NPX: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Well, just like everyone else, enjoying this hobby of mine. heeheee~~ I like to explore and take bird photos as they are, i dont like studio photos.

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography? And also how you started.

Well, it wasn’t that long like many of you here. A camera was given to me as a present from my husband who is now my sponsor. wakaka! I think i am probably a latecomer, but hey, it’s really fun…and once you start birding, you become aware of the nature around you, not just birds but plants, butterflies etc, etc.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

I like the thrill of exploring…it’s also enjoyable to hang around with other people and share the fun!

NPX: What’s your photography techniques and how you learn them?

haha…mostly self-taught i should say. My skills are crappy…can anyone teach me?

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

Most of the people i know have great photography skills, including ppl. here at NPX. So, i’d say everyone has somehow influenced me one way or other.

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

….you mean dry cabinet(s)?? I have Nikon D3s, D7000, D5000, 500mm/F4, 70-200mm/F2.8, 50mm/F1.8, Sigma 10-20mm/F3.5, Lensbaby composer, kit lens, Sigma 150mm/F2.8, Gitzo tripod, velbon tripod, photoclam mounts, touchlight, flash, and 2 hides ( =__=”)

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

Actually, there is no favourite. I enjoy looking and photoing them even if I see the bird all the time.

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

I do night photography for insects too…perhaps i should spend more time on that.

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

Take a 1 hour ferry to an island, shoot 3 frames of an owl and take the ferry back. >.<”

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Waking up early!

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 was taken from my recent trip in Taiwan, and the female was checking on the male if the hole’s done…

I like that grin on its face!

Use a little imagination—heeheee

NPX: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I work as a veterinary surgeon with a special interest in Dermatology & Surgery. I’m married with 2 boys, 7 and 4 years old. Besides bird photography, I’m an F1 fan and enjoy taking my car to the Sepang International Circuit for a few laps around the track.

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography? And also how you started.

I’ve been into photography every since I was in the army. However at that time it was not particularly serious or regular. I stopped for 5-6 years when I was in vet school. It was only about 1 year ago that I tried my hand in bird photography.
Initially bird photography was very frustrating for me because I started off with a 70-200mm lens. I also had no knowledge of techniques to photographing birds. It was only after I bought my first 500mm lens from Chris Li that I started to see how exciting photographing birds can be.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

After birding regularly for almost a year now, I find that it is a hobby that really puts you in touch with nature. It was only with birding that I experienced the beauty of something as simple as the sunrise. It never fails to amaze me how beautiful these birds can be and how much we take them for granted because we are so caught up in our busy lifestyles to even notice them.

NPX: What’s your photography techniques and how you learn them?

I’m still learning and refining in terms of photography techniques. The general rule I follow is to try to shoot at f8 and at as low ISO as possible. I’m quite happy with the results I get at with ISO 800 or 1600. I’m still constantly learning from the other more experienced photographers in the field.

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

I don’t think there is one particular photographer alone that influenced my style. However I have picked up techniques from some of the sifus like Chris Li (the first to sell me poison), Adrian Lim (whom I have never met, but hope to meet sometime in the future) and Choo Tze Chien (from Penang). I have borrowed some of their techniques to put together something that is uniquely mine.

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

In terms of birding lens I’ve got the 800mm f5.6, 300mm f2.8, 100-400mm. I also have a 17-40mm f4, 24-105mm f4, 70-200mm f2.8 and 50mm f2. I’ve got a 180mm macro lens from my fail attempt at macro photography. Camera bodies I have are the 1D mk4 and 7D.
A typical birding bag would hold the 1D mk4, 800mm, 1.4x TC III, Epson CF card back up, CF cards, binoculars, cable release, lens pen & cloth and not forgetting the good old garbage bag.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

If I have to pick one favourite species it would be the kingfishers. They are very colourful and beautiful in their unique way, with beaks too big for their heads. I also particularly like bee-eaters and trogons for their bright colours.

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

I would like to get into marco photography in future. It amazes me how people can get such beautiful pictures of something so small. Why do I want to do it is because I suck at it.

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

To date, because I‘ve only been birding for less than a year, everything is a new experience for me. I guess the 2 more memorable moments are to see and photograph the Blue Banded Kingfisher in its elements and to be able to capture the Blue Eared Kingfisher up close.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Photography as with everything we do is about practice, practice and more practice. To improve shooting techniques, I’ve to shoot regularly and become familiar with my equipment. Another challenge is to be able to accurately capture the colour of the bird being photographed by adjusting WB and exposure.

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

Blue Banded Kingfisher – a rare bird with an even rarer branch perch.

Blue-eared Kingfisher – I’ve been looking for this bird for many months with numerous zero shutter count trips.

