NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography?

Reno: Been into nature photography since 2006, only started to be active in 2008.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

NPX: How did you learn photography techniques?

Reno: Learned from trial and error, from people around me, especially from the birders who willing to share while meeting them in the field.

NPX: Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

Reno: The first person that influences me a lot is Arthur, follow by Low aka Dominator, YYChong, Philip Tang also… haha. Mainly we are using the same camera with similar setup. The photographers that i admire are Mark Chua, Ender, Willis, JZ, Adrian, Roger, YYChong, Dominator, Arthur, Chris Lee, Calvin aka Deswitch, Handsome Wong aka GCSpyder, Jason Cho aka Jcho, Boon Leong aka Wokoti…. etc

NPX: What are the stuff in your dry cabinet? What are the items in your bag during birding?

Reno: F80 Film Body, D700, 17-35mm F2.8, 24-120mm VR, 50mm F1.8, 105mm VR, 500mm F4 AFSII
In my bag: D700, 500mm, 1.4tc, 1.7tc, OFF anti mozzie spray, hat, spare batts and memory card. Also my psp.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

Reno: Kingfishers, Lovebirds. I love their colours and their actions.

NPX: Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

Reno: Think i will still concentrate into birding. I have tried macro, landscape, XMMs portrait, Cosplay, street shooting, night shoots, abstracts, food, fireworks. I still prefer birding.

NPX: While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

Reno: It should be the time was in late dec 2007 where i was patiently waiting for the common kingfisher to perch onto a perch planted by remo from morning till evening without having lunch, just water. And this continue for like many days. That time i am still using D200 with 80-400mm VR and then upgrade to D700 with tamron 200-500mm.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Reno: Actually the challenge is to get my girlfriend to approve me to go shoot birds, especially on the day where i suppose to go out with her. As for whether we get the bird or not is really that important as I still remember Chris Lee always mention “if we never get the bird today, we can get it some other time”. The most important thing that matters is to get VISA for birding. I still trying to get my girlfriend into birding, already got a pair of leech socks for her, next thing to get for her is the bino and a hat… hehehe..

NPX: Please share with us a couple of your favorite images accumulated over the years. Please describe
to us why you like these images.

Photos:
This is one of the Lovebird species, not sure what species it is and it is my friend’s pet.

My friend’s greedy masked lovebird who keep eating and eating and eating.

This one taken at SBG, all credit goes to JZ who tame the bird to stand on the rock.

This one is taken in 2008 where i am still using D700 with tamron 200-500mm

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography?

Luenny:  I’ve been interested in photography since my sec school days but never did have a genre where I really like. I only really interested in nature photography when I restarted my hobby 2 years ago.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Luenny:  Nature fascinates me now more than ever – particularly because of the impending crisis that our natural world is facing. I want to capture the beauty of it – particularly animals (not just birds) – as much as possible. I also like the fact that you can never really predict the subject that will show themselves when shooting animals.

NPX: How did you learn photography techniques?

Luenny:  Through books and talking a lot to the people in the camera shops – back in the days, there were no internet and everything were on flim so learning the hard way was expensive. Nowadays, it’s so much easier (and cheaper to experiment). With internet and forums available, I got a lot of inspiration from pictures that other people post.

NPX: Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

Luenny:  Chris Johns and Michael Nichols were some of the photographers that I idolize but my favourite would be Jim Brandenburg.

A lot of Brandenburg’s photographs plays with light a lot and that’s what I try to capture. And if I have it my way, I want
to change my lighting everytime I shoot so that I can experiment with back, front, side lighting and combinations of those.

NPX: What are the stuff in your dry cabinet? What are the items in your bag during birding?

Luenny:
Lenses:
105mm f2.8 Micro Nikon
180mm f3.5 Tamron Macro
17-50mm f2.8 Tamron Macro
300mm f4.0 Nikon
400mm f2.8 Nikon
1.4TC Nikon
2.0TC Nikon

Cameras:
D200 (Badly battered up)
D300

Rest of the things I don’t put in the drybox.

During birding I try to travel light (especiallyif birding locally)
D300, 1.4TC, 2.0TC, 400mm f2.8 and SB800.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

Luenny: Bee eaters and kingfishers. I like their vibrant colors and their active high speed lifestyle. Recently I’ve fallen head over heals for a baby owl who stare at me. I guess the list changes over time.

NPX: Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

Luenny: I would love to try to shoot other animals. I like animals all on the whole so it’s only natural to shoot them if I have the chance.

NPX: While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

Luenny: I guess that would be my first birding trip to Panti. I just started birding then and it was really dry. Everybody else was having tough luck and I only got a shot of 1 bird that can barely make it to post. But it was my first forest and my first kingfisher and it was a rufous-backed.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Luenny: Coming from a macro background, when I started birding I use flash. It was part of my natural instinct back then. But then I realise, with flash, the lighting is always from the front – unlike macro where you can put the flash on the side to create side or backlighting. So that makes the images flat and is not what I really want.

After birding with Adrian and the rest, I finally have the courage to remove my flash (well I usually mount it but off it so that I don’t have to go running back to my car when I need it). It can be unnerving because without flash, chances of getting a bad lighting is much higher and it you travel 1000 km to shoot a bird, you want it to look good. But eventually I got through the fear. After all, if it turns out not nice, there’s an excuse to shoot again.

NPX: Please share with us a couple of your favorite images accumulated over the years. Please describe to us why you like these images.

This is my first (hopefully not the only) beetle in flight shot. It has everything that I wish for there, well isolated subject, open wings showing action, side lighting and the fact that part of the beetle is cut off gives the impression that it’s coming at you. It can still be improved if I have the time.

This is one of my favourite because this is one of the rare chance where backlighting work so well for the subject. Not only that, it has other bonuses too like the warm soft directional morning light and the water on the beak causing it have a tiny spark.

And who wouldn’t like a nice kingfisher with food in mouth if taken properly?

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography?

