Confessions of an Amateur Birder

[outstar79]

Hi All,
Just thought I'd post this here - it's a recent blog post I wrote entitled "Confessions of an Amateur Birder and I just thought a few of you might be interested in reading it - there are some pictures too! Haha!
- Adam.
http://adamjbricephotography.zenfoli...amateur-birder

I hope you enjoy the read and the pictures!

[Lance B]

Excellent article, Adam. A pleasure to read.

[enseth]

I agree with Lance. Great article, great photos. Well done for posting the link.

[outstar79]

Thanks very much guys, it's been quite an experience thus far - and I've soooooo many more birds to photograph!

[mongo]

As you may know, Mongo loves a good read with pictures attached. Your article was one on them.

It is interesting to see what got you into bird photography - it may be different for others. Mongo has been taking photos for 30 years plus and almost never took a bird image until shortly after joining AP. In reality, it was Mongo's love of the bush and outback that started his slavery to birding. Whilst in the bush taking the landscapes etc, he noticed the birds were all around and quite beautiful and fascinating - so why not shoot them while doing whatever else Mongo was shooting. Slowly, birding seem to take over from whatever else Mongo was shooting. The rest you know.

thanks for attaching your article - it has us all examining our beginnings and purpose for what we now largely prefer to photograph.

[Cage]

Well written article Adam, and one that I'm sure anyone who has sat in the scrub can relate to, with ants crawling up their leg, mossies biting, but too afraid to move for fear of spooking that bird that you have been stalking for months.

C'mon little birdie, just turn your head a tad so I can get a catchlight.

And mostly the little devils pick a perch with the worst possible background, or everything is in perfect sync save for that little twig in the foreground.

I guess the challenge is what keeps us going back.

Good read Mate.

PS: And even though I've just acquired about 40Kg's of gear to pursue my new love, astro photography, birding is definitely not on the back burner as I find in my trip planning I'm thinking " Now if I get to the location late afternoon I may get some of the local bird-life before dark"

[outstar79]

As you may know, Mongo loves a good read with pictures attached. Your article was one on them.

It is interesting to see what got you into bird photography - it may be different for others. Mongo has been taking photos for 30 years plus and almost never took a bird image until shortly after joining AP. In reality, it was Mongo's love of the bush and outback that started his slavery to birding. Whilst in the bush taking the landscapes etc, he noticed the birds were all around and quite beautiful and fascinating - so why not shoot them while doing whatever else Mongo was shooting. Slowly, birding seem to take over from whatever else Mongo was shooting. The rest you know.

thanks for attaching your article - it has us all examining our beginnings and purpose for what we now largely prefer to photograph.

Thank you very much Mongo! I think we've all good some good stories to tell on how we got into, and continue our birding adventures - plus the adventures themselves! Thanks for taking the time to read it!

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Well written article Adam, and one that I'm sure anyone who has sat in the scrub can relate to, with ants crawling up their leg, mossies biting, but too afraid to move for fear of spooking that bird that you have been stalking for months.

C'mon little birdie, just turn your head a tad so I can get a catchlight.

And mostly the little devils pick a perch with the worst possible background, or everything is in perfect sync save for that little twig in the foreground.

I guess the challenge is what keeps us going back.

Good read Mate.

PS: And even though I've just acquired about 40Kg's of gear to pursue my new love, astro photography, birding is definitely not on the back burner as I find in my trip planning I'm thinking " Now if I get to the location late afternoon I may get some of the local bird-life before dark"

Haha, thanks Kev and thanks for reading it! We certainly can go through hell sometimes to get "the shot" just today I was shooting a little white plumed honey eater and felt something touch my boot - a Rufus whip snake slithered over it! Haha! Pity he disappeared in all the spinifex otherwise I would have got a shot of him too! Haha!

Cheers and beers!

[Rosso1600]

Love your story and your photos Adam. Thanks for sharing them with us here. Inspires us.

[outstar79]

Love your story and your photos Adam. Thanks for sharing them with us here. Inspires us.

Cheers mate - this has been rather well received here and from other sites, might have to consider don't more!

[Speedway]

A great story and photos Adam and very similar to my slide into the birding obsession.
Cheers
Keith.

[feathers]

Great read and beautiful photo's. Will have to save, and get something with reach myself?.... Cheers.

[s1l3nt]

I like it Well done. And some very very nice photos Makes me want to go birding!!

[salnel]

A really interesting read, Adam and lovely photos to go with them. Thanks for sharing

[outstar79]

A great story and photos Adam and very similar to my slide into the birding obsession.
Cheers
Keith.

Cheers Keith! It does become a bit of an obsession doesn't it!

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Great read and beautiful photo's. Will have to save, and get something with reach myself?.... Cheers.

Do it, you won't look back - but then you'll want a bigger lens! Haha!

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I like it Well done. And some very very nice photos Makes me want to go birding!!

Cheers mate - get into it! Although I love your work with the little fishys!

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A really interesting read, Adam and lovely photos to go with them. Thanks for sharing

Thank you very much Sally - very much appreciated!

[Wayne63]

Well written Adam, great photos too. I can relate to what you have written as my story would be very similar even down to the sigma 120-400

[Mark L]

Thanks for taking the time to write something about a common theme.
I think that getting the longer lens not only lets us potentially get better photos but also encourages us to get out more and try and get some photos. I've seen so may interesting things that I wouldn't have seen because I'm out there looking with the longer lens.
And it doesn't have to be just birds that we see,
IMG_9175.JPG

[Gazza]

It certainly becomes very time consuming (In a good way). A beautiful well written article Adam and illustrated so well -

[outstar79]

Well written Adam, great photos too. I can relate to what you have written as my story would be very similar even down to the sigma 120-400

Ooops, sorry for the very late reply guys!

Thanks heaps, looking at writing an extended one soon - so many adventures and mishaps! Hahaha

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Thanks for taking the time to write something about a common theme.
I think that getting the longer lens not only lets us potentially get better photos but also encourages us to get out more and try and get some photos. I've seen so may interesting things that I wouldn't have seen because I'm out there looking with the longer lens.
And it doesn't have to be just birds that we see,
IMG_9175.JPG

Very true! I also shoot other things with the 120-400mm from landscapes to portraits

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It certainly becomes very time consuming (In a good way). A beautiful well written article Adam and illustrated so well -

Yes it does Gazza! But we keep doing out there all the time, whether it's to catch that elusive lifer or to hone our skills or to just stumbling around trying to do the aforementioned!