Chestnut Headed Bee Eater – One of the most brightly coloured bee-eaters

Rufous-backed Kingfisher – A recent lifer for me. The food in mouth is just a bonus.

NPX: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m pretty bad at describing myself. That about covers the ‘a bit’ part. Next question!

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography? And also how you started.

When my daughter was a baby, I bought a DSLR to capture interesting moments in her life. So I became more interested in photography in general. Browsing through the local photographic forums, I saw many breathtaking pictures of birds taken by enthusiasts with accompanying interesting stories about the birds’ behaviour, as well as their own adventure in getting the shots. This was maybe 7 years ago (and some of those people like Philip Tang, Jonathan Cheah, SK Foo are still around these days!). I told myself then that if ever I have less commitments, I will find the means to pursue this. It took some time, but I finally started in April 2010.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

I take nature photography as an excuse to explore outside. Looking at interesting subjects and their surroundings and hopefully understanding them a bit more. If I get nice pictures along the way, that’s a bonus, and it does help to jog the memory of the overall experience later.

NPX: What’s your photography techniques and how you learn them?

I don’t have any noteworthy techniques. If there is anything that is a bit unusual, it is that I tend to regularly lug my heavy gear over longer distances than most people and I don’t linger at any one spot for very long. I started with a shorter lens (300mm) and as I progressed into super-telephoto territory, I reminded myself that I should continue walking as much as I did previously. It makes for painful shoulders afterwards!

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

My dad. Many years ago in my teenage years, on a once in a lifetime family holiday in Paris, my dad asked me to take a picture of him and my mum with the Arc de Triomphe in the background. I spend many minutes asking them both to go forward/backward, turn left, turn right and I was likewise doing the same, just to get the perfect shot. My thoughts were “This is a very rare event, so I must get it right”. Exasperated after many minutes of posing, my dad curtly told me “If I wanted a perfect picture of the Arc de Triomphe, I’ll buy a postcard!”. I understood years later that my task then was to document the event, so that in the future, he could re-live the experience of being there. My quest for perfection happened to have spoilt his moment. As a photographer, I always try to balance the savouring of the moment part and the taking nice picture part.

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

I keep my 24-105mm, 35mm, 50mm and 300mm in my dry cabinet since my daughter is now averse to me taking pictures of her! I bring my camera and my 400mm and 800mm to the field.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

I like Litte Grebes. I cannnot fully explain why. Perhaps it’s their funny courtship rituals, their funny look or their feisty litle selves.

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

I like to do more mammal photography, and understand their behaviour. Singapore is not the right place to do this, so it will have to wait until I retire and have more time to travel.

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

In an old pond in Lorong Halus, all covered with tall grasses, there purportedly lived a pair of Little Grebes. Unseen for some time and presumably moved elsewhere. One day, I was strolling pass the pond and I heard their call. Excitedly I trudge through the grasses and looked around, and to my surprise, there was a recently fledged Little Grebe and it’s parents. At once, I felt elated, like having found some great treasure. It soon turned to regret, as I felt that I should have gone looking for them earlier. The mood then changed to one of steely determination to get the shots of this family. Then the feeling changed to big concern for the birds, as I could see through my viewfinder a Malayan Water Monitor and a water snake lurking around the pond. And that turned to concern for my own safety knowing my phobia of snakes, as I was squatting on tall grasses. So a whole gamut of emotions going through in a short period of time.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

I have a degenerative eye disorder call keratoconus, which basically makes my eyesight all bad, and especially pronounced when the light is low. I can compensate somewhat in good light by being more aware of movements and triangulating sounds. Not much luck with stationary, silent cuckoos so far! In lowlight, I’m dependent on fellow photographers and birders to point out the birds to me.

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

1. A Milky Stork and a Grey Heron at the Japanese Garden. The Stork had an almost serene looking face and the Grey Heron had an aggressive stance. But in truth the bully is the Stork, as it wanted the Heron’s perch and it did succeed in the end.

2. A Smooth-coated Otter at Sungei Buloh enjoying it’s sushi lunch, looking straight on at the camera. It was my first time seeing an otter in the wild and I had to do bodily contortions to get a clear angle for this shot. I like the cute yet wild aspect of this photo.

3. Comical looking Little Grebes at Singapore Quarry with their peculiar courting rituals. Technically there is a lot to improve, but hopefully next season!

NPX: Thanks for your time!

Thank you for the interview.

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography? And also how you started.