Kok Tiong: Started in early 2009 when i was using 70-200mm lens + 2x TC to shoot wild birds at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Kok Tiong: I like wild birds especially those colourful one.

NPX: How did you learn photography techniques?

Kok Tiong: Books, website, forums and friends

NPX: How come all your images are so sharp and well exposed? Dare to share your secret?

Kok Tiong: I use Nikon 600mm lens with 1.4TC attached. I oftenly set my camera to Aperture mode f8, ISO 400, AFC. Centre weighted metering and i do not crop alot for my image so to minimise details loss. I oftenly use shutter release cable to minimise vibration. i shoot RAW, this is a important setting for me. I shoot without flash I uses D3 body for action, poor light condition, close object and D300 to achieve longer focus distance. If my object is tame, i will use Mirror Lock Up function. If my object are difficult to expose in term of colours, i will use spot metering instead of centre weighted. (personal preference). Maybe luck also play a part in achieving sharp image.

NPX: Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

Kok Tiong: There is a lady photographer name “Ong Kiem Sian”. I believe most of us know about her. Her style, delication and passion for birds really influence me.

NPX: What are the stuff in your dry cabinet? What are the items in your bag during birding?

Kok Tiong: Dry Cabinet – 24-70mm f2.8, 70-200mm f2.8, 600mm f4, 1.4 TC, SB800 flashlight, D3 and D300. Bag – D3, D300, 600mm f4, 1.4TC, SB800 flashlight, dust blower and lens pen.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

Kok Tiong: I like Barbet and Kingfisher because they are colourful.

NPX: Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

Kok Tiong: Wild animals in Africa. I am fascinated with those animal action scene shown on the TV.

NPX: While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

Kok Tiong: Saw a snake in front of me while i am walking through the grassland looking for birds. I am not sure of the snake ID but it was scary moment.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Kok Tiong: Work commitment, family commitment. Not enough TIME for photography.

NPX: Please share with us a couple of your favorite images accumulated over the years. Please describe to us why you like these images.

Kok Tiong: I like images with clean background.

NPX: Thanks for your time!

Kok Tiong: Thanks!

NPX: How long have you been interested in nature photography?

Myron: I guess it all started in Nov 07 when I visited Adelaide and Tasmania with my wife and son. I was fascinated by the wildlife I saw in the wilderness there, especially the male Superb Fairy Wren. It was all downhill after that…

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Myron: The beauty of wildlife and the fascinating lives they lead. Guess observing them kinda makes up for my boring one…kidding!

NPX: How did you learn photography techniques?

Myron: Started off with the basics in “The Better Photo Guide to Digital Photography” by Jim Miotke and beyond that under the tutorage of NPX members such as Adrian Lim, YY and Chris Lee on NPX, both on-line and on the field. Yes, it means that they are responsible for how poor my shots are.

NPX: Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

Myron: Adrian’s natural colour, no-flash photography and YY’s sharpness are major influences. In other words, they are majorly responsible for the poor quality of my shots.

NPX: What are the stuff in your dry cabinet? What are the items in your bag during birding?

Myron: I usually leave my teleconverters (both 1.4X and 2X) in my dry cabinet as I prefer images taken without them. (Adrian did it first by leaving his 2X to rot in his dry cabinet) I usually bring my Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f4 IS lens, Canon RS-80N3 Remote Switch and Canon 580 EXII flash in my bag, although I have chosen not to use the flash recently. (Again, blame Adrian for this)

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

Myron: All the colourful, forest birds in South East Asia, particularly the birds of paradise! They are extremely beautiful and not captured often enough! (Did I mentioned that I would be visiting Irian Jaya this year?)

NPX: Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

Myron: Birds-in-flight would be a natural extension of what I am doing currently. It has more action than still birds (Duh!).

NPX: While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

Myron: There are so many – seeing the blue-eared kingfisher early one morning at Lower Peirce, the masked finfoot at Seletar and the Ruddy Kingfisher at the private residence. But the most memorable must be the time at Kaeng Krachan, Thailand. After an hour’s drive up the mountain each day for two days with yielded relatively poor returns, I decided to go up again on the third day without my trip partner who decided he had enough of the place and went birding near the shore (where the rare but dull birds are). I was rewarded with three wonderful lifers – a pair of long-tailed broadbills which posed for me, and sightings of the ratchet-tailed treepie and a pair of silver pheasants.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Myron: Getting people to understand that I am really not interested in going out-of-my-way to photograph a dull bird just because it is “extremely rare” or “rarely sighted”.

NPX: Please share with us a couple of your favorite images accumulated over the years. Please describe to us why you like these images.

Like the story on this one (see earlier response on fascinating life of birds)

Like the composition on this rare (and colourful!) bird

Like this one due to what I had to do to get it (see earlier response on most memorable moment to date)

NPX: Thanks for your time!

Myron: My pleasure. I just want to also take the opportunity to thank all the people who make NPX such a great community, characterised by their willingness to share good lobangs and techniques (less so the peer pressure to upgrade whenever a new camera or lens comes up.)

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography?

Walad: 2 years

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Walad: Wild birds

NPX: How did you learn photography techniques?

Walad:Books and friends.

NPX: Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

Walad: There are too many of them to mention in this interview.

NPX: What are the stuff in your dry cabinet? What are the items in your bag during birding?

Walad: Dry cabinet:
EOS 50D body with battery grip, EOS 5D body with battery grip, EF 17-40mm F/4 wide-angle lens, EF 50mm F/1.4 standard lens / EF 35-70mm F/3.5-4.5 standard zoom lens, EF 70-200mm F/4 IS lens, EF 400mm ‘L’ lens, Speedlight EX580II, Nikon D80 kit with battery grip, ED 70-300mm lens, Speedlight SB-800, Sony A100 kit, HVL F56AM Flash, 2 videocams, compact digicams, UV filters, hard disk andaccessories.

