wall around the subject to bounce the light. I placed the cookies and the glass of milk on a white sheet of A4 paper to create the white background.

A Canon 430 EX II was fired at 1/16th and zoomed to 24mm at the white foam core board on the right of the subject.

A Canon 580 EX II was fired at 1/128th and zoomed to 50mm aimed at the cookie and fired form camera left.

Crimson Rosella

2011-05-06T19:03:00.000+10:00

Crimson Rosella - Platycercus elegans

The Crimson Rosella, although relatively common, has not been the easiest bird for me to photograph. I had seen them on a number of occasions along the east coast of Australia but hadn't been able to get a clear shot. I found a few of them around where we stayed in the Barrington Tops and was finally able to get some unobstructed photographs of these birds.

More images after the jump.

Crimson Rosella - Platycercus elegans

I found them frequenting a small creek that ran behind the house where we were staying. They would arrive there at roughly the same time each morning which made things a bit easier for me. I was able to photograph them while they were feeding and also while they were cleaning themselves in the stream.

Crimson Rosella - Platycercus elegans

The light wasn't the best as there the creek was in a valley and there was a fairly dense canopy overhead. The birds moved around a lot and I had to use a fast shutter speed to capture these images. In order to get around the problem with the light, I had to bump up the ISO. I generally try to keep the ISO at 100 but the 7D performs pretty well in this regard.

Crimson Rosella - Platycercus elegans

All the images on this post were captured with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Crimson Rosella - Platycercus elegans

27/52 - Coke

2011-05-02T09:48:00.001+10:00

Coke

I decided to use a can of Coke as this week's entry for the project. I wanted the shot to have a cold feel to it and had visualised the final image fairly quickly. Lighting it was a whole different ball game. I didn't want to photoshop the final image to alter the colours but wanted the ice cubes to be a very specific blue.

Lighting setup shot and info after the jump.

Lighting Setup- Coke

I tried several shots using a full CTB, a 1/2 CTB and a 1/4 CTB but was not too happy with the results. Shooting through a piece of white A4 paper didn't work either. Changing the white balance on the camera to "tungsten" got me closest to the colour I was after.

I used a Canon 430 EX II fired at 1/32 from under the can as the primary light for the ice. The light from this flash provided the cool blue tones.

I bounced a Canon 580 EX II, fired at full power through a CTO, off the ceiling for fill light. The CTO gel was used to neutralise the white balance setting on the camera. This light combined with the light from the 430 EX created the exact blue which I was after. The fill light also lit the can itself.

The fact that the ice cubes were melting added to the degree of difficulty for this shot as I had to work fast and think on my feet.

Wedge-Tailed Eagle

2011-04-30T11:58:00.000+10:00