I have been interested in nature photography, particularly bird photography since the early 1980s. I started birdwatching from a very young age and I wanted to document the birds that I saw so that I could show them to my friends. It wasn’t until I was almost 20 that I could afford a budget slr and embark on this endeavour. Due to the substantial expenditure involved and the less than encouraging results with film, I stopped shooting birds sometime in the late 1980s. It was not until 2008 that I got into digital photography to shoot birds, very much as a result of the beautiful bird photos by an old close friend, Roger Ngaw.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

I like that bird photography provides a whole new dimension to my bird-watching activity. I find it very rewarding if I manage to capture a good photo of a wild bird. The fact that it is by and large a solitary activity complements my bird-watching very well.

NPX: What’s your photography techniques and how you learn them?

I try to learn and apply good photography techniques from friends and publications. I have much to be thankful for in terms of guidance received from friends. Still I had to learn quite a bit on my own simply because of my preferred method of shooting birds. So there was a lot of trial and error involved and the learning and improvement processes are far from over.

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

I have to say that I haven’t really met any bird photographers whom I do not like (except perhaps the two whom I saw throwing missiles at an owlet). They’re generally a helpful lot and I very much enjoy their company and camaraderie, especially from the regulars (too many to name ). I was very much influenced by GSSoh’s non-flash results and have adopted that approach very early on. I figured that it would also help me avoid any friction with the bird-watching fraternity which took a dim view of flash photography :sweat:

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

Much of the stuff in my dry cabinet is quite useless for birding, except for the longer Zuiko lenses more suitable for birding. I don’t use a bag during birding, just a waist-pouch belt. I carry my two teleconverters, my bins, extra batteries and CF cards. What else depends very much on the nature of the trip. I typically sling my camera and 300mm f2.8 over my shoulder and bird watch.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

I don’t have a favourite bird species but rare/uncommon, endemic or colourful birds will definitely up the excitement.

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

I’m not really into photography except for holiday and family/friend snaps. So I’ll probably confine myself to these genres, if they can be called that.

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

I’ve had many a memorable moment pursuing my hobby, both pleasant and harrowing. The harrowing is usually when I’m operating alone with nobody to witness my cowardice. Thank goodness!

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

I am very clear that birding is very much a recreational hobby to me. I do not have a specific objective to achieve other than to enjoy the great outdoors doing what I like when I have the time. So apart from finding the time to indulge in this, I don’t perceive anything to be a challenge. There’s not supposed to be one!

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

I like this one because it is reminds me of my digiscoping efforts when I first took up digital photography. I of course hung up my spotter, pns camera, brackets and tripod soon thereafter because it compromised too much my bird-watching.

I like this one which I had shot with a tripod mounted Sigma 300-800mm f5,6 as it belongs to a series from a session which re-affirmed my preference for handholding.

I like the general mood and look of this early morning shot.

NPX: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I started photography when I was in secondary school after my elder sister bought me a Rollei twin reflex camera. I then joined the Photographic Society of Singapore and learned photography techniques from all the senior photographers there. At that time only concentrate on landscapes and portrait photography. I have my own darkroom to develop all the black and white photographs and wanted to join Strait’s Time then after completed school to be a photographer but was rejected because I need to serve National Service. After National Service and become a regular in the Army I give up my photography.
Only five years back I started photography again. I bought an Olympus 5050 point and shoot camera, and then upgrade to Panasonic FZ30. My first DSLR is the Sony Alpha system which I am currently still using.

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography? And also how you started.

When I started photography again I do landscapes, portrait and macro. Only a year ago I got interested in bird photography after I saw a beautiful kingfisher perched on a low tree while taking a stroll along Kallang River. I wished I had a camera with me at that time. This is how I jumped start on birding.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

In nature or bird photography there is no like or dislike. I see them and their beauty in their own way.

NPX: What’s your photography techniques and how you learn them?

As I have some past experience in the early days on photography techniques which is shooting in manual mode all the time. My principle is what you shoot is what you see and what you want.

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

I was introduced to NPX by Christopher Lee and met most of the birders here. In the field I met and learnt from Ender, YYChong, Johnathan Cheah, Chris Lee, Wong, Jason Cho, TK Lee, Frankie Cheong and a hosts of them. All of them shared their photo techniques which I learnt to pick up.

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

My dry cabinets stuff are Olympus 5050, Panasonic FZ30, Sony A850, Sony 24-70mm F2.8, Sony 70-200mm F2.8, Sony 100mm F2.8 macro lens and my Minolta 300mm F4 lens. In my bag for birding is my Sony A850 camera with my Minolta 300mm lens, a spare battery and a few spare CF cards.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

All birds has their nature beauty in their own way. But I loved the kingfisher’s series. Cute , colourful and beautiful series. Hope to get most of them within these few years.

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

I think I will stick to bird photography. Good exercise for me and hope to see more new bird species.