Items in my bag during birding as follows:
EOS 50D body with battery grip, EOS 5D body with battery grip, EF 17-40mm F/4 wide-angle lens, EF 70-200mm F/4 IS lens, EF 400mm ‘L’ lens, Speedlight EX580II, Flash xtender, CP-E4 battery pack, flash bracket, many spare batteries, raincoat, garbage bag, spare memory cards, VP8860 storage viewer, lens cleaning paper, blower, cleaning cloth, fruit and sandswiches.

NPX: Which is your favorite bird species and why?

Walad: The Whitehead’s Trogon. I was told that this bird is a star of Mount Kinabalu and understand that it’s not easy to see and difficult to shoot. I was fortunate to have seen this bird and captured it on my sensor

NPX: Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

Walad: I would love to explore more on insects/butterflies macro and wild animals to be able to gain more experiencein photography.

NPX: While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

Walad: Trip to Bukit Tinggi in Pahang Malaysia in early March 09. Happened to be my birthday on 2nd March. I was excited as I managed to capture several mountain birds. Thanks to Sharkspin, GSSoh and the rest of NPX members who organized the trip. It was a beautiful moment andexperienced that I had during my birthday coincidentally.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Walad: I wish i have enough time to travel all over the world for birds photography unfortunately i’m not able to make it if too far except only within our surrounding regions meaning only nearby countries. this is due to family commitments as well as my career.

NPX: What is the one advice you will give to beginers?

Walad: Be thoughtful of birds and other animals when photographing them, never put their safety into question. Be aware that you could upset their breeding patterns with inappropriate behavior. Avoid photographing nesting birds if possible and be sure not to unduly stress a bird for the sake of a photo. Get to know and understand more about bird’s habitat and its life.

Enjoy your time spent in nature; it helps you understand that we are all partof nature. If you get some great shots, that will be good but if you don’t, you
still had the chance to commune with nature.

NPX: Please share with us a couple of your favorite images accumulated over the years. Please describe to us why you like these images.

Walad: Ok!

1) Orange-Headed Thrush_Male

This image is like a birthday gift to me during
my birding at Bukit Tinggi in early March 09.

2) Crested Serpent Eagle

I saw this raptor was perching on the lamp post while driving and on my way for birding early in the morning in Nov-08. It was my first time seen the eagle at very close distance.

3) Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater

This colourful bird was captured at rice field in Sungei Balang Muar. This image is the most sharper and clearer I evercaptured into my sensor.

4) Whitehead’s Trogon

I was happy to have the opportunity to capture this bird into my censor when I was in Mount Kinabalu in Sept-09.

NPX: Thanks for your time!

Walad: Thanks.

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography?

Strobby: I started nature photography very recently, Dec 2008. Pick up my first DSLR around June 2008. I start shooting event and fashion show. Got quite boring after a while as it is always model coming out on the runway then shoot, shoot, shoot. Then, start to learn and love strobe (that how my nick, strobby come about) and start shooting abstract /still life. Wanted to use strobe on people and went into portrait. But my house CEO got to know I shoot Xiao Mei Mei and I nearly got “shoot” to death by her so this genre of photography went nowhere too .Went into wedding photography but was taxing ,shooting from morning to night ,the hour is too long and cannot fix into my schedule as i got to take care of the kid at home .Was discussing with colleague who is into photography too on what to shot next and he suggested bird photography , saying it is one of the most challenging kind of photography . I say why not and started looking for bird with my 80-200 mm Nikkor with a 2x but the picture quality is not there. Read about NPX Arthur article on Tamron 200-500 mm .After viewing all the great pic of Arthur and Reno, I bought the tammy and start shooting as often as my time permit.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Strobby: The fresh air early in the morning when I go bird hunting. Getting away from the buzz of city life and the adrenaline rush when I see bird that I wanted so much.

NPX: How did you learn photography techniques?

Strobby: Mainly through reading from the internet and ask around whenever I face problems. I have met a lot of nice people in NPX that share their experience with me.

NPX: Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

Strobby: Being sure a newbie, I am style-less…hehehe. Just shoot and see how to compose when I am back home. But I love work from Mark Chua, Ingo and Adrian whose pic is always very inspiring.

NPX: What are the stuff in your dry cabinet? What are the items in your bag during birding?

Strobby: Very basic stuff , D300 body , trusty and al cheapo 50mm 1.8, Tamron 17 -50 mm F2.8 for landsacpe. Old 80-200 mm f2.8 Nikkor for event and portrait. And of course the tammy 200-500mm. Hope to add a 500 prime someday… hehehehe
For birding the D300 with the tammy 200-500, 1.4x, sb 600 flash and always a remote trigger that save me during some low light situation.

NPX: Which is your favorite bird species and why?

Strobby: Don’t really have a specific favorite bird species, being a newbie anything that is a lifer will set me firing away ….hehehe

NPX: Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

Strobby: I started macro some year ago with a canon prosumer G9, but sold it away to get a D80. Maybe I will pick up macro again. Macro world is quite interesting as you got to see detail that you will not be able to see with your naked eye in day to day life.

NPX: While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

Strobby: It was when the black backed kingfisher visited MacRitchie Reservoir in Feb 2009 .Due to the tight schedule I have at that time ,was really trill to squeeze out some time to go shoot it , when I reach there, it started to rain very heavily and i have to take shelter . It is a do or die situation as I will not be able to squeeze out time for this guy soon, so i went on location when the rain got smaller. What greeted was not a black backed kingfisher but a buffy fish Owl at eye level around 10 meters away. After some static shot it gives me another bonus and went hunting. No shot of the black backed kingfisher that day but was happy to see my first owl in the wild.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Strobby: There is something in life that you won’t mind it to be longer …I mean focal length (what are you thinking about …hehehe) …with the tammy i am always stuck with 500mm , i rarely put on the 1.4x as this make the camera sound like a donkey…EEEEEE…OOOOOO (searching) a lot ,the bird always look small on my view finder . As i approach it, it took off….%*&#$

NPX: Which is your favorite playground and why?