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

That is when I started birding. My friend brought me to Springleaf Park around 7.30am. I saw one eagle landed on a small garden tree. This bird happen to be a Crested Serpent Eagle. Just imagine can shoot him full frame with my Sony 70-300mm G lens. The bird was active on the tree and ground for almost half an hour to shot. My friend say this is the first time in his 8 years birding that he experience this.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

How to shoot birds with my Minolta 300mm F4 lens. Always get poison from NPX brothers asking me to upgrade to a longer lens.

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

I started birding about a year. Here are the lucky shots I have.

NPX: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Haha, after more than a year’s worth of delaying, I’ve finally agreed to YY’s request to be interviewed.
I am just like everyone here – ordinary, run-of-the-mill… but I do have lots of passion in nature as well as in photography.

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography? And also how you got started.

Wah, long story man. I have been interested in photography since I was a kid – shooting everything under the sun, particularly people on the streets, with my Nikon F2S and film. I first ventured into nature photography when I was transferred to my current working place (or playground!) some 6-7 years ago. After seeing so many shore birds during the migratory season, I decided to shoot some for fun using my P&S camera. When DSLRs became more affordable, I upgraded to my 1st DSLR & a 70-300mm zoom lens, and have never looked back since! (note: Nobody fed me poison back then, I ate it myself LOL)

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Wouldn’t you agree with me that nature is indeed very beautiful? With the rapid development around Singapore and the world, nature is declining at a scary rate. As a photographer who loves nature, I believe that the only way to capture all these beautiful things – in my case, birds, before they are completely eradicated, would be to use our lenses and camera.

NPX: What’s your photography techniques and how you learn them?

I do not use any special techniques at all. I learnt all these photo techniques from other photographers… things like exposure, composition, lens handling etc… And I am still learning from others!

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

I am not particularly influenced by any photographer. Show me a good photograph and I will be interested in understanding how the photographer shot it, and I would wish that I had something similar in my portfolio, but not by copying it!

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

As I am now very focused on Avian Photography, the stuff in my dry cabinet is very basic and functional. My equipments are:
Nikkor 600mm f4 VR,
Nikkor 300mm f4,
Nikkor 18-200mm VR,
2 x Nikon D300,
1 x Nikon D80,
Nikon TC1.4E II,
Nikon SB800 flash.
Always in my ThinkTank Streetwalker Harddrive bag is the Nikkor 600mm, D300 body, TC14E, Bino & Garmin 255W GPS.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

I like to take photos of the Plover. Although they are less colourful as compared to the Kingfishers or the Broadbills, they look very elegant when they are standing at the sandy beach with the sea or sky as the background. I also have a lot of opportunities to get close to them!

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

If I should ever stop doing avian photography, I might just go back to shooting everyday people on the streets, for their candid moments.

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

The most memorable moment for me would be when I was waiting for my 1st common king fisher at the Japanese Garden with my camo net over me for close to 2-3 hours in 2007. Back in those days, the CKF was not as friendly as compared to now, where you can go very close to them! Back then, they would just come and perch and before you can start shooting, the CKF would be gone! I only managed to get 2 shots.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

As birds are usually small and well camouflaged in the canopy, the challenge for me is how to spot them. Many a times even after the person next to me has started shooting, I am still trying to locate the bird!

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

One of my favourite images is, without a doubt, the CKF that I mentioned earlier. It is not as sharp or as big as the ones that I have shot in recent years, but it is my best experience in avian photography.

This Pin Tailed Whydah Finch captured somewhere near my playground, I like its artistic look.

The elegant looking Grey Plover taken at my private playground.

The “made-in-SG” Malaysian Plover, also taken at my private playground.

NPX: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Jeff: I always have an image in my mind on what I want to create even if it
takes to construct that image from ground up. It applies to everything that I
do.

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography? And also how you
started.

Jeff: I knew nuts about taking photos until I was introduced to a baby P&S (Fuji
film) more than 10 years ago while in college. It was streets then mammals then
birds.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Jeff: I can create another world. Mammals was first choice, followed by birds.
But the latter was too colorful to pass.

NPX: What’s your photography techniques and how you learn them?

Jeff: Trial and error. I always plant my butt on a strategy location, observe
the environment, identify my subjects then .

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

Jeff: A musician (English Horn) named Robert Royse. He is also a very talented
bird (warbler) photographer. His images capture feathers on the other side of
the globe. This prompts me to travel.

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

Jeff: I only keep what i use in my cabinet including Nikon 500/4, 17-55/2.8,
50/1.4, 105/2, 1.4x, 1.7x, SB900, 60mm tubes and an LX3. Being focused helps in
horning my skills so I only need the long prime, tcs and a flash during birding.

NPX: Which is your favourite bird species and why?

Jeff: Warblers/sunbirds. Tiny and fast enough to satisfy my crave for speed,
though I dun speed

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

Jeff: Still feathers and fur. I belong to the lucky few when some things just
come naturally with exposure.

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

Jeff: Hanging precariously to the edge of a cliff while in Angkhang, struggling
in the winter cold and keeping my balance while waiting for my subjects to
appear.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced?

Jeff: Burnt out from too much feathers.

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

Jeff: Tough choice but here I go…

Like birds, mammals occupy a special place in my heart. I was drawn to their
behavior and their likeness to homosapiens. Shown a new-borne to the family
(captive)

The Ferruginous FC (sub-adult plumage) blends well with its environment. I
always stumbled upon strange and sometimes precious little feathers, short of
stepping into them (sometimes). But at arm’s reach and a private interview, it’s
a dream come true.

A “christmas tree” near the foot of the himalaya. I was heaving, panting and
from the long trekking with heavy cam on my back. But I guess the experience was
magical even if it’s for a single click, which I did.

NPX: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Paul: My interest in photography started in the early 70’s, nothing really glorious then. I was the only Kampong photographer armed with Seagull (Hai-O) slr shooting for free most of the times. Rewards given in those days were barely enough for the cost of film, printing and tit-bits. In the late 70s, with the Nikon FEs and FMs, I was able to make some money shooting wedding, school activities and some kampong events for the folks, and that was the time I truly engrossed with photography because I was able to support my hobby thru my works.

But I stopped photography almost completely in the late 80s and early 90s due to commitment and work. I had a Toshiba 4mp PnS just for fun, which was a birthday present and I still keep it in my dry box. And when I laid my hands on a D300 a few years ago I was really shocked with its output. Now, at 50years old with the D3s, I feel like a teenager again yearning to go out everyday for birding. It looks like there is no turning back!

NPX: How long have you been interested nature photography? And also how you started.

Paul: Nature has been my passion since the early days. But for bird photography, I only started in June last year. I was visiting a friend with my D300 and 70-200mm, and saw a Sunbird bathing on a lotus leaf in his garden! The Sunbird was trying hard to stay on the wobbling and slippery leaf and it fell several times. I took some shots and have a good laugh. When I viewed the images at night I realized there were so much detail and colours on its feather, I fell in love with birds at once! As similar in life, we tend to ignore the beauties around us, all we need is just to pay a little bit more of attention and you would appreciate for a lot of things that god has given us.

NPX: What do you like about it in particular?

Paul: For my age, being able to photograph beautiful birds while enjoying the nature is the ultimate pleasure I can think of without going broke.

NPX: What’s your photography techniques and how you learn them?

Paul: I learnt the basic when I was a teenager, mostly from books and magazines. I even took up a course in B&W photography in the university but I almost failed badly! LOL.
But for birds, I did view thru’ hundred of images in forums and blogs and practice for months before I finally got the confidence to walk in the forest alone taking pictures of birds. Nowadays you can ‘Google’ almost anything on earth, which makes learning a lot easier, cheaper and quicker.
I am also extremely happy onboard the NPX forum in which the sifus here are always willing to guide and advice whenever helps are needed.

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

Paul: I don’t really know what I like initially to be honest. When I view thru some of pics with super-duper creamy b/g, I get bored easily. Those pics tell me nothing about the nature the birds are associated with, and don’t get me wrong here, I do enjoy viewing and having them, just that those are not essential or in priority in my style of photography. A picture that shows some of the bird’s habitat simply interests me more.

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

Paul: I am down to rather basic for birds and general shooting of family events.
D3s, LX3,
24-70mm 2.8, 50mm 1.8Ai, 85mm 1.4, 300mm F4, 500mm VR F4, TC1.4, SB900 plus a couple of filters and accessories.

For birding, all into the bag that you’d just sold me!
D3s + 500mm + TC1.4 + Shutter remote, 300mm F4
Nikon Monarch 8×36, LX3, SB900+SC29, beamer, blower, lenspen, lens tissue, talkies, spare camera batteries, spare CFs, and insect repellent spray.

NPX: Which is your favorite bird species and why?

Paul: If I said Kingfisher I must be lying! Personally I find shooting babblers, migratory raptors, and waders are more interesting as well as challenging. Hence I don’t really have a favorite species at the moment.

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

Paul: When you are getting old, change is always the last thing you had in mind. So it is unlikely I would pursue other genres. I have done macro, wedding, portraiture, landscape, sports in the past and I must say nothing is more additive and challenging than bird photography.