Strobby: Japanese garden, Chinese Garden and Old Jurong Lake Park. Seem to me there is always new bird to shoot during migration period. Will like to venture out of Singapore, like Panti, KK if I have the chance but since I am not driving very difficult… so those reading this and don’t mind a newbie tacking along , please jio me hor …hehehehe

NPX: Please share with us a couple of your favorite images accumulated over the years. Please describe to us why you like these images.

Strobby: Ok!
1) Buffy Fish Owl as state above

2)Short-tailed Babbler
Have a chance to see a Short-tailed Babbler bathing under very low light, love the sparkling water under the flash

3)Large-tailed Nightjar
The moment i see a nightjar is it always flying away from me .somehow i am always scaring it . Was happy to see my first NJ with a good perch

4)Striped Tit-babbler
Common bird but i love the colour combination with the orange on green background

NPX: Thanks for your time!

Strobby: Thanks you for inviting a newbie like me. Hope that more people will join in this genre of photography and have a great time shooting bird and make new friend along the way. Thanks again.

NPX: How long you’ve been involved in photography.

As a casual photographer, I’ve touched camera since my university days in Australia. My brother owned a photo processing shop there and sell cameras on the side. He gave me one of the trade-in camera, it was a Minolta SLR with standard lens. I cant exactly remember which model it was now.. It was my first camera, and I used it to take snapshots of myself and friends throughout my university time. It was kind of trigger happy moments, knowing that film and processing was free of charge for me..

2003 was a big year for digital photography with the launch of mass-market ‘affordable’ Canon 300D. I decided to jump into the bandwagon and got my first DSLR. As a newbie one has to obviously plough through the internet looking for tips and suggestions. I tried my hands on various genres… events, sports, weddings (for friends), landscape and even took a workshop on studio photography.. Right from the start I could tell I wasn’t very comfortable taking photos of people as I fear to intrude into their privacy. From all those genres that I tried initially, I was more inclined towards Sports photography.

NPX: If it was Sports photography that you like, why the switch to nature?

I like Sports photography partly because of 3 reasons. Firstly, I don’t feel the sense of intruding into their privacy because sportsmen and atheletes welcome the attention.. Haha.. Secondly, the fast-paced action and expressions on their face, be it joy or despair was fun to capture. Lastly, with sports the investment into lenses were not as damaging.. I relied on Sigma 70-200 and 120-300 on sports.

So I started taking taking football, rugby, polo, cycling, golf etc which I enjoyed. But there’s always a truth in the old saying don’t mix pleasure with business. I started freelancing on sports and shot for Singapore Polo Club. That is when the deadline pressure starts coming in and when it becomes a chore instead of a hobby, things are always less pleasurable.. Haha..

But in Sports I did get a lucky break. With pure luck I was able to get trackside access to shoot MotoGP and paddock access for Formula 1 at Sepang. That remains my most memorable moment from the early days..

So to shoot F1 at Sepang I got the Sigma 120-300 from Wkcheah. He casually mentioned with this lens you can actually start shooting birds.. Well, as fate would have it once I started on it, I never looked back. Hahaha..

NPX: So that’s how you got hooked on nature photography.. Tell us more..

Well starting on bird photography aint bed of roses. I experienced all the difficulties that newcomers faced. How and where to find the birds? Back in those days, information wasn’t really forthcoming as one has to be on the circle of trust to enjoy the up to date info and sightings info are kept confidential.. So it was kind of frustrating.

I am always for the idea of sharing, be it nestings or rare birds. I am happy when I see my fellow bird photographers happy and get their shots. So it was a bit disheartening at the beginning. Afterwards I can understand that things happen for a reason. So I just accepted that fact and be at peace with the politics surrounding bird photography. I take bird photography in Singapore as a platform for me to hone my skills and most importantly make friends. These would be the friends that I can count for company when I go on overseas trips. Hehe..

The challenging nature and unpredictability of nature photography is what appeals to me so much. A nature photographer does not have the luxury of a studio setup where lighting and subject are within one’s control. To make a decent photo I have to pray that all the right elements work in my favour. End of the day things doesn’t always go my way and I just have to accept it as part and parcel of it.

NPX: Where do you learn your techniques?

I obtained my Masters in Action Photography from Yale and PhD in Bird Photography from Cambridge. Nah, kidding..
Just like most people here, we all learn from the net and sharing thru the forums.. Tips and tricks here and there.

NPX:Who inspires and influences your style?

After knowing many of the fellow forum members at NPX, I get to understand their unique style and preferences. They are all a source of inspiration to me in their own way. Adrian (wmw998) , Mark Chua, Mountainman are a handful of those that produces photos with stunning details and sharpness that constantly blow me away.. I look up to Jz and Hilary Hoe for their action shots and ability to capture shots I never think possible. I admire Ingo and Ender for going all corners in pursuit of rare birds. I love the artistic flair of Roger Deng. While on trips I always enjoy the company of Eric Pooi, Starrynight and the late Dr. Remo

You’ve tried macro and bird photography.. How different are those two?

In short, macro photography is back-breaking and bird photography bank-breaking!.

NPX:Which one genre of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future and why?

I always like to get my hands on underwater photography. The world down there is beautiful and colourful..
But before I start doing that, I have to take swimming lessons first hahaha..

NPX:Pls share with us the stuff you have in your camera bag

I’ve used Minolta, Nikon, Sigma and Canon so I don’t really have any brand affinity so long the equipment can do the job.
For birds and wildlife, I use Canon 600mm and Canon 300mm couple with 1DMk3.
For macro, I use Lumix point and shoot.
For overseas trips, I like to carry my gears onboard in 2 bags, Lens Trekker 600mm and mini trekker.

NPX:While pursuing your hobby, which is (are) the most memorable moments (happy, not so happy, scary) to date?