But now I am getting the kick of blogging. Attached a few pictures of scenery and gave a short story makes the whole thing a lot more interesting and everything just comes alive. At least this works for me. Now I spend much time reading other blogs on nature and birds than browsing through forum viewing pictures of birds. I totally enjoy reading them and have learnt much about birds from them.

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

Paul: It has to be the “half-headed-blood-dripping” monkey and the Barred-eagle Owl’s story. When Harry and his wife told me about the owl on my arrival in Pant, I told them I have seen enough Owls, then his wife said in excitement “Got monkey leh!!” I almost broke into laughter, and replied that I would proceed to go to the bunker trail, just when I was about to leave, she almost screamed in disbelief” PAUL! the owl is eating the monkey on that tree now, now…!!”
Thanks to them, those shots are priceless and memorable I must say.

NPX: What are the challenges you’ve faced

Paul: Photographing birds in general is not that difficult with today’s advanced technology in photography equipment, it is finding them to shoot with proper natural lighting is tough and challenging, as you know I am still new in this field so I find it quite a challenge, especially I am so used to birding alone nowadays. The more you understand about them, the easier it is to get a good shot. With the FX now, I am learning how to approach them close without scaring them. You would be really surprise to hear that most species could be approached within 10’ as along as you don’t start firing on first contact unless they are hyper active like Nuthatches and babblers or super rare species like the BBKF.

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

Paul: Monkey and owl

Black & Yellow Broadbill was singing inches above my head and took me more than 10mins to locate it!

Black & Red Broadbills, I spent hours walking around them without eye contact and eventually I was able to get close to them and shoot for an hour.

Spent almost 3-4 times a week over 2months with the juvenile CHE

Blyth’s Hawk-eagle, waited inside car almost 2hours due to foggy weather and finally able to get some decent pictures with low ISO.

Fledging of the Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo – my very first witness on fledging.

Nesting of the SRT, something I would never have dreamt of shooting!

NPX: Thanks for your time!

Wait, Ender said I would be paid S$50-00 for the interview right?

NPX: ??? LOL

NPX: What got you interested in animal watching?

JL: “The World of Survival” sticker book from Panini!

NPX: How long have you been into this hobby?

JL: More than 20 years.

NPX: We all know your bird ID skill is superb. How did you get to your current knowledge of birds?

JL: Not as superb as I want it to be! I still make mistakes and continue to learn from that. I get my current knowledge by reading, observing in the field, studying guide books, searching the internet, practicing and learning from mistakes – they all add up.

NPX: Where is your favourite “playground”? Can share which is the rarest bird you’ve seen?

JL: No favourite playground, but Changi Cove is always exciting. The endangered Nordmann’s Greenshank, of which only up to 1000 are left in the world, is the rarest bird I’ve seen.

NPX: What is your favourite species of bird? Why?

JL: This is tough, but if I were to choose, birds of paradise would definitely top the list. They are so stunningly beautiful and yet closely related to crows!

NPX: I heard you like to travel. Any interesting overseas birding trips to share?

JL: The most interesting overseas trip I’ve had so far (but not pertaining to birding) was at Yellowstone National Park.

NPX: What are the stuff you put inside your outing bag?

JL: Bino, camera, water and umbrella.

NPX: What is the most challenging aspect of this hobby?

JL: Bird ID. You do not always get clear views of the birds, so you’ll need to know their calls/songs, behaviours, habitats, distributions, etc to clinch the ID. Even with clear views, sometimes there are confusion species, so the more you know about each species, the better it is.

NPX: Can you describe your worse followed by your best birding experience?

JL: Worse: Missing the California Condor at Grand Canyon.
Best: Enjoying pretty birds in the nice cool temperature of Fraser’s Hill.

NPX: Any interesting photos you’ll like to share with us?

JL: I’m not a photographer, but here’s a photo of the famous Botanic Garden juvenile Malayan Night Heron to share.

NPX: Thanks for your time.

JL: Thanks.

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?

Article by Nelson Khor

Website: http://www.pbase.com/me_photoshots/

This is my 1st Birds Photograph trip in Taiwan before was few business/holiday trip, still remember my last visit Taiwan was year 2001.

This trip we have three person, Makus, Ng Ban Hor (Mr No Good) and Me, Makus is responsible of ” Bird List ” mean in charge of what bird is our wish list, of course he will have the long list to Taiwan, No Good will be responsible of financial, in charge of cash in cash out… me will be responsible of Trip arrange and bird guide and including food + visit Street Night Market in Taiwan.

It about three month we survey and ask around and finally we found the bird guide we need, she was recommend by few of my Taiwan bird friend from bird forum. She also a Bird Photographer so is the right person we choose.

We start to discuss in detail about when, ticket, location, bird….. etc.

OK, we are really to fly and just wait for the time to arrive, in this trip I just brought two lens, 600mm F4L, 17-40mm F4L and new toy 7D.

Day 1 – Taiwan (台灣)

I’m flight from Penang to KL airport to met Makus and No Good, than we take Malaysia air line direct to Taoyuan International Airport (桃園中正機場), it about 4.5 hours to reach there, the local time is 2:15PM(same as Malaysia). Our Bird Guide Ms Dot Cool (珮文) is just waiting at the arrival hall and welcome us, 1st step walk out from the air port, it really windy and cool, not very cold, it about 20℃ . ( Too bad, Taipei weather will be cloudy and rain, and this will continue for a week, but this was told before, so we are well prepare )

We directly go for our 1st target, Pied Avocet, that time was strong wing and cold also start rain, it about 15℃ , from the picture you can know the condition of shooting this Pied Avocet, too bad it become Eagle’s breakfast few days later.

Pied Avocet ( 反嘴鴴 )

After we go for dinner at on the way to hotel for Taiwan local food, Beef Noodle (牛肉麵) & Oyster Vermicelli (蚵仔麵線) than check in Hotel in town and prepare for the day 2.

Beef Noodle (牛肉麵)

Oyster vermicelli (蚵仔麵線)

Day 2 – Yehliu Park (野柳公園)
Yehliu (野柳) is a cape on the north coast of Taiwan in the town of Wanli between Taipei and Keelung also where the migrant bird will by pass before to another location, it belong to one of the famous Tourist attractions, so we have to go early morning before the tourist. Quite a promising place but only the weather is bad…. we are shooting in raining condition for the whole morning, also we meet a lot of Taiwan Birds Photographer there, they are nice and friendly.

Grey Backed Thrush ( 灰背鶇 )

Daurian Redstart ( 黃尾鴝 )

Japanese Robin ( 日本歌鴝 )

Japanese Bush Warbler( 短翅樹鶯 )

Siberian Rubythroat ( 野鴝 )

Grey Wagtail ( 灰鶺鴒 )

Day 2/3 – Dasyueshan (鞍马山)
Dashuishan National Forest Recreational Area is in Hopin township, Taichung County and is accessible through Dashuishan forest road. There are numerous layers of mountain and dense forests. The area ranges from 1000 to 2996 meters above sea level and covers 3963 hectares. The climate is humid and cool with 12℃ as annual average temperature. This is the 1st mountain we visit in Taiwan, after finish the whole trip report you can know how many mountain we focus this trip, we reach there late afternoon, it about two~three hours for us to shooting ( Taiwan after 6:00pm will be getting dark when early winter time )
I’ll said this is quite a promising place, if we go to right season, it will be more birds for, at the night we check in resort (奇沐山莊).

White Browed Bush Robin ( 白眉林鴝) – Endemic Subspecies

White Whiskered/Taiwan Laughingthrush ( 台灣噪眉 ) – Endemic Species

Mikado Pheasant ( 黑長尾雉 ) – Endemic Species

Swinhoe’s Pheasant ( 藍腹鷴 ) – Endemic Species

Collared Bush Robin ( 栗背林鴝 ) – Endemic Species

Black-throated Tit ( 紅頭山雀 )

Some nature photograph from Dasyueshan (鞍马山) while the bird not coming.( This two shots is from my HTC handphone )

Day 4 (AM) – Hehuan Mountain (合歡山)
Mountain Hehuan (Hehuan Mountain) is located between Ren-ai Township in central Taiwan’s Nantou County and Hsioulin Township in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County. The mountain reaches an elevation of 3,416 meters, also where the people of Taiwan go in the winter to see the snow. We reach Hehuan Mountain at day 4 of night, it was very cold, the temperature is about 5℃, we check-in Hostel Songxue (松雪樓), it not cheap, it is the most expensive Hostel in Hehuan Mountain but the room is very nice and deluxe. We spent in morning section at HeHuan Mountain, the target is to get the Alpine Accentor, after move to SunlinkSea

Alpine Accentor ( 岩鷚 ) – Endemic Species

Winter Wren ( 鷦鷯 ) – Endemic Species

Taiwan Firecrest ( 火冠戴菊鳥 ) – Endemic Species

Vinaceous Rosefinch ( 酒紅朱雀 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Coal Tit ( 煤山雀 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Some nature photograph from Hehuan Mountain (合歡山) which just outside from our Hostel Songxue (松雪樓)

Day 4 (PM)- SunlinkSea (杉林溪)
The SunlinkSea located at the Nantou, area approximately is 17 kilometers, the altitude above sea level approximately is 1600 meters, the occupying land area approximately is 40 hectares, seem like this place is surrounding by rivulet.