While pursuing the Small Blue Kingfishers in Bali, I went down to the mangrove and got stuck in the mud. I lost my sandals in the process and had to spend the next half or one hour digging myself out of it.

On the way back from Kenya in 2006 the plane we’re in had engine trouble during take-off, bursting all its 8 tyres and caught fire. I still have the phobia of plane taking off to this day.

Didn’t do proper research for my trip to Japan in 2008. I was a few weeks too late… the snow was gone, the cranes have retreated to nest and the Stellar Sea Eagles have gone back to Siberia. I will always remember what my wife said.. As our plane was approaching Kushiro airport, she said ‘ Huh, where are the snow?’ hahhaa that was classic.

And last year while in the Pinnacles Desert in Australia I accidentally locked the key inside the rental car while pursuing the crested pigeon. Hertz promised to send rescue vehicle before dark but it never came. From movies the car windows always seems so easy to smash.. But not the windows on my rental car.. Hahaha..

NPX: Please share with us a couple of your favourite shots.

Dusky moorhen at Herdsman Lake, Perth Australia

Brahminy Kite in Langkawi, Malaysia

White-bellied Sea-eagle in Langkawi, malaysia

Snow monkey at Jigokudani Hell Valley, Japan

African Fish Eagle. Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Large-tailed Nightjars, Singapore

Black-naped tern, Singapore

For more of wilis photos, please head over to http://www.wsusanto.com

NPX: How long have you been interested in bird photography?

Jason: I have my first DSLR in 2005, mainly shooting RC Planes. Got hook to birds photography when I got my Sigma 150-500mm (thought birding this way is cheap, I was wrong!) in Feb 2009. Guess the Pitta in SBG and BBKF in Lower Peirce did make an impact. My hunger for sharp detail image came.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Jason: Shooting birds allowed me relax, especially in a stressful environment we having here. It is also good way to work out on weekends or lunch time. Love the details of birds, especially those colorful birds.

NPX: How did you learn photography techniques?

Jason: Learn photo techniques from reading and learning from forum. Also spending a bit of effort to pick up Lightroom2 to enhance the image. Would say friends I shoot with did share with me how to make full use of my equipment, example Chris Li who taught me how to do pre-focusing on my 1DM3. Also Dr Cheah really brought us newbie to another level, understanding birds behavior etc.

NPX: Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

Jason: Images of Adrian (wmw998). Like the way he captured the birds, background also nice and clean. However I still learning, how to have that sort of standard in the future.

NPX: Can you tell us more about the items in your bag?

Jason: Basically not much inside, Canon 24-70mm and Canon 600mm F4 IS. Body I have the Canon 1DM3. Some repellent and walkie (very useful in Panti)

NPX: Which is your favorite bird species and why?

Jason: Any birds that is colorful like the kingfisher, sunbirds and bee-eaters.

NPX: Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

Jason: I have done Macro before I stepped into birding, maybe I will explore that again. I am fascinated by those insect viewed from macro lens.

NPX: While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

Jason: It was my first Panti trip, where Dr WK Cheah played the call of Black-and-yellow Broadbill, the bird flew around us and everyone started shooting. Amazing!

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Jason: I would guess, getting nice birds in Singapore.

NPX: Any advice for beginners?

Jason: For beginners, getting the right equipment from the start is very important. Ask birding friends which equipment is most effective from your budget. Don’t depend to much on review, some are misleading. Example the Canon 400mm F5.6 is a value for money lens which I will get next year for the terns.

NPX: Can you share with us a couple of your favorite images?

Jason: Ok!

Tiger Shrike

Plaintive cuckoo

Common Kingfisher

NPX: How long have you been interested in nature photography?

Calvin: I 1st pick up photography about 20 years ago but was a short lived one because my house was emptied due to a burglary. I only start back about 4 years ago with a Canon 350D. That time my interest was on Macro. During one of the outings, I was poisoned by a friend who bought along a 500mm f4IS. Since then I began my slow journey into bird photography starting off with a 100-400L. I was going nowhere for a year or so as that time we don’t get to see posting of location to shoot like what we get now. I finally got my 500mm and 1Dmk2 and got to know more of the birders here who slowly share technique and location with me.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Calvin: Well, there are a few reasons why I liked Nature Photography. Basically I love nature and to be in the wild to enjoy my hobby is a bonus. I get to de-stress with the sound of birds chirping, sound of water flowing and insects. And also I like the challenge to find birds in the wild.

NPX: How did you learn photography techniques?

Calvin: I pick up photography from books and internet. There are however valuable techniques that can only be learnt in the field with the seniors. Initially I was very “Kan Chiong”. See bird rush forward to shoot but as you all know, the chances are the birds will most probably flew off.

NPX: Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

Calvin: I would say Mark’s “Big Big” image influence me the most. However I’m still far from his standard. I always want to get my image big big and sometimes I feel I overdo it. :p

NPX: What are the stuff in your dry cabinet? What are the items in your bag during birding?

Calvin: I really dont know what exactly are inside my cabinets. I hv my lenses, 500 f4.5, 400f5.6,70-200f2.8IS, 17-40f4,50f1.8 and Tamron 90mm etc. There are 4 bodies, 2 of them (film) have not being used for the last 3 years, my 40D and 1Dmk2. Beside that I have filters.
In my Birding bag, I always have my 500f4.5, 1Dmk2, EX580mk2, CP-E4, 1.4XTC, 25mm tube. Sometimes I squeeze in my 40D and 90mm or 17-40.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why? What is your most wanted bird now?

Calvin: Aha.. My Favourites are Kingfishers. Why? Because there are beautiful and not easy to shoot. My most wanted bird now is the Banded KF.

NPX: Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

Calvin: I would like to explore into landscape. I had been poisoned by some stunning photos on my friends website.