Little Forktail ( 小剪尾 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Plumbeous Water Redstart ( 鉛色水鴝 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Steere’s Liocichla ( 黃胸藪眉 ) – Endemic Species

Day 5, 6 & 7 – Alishan ( 阿里山 / 塔塔加 / 玉山 )
Alishan is well known for its sunrises, and on a suitable morning one can observe the sun come up on a sea of clouds, in the area between Alishan and Yushan (玉山). Which is formed by Dawu Mountain (北大武山) range, Jian Mountain (小劍山)….etc. 18 large mountains, stretching from Nantou to Jiayi in two counties. The highest peak is 2663 meters above sea level, it will be very cold at night below 5℃. We do look for owl at night, we manage to see and some mammal but the temperature is too cold for us, have to give up photograph it, even we also have the problem to hold our tripod and lens, that time the temperature is about 2℃+-.

Streak Throated Fulvetta ( 灰頭花翼 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Taiwan Barwing ( 紋翼畫眉 ) – Endemic Species

Eurasian Nutcracker ( 星鴉 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Black-throated Tit ( 紅頭山雀 )

Collared Bush Robin ( 栗背林鴝 ) – Endemic Species

Grey Cheeked Fulvetta ( 繡眼畫眉 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Taiwan Hill Partridge ( 台灣山鷓鴣 ) – Endemic Species

Chinese Bomboo Partridge ( 竹雞 ) – Endemic Subspecies

This is one of the Monkey in Taiwan I manage to photograph, they will come very near you, some of them are jump up to our Car and asking for food…..

Macacus Monkeys (台灣猕猴 )

Romantic name, heard if you are taken the photo with your love one, both of you will be love forever, if friend, the friendship will be forever

Husband & Wife tree (夫妻神木 )

Some nature photograph from Alishan ( 阿里山 / 塔塔加 / 玉山 )

Day 8 (AM) – Yilan Park (宜蘭植物園)
Start at early morning from Hotel before toward to destination, we stop and the road side for our breakfast, Taiwan morning breakfast is one of my favor. When reach at the Park, too bad the weather is cloudy and raining … since we already here just setup our gear and wear the raincoat and start photograph ….. the rain stop after few hours when the SBS Babbler show up.

Breakfast at on the way to Yilan Park, this kind of shop is very common and popular in Taiwan

Maroon Oriole ( 朱鸝 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Crested Goshawk ( 鳳頭蒼鷹 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Streak Breasted Scimitar Babbler ( 小彎嘴 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Yellow Browed Warbler ( 黃眉柳鶯 )

Before move to next location… take some regional snack
Ice Cream/Peanut Crepes ( 冰淇淋花生捲)

Day 8 (PM) – Chiayi Wetland 鰲鼓溼地
This is the bigger wetland in Taiwan, located at Chiayi, the total area approximately had 1500 hectares, the wetland scope also includes the sandbar, the bog, the wind-break forest and paddy field, every year the BF Spoonbill will be visit here and other migrate bird as well.

Black-faced Spoonbill ( 黑面琵鷺 )

Northern Lapwing ( 小辮鴴 )

Mallard Duck ( 綠頭鴨 )

Tufted Duck (鳳頭潛鴨)

Green wing Teal ( 小水鴨 )

Buff Bellied Pipit ( 黃腹鷚 )

When come to night, we go for night market in Taipei Town to look for regional food at Lehua Night Market ( 樂華夜市 )

Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐) ….

Taiwan Hot Dog (大腸包小腸), Is small sausage wrapped in big sausage. A Taiwanese snack, common in night market

Tianbula – (甜不辣)

Taiwan Xishi (台灣檳榔西施)

Day 9 – Taipei Botanic Garden ( 台北植物園 )
It is located in the Taipei City and occupies about 8 hectares. More than 2000 species have been collected and displayed here, in addition to the plentiful living plants, two old buildings in the garden have been assigned to be the cultural heritage by the government. Our target bird here is T.Barbet.

Taiwan Barbet ( 台灣擬啄木 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Light Vented Bulbul – 白頭翁 – Endemic Subspecies

Japanese White Eye ( 綠繡眼 )

Malaysian Night Heron ( 黑冠麻鷺 ), I cannot get this shots in Malaysia, so only able to photograph in Taiwan

Common Moorhen ( 紅冠水雞 )

Brown Shrike ( 紅尾伯勞 ) It more colorful from Malaysia since is winter time

Gray Treepie ( 樹鵲 ) – Endemic Subspecies

Taiwan Squirrel ( 松鼠 )

This is the last night in Taiwan, so we go again to night market name Raohe Street Night Market ( 饒河夜市 )
I will said, I love Taiwan food

Day 10 – End of our journey