NPX: While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

Calvin: I would say my 1st and only oversea Birding trip to NT with Eric, Willis,Jay, Ender and Remo. Birding trips are the best way to totally rid you mind off work and relax. It may be tiring but very rewarding. I have close to 100 species from that trip.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Calvin: Most of you will know that I dont have many “Visa” to go for shoot. Beside that is $$$ for my dream 600f4IS lens. Before that (when I just started) my biggest challenge was to find birds. One of the most valuable quote from WK to me was “Look for Food and water”. So instead of spoon feeding, This helps me to go out and look for my own birds.

NPX: I see that you have improvised your equipment, can you tell us more about it?

Calvin: Actually its nothing new. I copied the idea from Allagan (hopefully I spell his name correctly) while at Bukit Tinggi. My old 500mm lens collar is not as stable as the newer version and I do get lots of vibration from the mirror slap. Basically I get my machinist friend to custom make a long plate (300mm) to add support to the front of the lense. Therefore I have 2 support point for my lense instead of only 1. Physically it not that nice looking but it serve its purpose. I can physically see less vibration on the setup when I do continuous shots compared to my old plate. The long plate also allows me to mount my flash bracket so it does helps in lowering the CG of the lense and that give me a better control with my Thai version Gimbal head. (planning to upgrade soon)

NPX: Please share with us a couple of your favorite images accumulated over the years. Please describe to us why you like these images.

Calvin: Sure.

The Photos
Blue-eared Kingfisher at Lower Peirce. It appeared right in front of me.

Black-naped Monarch feeding its chick at Panti Forest. One of my 1st nesting photo.

Common Kingfisher pierced a shrimp at Japanese Garden. (my all time favourite photo to date)

How long have you been interested in nature photography?

I have had an interest in nature photography – specifically birds – since 2006.

What got you hoooked into it in the first place?

It all started when my partner and I went camping over a series of weeks: we saw this amazing bright blue bird tweetering around the camp site one morning. I tried to take pictures of it with an instamatic and the poor photographic result started the camera arms race I’m sure we’re all familiar with LOL

Where did you learn your photography skills?

Still learning! Very supportive friends and strangers along the way and as you know the internet is a fantastic mine of information.

Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

As for specifics, there are too many names to mention, I am always coming across wildlife books from professional nature photographers who keep me inspired and encourage me to better myself. At this stage I don’t believe I have a ’style’ (still finding my feet) but generally I seem to gravitate towards tightly cropped pictures of birds in an effort to emphasize feather details.

What is your current setup? What are the stuff in your camera bag?

My current setup is Canon 40D, 100-400mm, 500mm, Canon Flash 430ex, better beamer, Gitzo tripod, Wimberley head and Flash bracket.
I always keep a lens cleaner, allen key, spare batteries for my flash and spare memory card in my bag.
Water and lip balm are also a must LOL

What are the challenges you’ve faced to date?

One of the challenges is finding plenty of time to get out there and photograph birds and less time for work.

Being the rare few female nature photographer, I’m sure you must have gotten unwanted attention when out in the field. Does it bother you?

It bothers me a lot because I don’t like the stares and the whispers I hear when people walk past me. I have been told to get used to it but I am still very uncomfortable with it. However, most of the time when I am out in the field I always have 1 or 2 burly guys taking photos with me.

What advise would you give for other aspiring female nature photographers?

Try not to get intimidated as it is a bit of a male dominated pursuit.
Be humble and appreciate any advice that comes your way.
Lastly, have fun – there is no point being out there unless it is fun.

What is your favourite wildlife species and why?

Birds particularly passerines and a few raptors such as owls and Black Shouldered Kites. It is what got me into nature photography in the first place and it encourages me to go out and explore.

Residing in Australia means you have easy access to great birding places. Care to share a few of your current haunt?

Melbourne Botanical Gardens is good for passerines but generally west of the city has better spots ie. water treatment plant and coastal reserves.

Please share with us a couple of images that you like. Please share with our members why you like these images.

The first picture is a male Superb Blue Fairy Wren – the little fella that started it all!

Blue Fairy Wren

The second picture is a male Eastern Spinebill, a relatively common bird but one I find difficult to capture.

Eastern Spinebill

Thanks for taking the time for the interview.

Sunny

How long have you been interested in photographing butterflies?

I am relatively new to Photography , by chance ,in the later part of 2005 I shot a Butterfly with a PS camera, While seeking to identify the species I was directed to Butterfly from ClubSnap, I stay too long admiring their beautiful butterfly shots , and they infected me with a serious case “Butterfly Flu”.

What do you like particularly about it?

Initially it was the beauty of the various species that attracted me to this genre of photography. In my pursuit to record as many of the Singapore species as possible , it led me to studying their lifecycle, their behavior and habitats so as to increase my chances of nailing them. Butterfly photography is not unlike bird photography , it require much patient, perseverance and understanding of the species you are after. It is a challenge stalking them , the trek in search of them also provide me with some exercise and the excuse to run away from the urban setting to be outdoor and closer to nature.

How many species have you gotten so far? which are those that are most memorable and precious to your collection?

My recent count was around 260 species against the current Checklist of 292 species. Every keeper is memorable and unique in their own ways, it could be the beauty of the subject and/or the work involved in capturing them . Of the more memorable and precious ones are some of the new and re-discovered species I’d help to track down. These are The Harlequin , The Straight Judy, The Banded Royal , The Green Oakblue , The White Four line Blue, the Glistering Cerulean and a few others . They are special because some are thought to have been extinct or they are new species that were missed by earlier researchers and authors of the Singapore Butterfly checklist.

Care to share the tricks in photographing butts? any advise for beginners?

There are no tricks in shooting butterfly, once you have mastered the fundamentals of macro shooting, it is taking the time and interest to treks to likely places to locate them . Some knowledge of their habitat and behavior will help you to narrow down your search. There are some basic techniques in how to look for them, managed your set up and close in for the shoot . For newbie into this genre of photography and wants to know how it is done, I wrote a small article on “Butterfly Stalking” at Butterfly of Singapore Blog that could be of help.

http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2007/12/stalking-and-shooting-butterflies.html

Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

I do not follow any particular photographer or style. Given the same subject each of us see in our mind’s eyes different possible ways of projecting the subject in the way we think is unique or artistic, so in fact each of us have our own individual style. I am open to all techniques and approaches, they all have their applications, my personal view is these should not become a fixation and constraint to the way one shoot . To me every photographic opportunity is a unique combination of various elements, there are no hard and fast rules of how one should approach it and what equipment one should use.

I travel light and let the subject dictate how I shoot instead of being constrained by the equipment or the way I want it to be taken. I accept what is a given and make the best use of the opportunity to present the subject as best as I can see it . The skittish nature of butterfly make shooting it a fairy dynamic exercise. I use very simple setup and let the camera does the work with auto-focus and exposure in AV mode, and concentrate on composition. Perhaps being dictacted by the skittish nature of the subject, I avoided being fixated that I have to have certain equipments and certain long held belief that macro should only be done with manual focus F/16 and above , sturdy tripod, focusing rail, MLU, release cable , multiple flash lights. One can get hopelessly tangled up with these “standard” equipments and left standing foolishly in the field when chasing butterflies.

To improve myself I read photo critiques on both local and international nature photography sites, to pick up and learn the finer points of good composition, techniques and presentation. I am a firm believer of hands-on learning and post-shot critique to flatten the learning curve and I had benefited a lot from the well run critiques on some sites. With the internet , one can eaily become a “NATO critique” and talk for hours on setup, the how and what, or even critique or “wishing” a shot to perfection. I believe in hands-on , I practice and shoot very often …… hands-on pratice and critical self review beats phototalking any day.

Care to share your macro setup? What is the equipment that you cant leave home without?

After wearing out a Canon 20D and a 40D in the last 3 years I am onto a Canon 1D3 + Tamron 180 mm and EX580 II. The 180 is the only lens I have as I shoot almost exclusively butterflies ,it has a longer working distance for shooting butterfly and it is legendary in it sharpness and bokeh. My 1st two months of field experience in chasing butterfly convinced me that I have to travel light and handhold the shots. Most butterfly are unlikely to stay long and you have a few second to frame and take your shots before it flutter off. Additional gears will impede my mobility in the undergrowth and wear me down on a long trek. I also carry a cheap lightweight monopod with a mini ballhead , a small slingbag to hold water,sweat towel and odds and ends. The monopod is used more as a walking stick and butterfly “stirrer” than what it intended for. I am onto my 3rd Lenshood and 4th monopod , previous ones were all lost during butterfly chases in thick vegetation. I do not leave home without my setup, it is always in the car boot and ready to shoot.

Which is your favorite species of butterfly and why?

My favorite butterfly is the Leopard Lacewing, this one of our recent new migrant species, it is a hardy, colorful and showy butterfly originating from Thailand, that over the year has traveled down the Peninsula of Malaya to Singapore . First sighted in Dec 05 , in late 2006 “The Butterfly Fairy” smiled on me … I stumbled into a few individual in western Singapore . Subsequently I managed to identified their hostplant and bred a number of the caterpillars. In doing my small part in helping this hardy species, I introduced them to a few locations in northern and western Singapore , and the southern Ridges where the hosplant was also found. I am glad that this new beautiful species is doing very well over the last 2 years and it is becoming a common sight on our island , most likely it will continue to multiply and stay and become our “new butterfly citizen”.

While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

The most memorable moment was with the Red Harlequin in Selai, Endau Rompin National Park in August 08 . This very rare ” Jewel of the Jungle ” flew past me along a track with rays of late afternoon light illuminating its brilliant and unbelievable colors. As if tempting me to chase her , it flutter nonchalantly from leaf to leaf under the dark forest understory. I tracked her through thick undergrowth scattered with thorny rattan plants for close to an hour ,and managed a few shots under fast fading light . Though covered with numerous scratches from the chase , I must have slept with a big grin that night knowing that I had some reasonable shots of this rare butterfly!

What are the challenges you’ve faced?

The main challenge, if I can call that, is my total ignorance of Photography and the subject matters. From not knowing the relationship of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, it took me some self learning and hours of hands-on practice on the DSLR to get comfortable, over the last 3 years I have acquired sufficient knowledge and hands-on to shoot reasonable well.

Next is learning enough on photoshop for post processing to get by. I was blur as a sotong in post processing softwares, and I am still loss like a squid in as far as layering and masking. But thanks to easy-to-use photoshop Plug-ins, I managed to get by and continue to stumbled along, learning by the day in processing the shots.

The greatest challenge is soon after taking up the hobby, while monitoring the Harlequin and the Straight Judy I realized there will never be enough light in the shade, I spent hours and numerous trips practicing and refining my handholding technique shooting these two shade lovers. I am glad that the thousands of shutter counts on these two species had helped me become more confident in handholding butterfly shot.

As to the subject matter the butterfly, it is a natural progressing that I became more and more interested in learning more about them , study the “prey” so to speak. I will continue to learn more of these beautiful creatures through books,field observations and from the experts at ButterflyCircle. Hopefully the knowledge I picked up can be put to good use in the future in helping to conserve the rarer species.

Please share with us a couple of your favorite images accumulated over the years.

Sure! Let me share some of the rarer species that I have shot locally and in Johore:

Red Harlequin (Para-laxita telesia lyclene) Female

Red Harlequin (Para-laxita telesia lyclene) Female

ISO 1600 1/30s F/5.6 Fill-flash, Handheld. Selai , Endau Rompin, Johore. This is a very rare butterfly and reside in the depth forest , some spent years trying to see or photograph one. Lucky me this one flew in front of me.

Rapala domitia domitia (Yellow Flash)

Rapala domitia domitia (Yellow Flash)

ISO640 1/200 F/5. Fill-flashed , Handheld, USR Singapore. A very rare and skittish BF . It was 3rd time lucky, third encounter in 3 years and managed a reasonable shot.

Abisara savitri savitri (Malay Tailed Judy)

Abisara savitri savitri (Malay Tailed Judy)

ISO1000 1/40s F/6.3 Fill-flashed , Handheld. CCA, Singapore. This butterfly is one of the most
elusive of the Abisara species , found in the deeper part of CCA and a difficult subject to track
and shot. This one was caught day dreaming.

Euripus nyctelius euploeoides (Courtesan) Male

Euripus nyctelius euploeoides (Courtesan) Male

ISO200 1/250s F/5.6 Handheld, Southern Ridges , Singapore. By chance shot this in an urban park in
2006 , this shot was taken in Jul 08 . I am still monitoring the presence of this , it has reappeared on and off in the last 3 years.

Pandita sinope sinope ( The Colonel ) Male

Pandita sinope sinope ( The Colonel ) Male

ISO200 1/125S f/9, Handheld, Western Singapore. A rather rare butterfly , like the equivalent in the
military this species is also a high flyer. Very difficult to shoot as, at most time, it mantain at a high perch beyong reach.

Zeltus amasa maximinianus (Fluffy Tit)

Zeltus amasa maximinianus (Fluffy Tit)

ISO400 1/80s F/8 Monopod , CCA Singapore . This species has one of the longest tails amongst the
lycaenid relative to is size , a tree top resident most of the time. The long tails flutter with the slightest of breeze and it is a nitemare to have them clearly display, caught this specimen with the full glory of its long tails during a lull in the wind

Abisara kausambi kausambi ( The Straight Judy ) Male Pending confirmation

Abisara kausambi kausambi ( The Straight Judy ) Male Pending confirmation

ISO800 1/80s F8 Handheld Southern Ridges Singapore. This particaular species was missed by earlier
researcher and authours of Singapore Checklist. Has been monitoring this species in the last 3 years
and through local and international experts we are in the process of positively identifying it.

Pachliopta aristolochiae ( Black Rose )

Pachliopta aristolochiae ( Black Rose )

ISO400 1/125s F3.5 Handheld, AHBT Singapore. Some specimen of the Common Rose in AHBT were noted to have an all black hindwing, temporarily we call it The Black Rose pending further investigation .

Taxila haquinus haquinus ( The Harlequin ) Female

Taxila haquinus haquinus ( The Harlequin ) Female

ISO200 1/60s F8 , Monopod . One of few hundreds raised through captive breeding and resettled under
the “Save The Harlequin” Project. http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2007/11/saving-harlequin-part-1.html

Cyrestis themire themire ( The Little Map )

Cyrestis themire themire ( The Little Map )

ISO800 1/125s F/8 Handheld, Panti Forest , Johore . This shy little BF always hide under the leaf .
This pose a big problem in shooting them, this is a better shot of many failed attempts.

Which are the good places in Singapore for newbie to hone their butterfly macro skills?

There are lots of macro opportunity in Singapore , every green pockets and parks is a potential heaven for macro lovers, one just need to stand and stare and be curious to find an endless variety of macro subjects.

For butterflies, The Southern Ridges of Kent Ridge , Telok Blangah Hill and Mount Faber Park have more butterfly species count than the whole of United Kingdom (around 60). The Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail(AHBT), close to the ridge line, is a good hunting ground for newbies ,it is easily accessible and at any one time you should be able to find a few species of the 101 species we have recorded over the years.

Thanks for the interview.

It is my pleasure!

Most BlueSteel’s work is published in BC http://www.butterflycircle.com, do check them out and their forum too!

How long have you been dabbling in nature photography?

couldn’t remember, i think i started somewhere 2004

What do you like particularly about it?

its a healthy hobby and at the same time i enjoy God’s creation

How did you learn photography techniques?

reading, trial and error

Were there any photographer(s) that you like and influences your style?

I don’t have a favorite photographer and i believe i am still far from creating a style that is unique to me only but I got motivated when any of my friends shows me good photos. I will have the urge to go out and shoot something even better.

You are one of the few that likes the various genres of nature photography, ie Avian, Macro, Landscape and Wildlife. Care to share a little bit more on the fun and challenges on each of them?

Photographing birds and landscapes is easy, the difficult part is to shoot something different from what others normally do and trying to be different drives me to think and innovate. It’s a big challenge as photography is getting more and more common with the convenience of DSLR cameras.
For birds, I prefer ACTION! It will be boring if everyone shoots the same thing and the photos will have no appreciation value. When people are shooting birds on a clean isolated perch, I will be thinking how I can shoot it taking off or waiting for the right moment to trigger when the bird open its mouth or do some stretching.
For landscape, I like shooting panorama. I know there are plenty of softwares which can do automatic stitching with just few clicks of the mouse but I like to do them manually myself. Though it’s slightly more time consuming, I still think the output is a lot better than the automated stitching

What are the stuff in your dry cabinet? If you can only bring one lens out on your trip, which one will that be?

1dmk2N, 5D, EOS3, EF400/5.6, EF300/2.8, EF70-200/2.8, EF50/1.8, EF17-40/4, T90macro, SIgma12-24, kenko2x, kenko1.4x and some other accesories.
i will bring EF17-40

Which is your favourite bird species and why?

Kingfishers! Was attracted by their colours when i first started birding.

Which other genres of nature photography you’d like to pursue in the future? Why is it so?

i will probably still stick to shooting birds, butterflies, spiders and insects as they can be found easily in where i lived.

While pursuing your hobby, what is your most memorable moment to date?

no particular moment but i cherish the time i spent shooting with loved ones and good friends.

What are the challenges you’ve faced?

$$$$$$

11. Please share with us a couple of your favourite images accumulated over the years. Please describe to us why you like these images.

interesting interaction between the subjects always make people remembers your photo

was very happy that i am able to track the bird to its diving spot and get a sharp image from the available light

Any word of advise for beginners starting out on nature photography?

see more, hear more, read more and lastly be humble

You can view JZ’s work @ www.jzsfotografix.com