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Why?
I've noticed, over the past few
years, how much praise Matt gives to other bird photographers work,
a great example for all us
amateur bird photographers to follow.
Matt Latham
Day Job?
RB - I know
conservation is important to you, me also, & you work in a related
area, could you explain more Matt?
My profession is a project manager for an environmental consultancy.
It’s a demanding role with a great deal of responsibility and a role
which takes up a lot of my ‘personal’ time as well as the standard 9
to 5, Monday to Friday. The business I work for
specialises in contaminated land, but also has a new sustainability
arm, which with all the known climate change issues coming to the
forefront, is an exciting thing to be involved in. I want my
children, which are a while away hopefully, and my children’s
children to enjoy the same level of enjoyment from the environment
as I have had throughout my life. Its scary to think that two
generations away may be greatly impacted by climate change!
Gear?
Canon 40D,
Canon 300mm F4 L IS lens, Canon 1.4x II Converter, Tamron 90mm DI
Macro lens, Epson P-3000 Storage Device, about 11 gb worth of
Extreme III and Ultra II CF cards.
RB follow up question - Matt, you've got the new Canon 40D & you had
the 30D. How good is the 40D & what are the best bits?)
I have only used the 40D a couple of times but immediately its
faster, AI servo is more sensitive (I am unable to assess how this
extra sensitivity will impact flight shots – I think it will call
for better technique and more accurate panning), exposure is a lot
more accurate than my old 30D body and I personally think the
new Digic III processor renders colour and white balance much better
than the previous version. I can honestly say I have manipulated
white balance and colours a LOT less for the images taken on my 40D
to date than I needed with my 30D. For reference, I always shoot in
RAW.
Style?
I haven’t really
got a preferred type of bird photography. I simply enjoy finding a
moment which I want to capture and attempting to capture it.
(RB follow up question - Great shot of a Gannet Matt - Where did you
take it & do you have a good site in particular you could
recommend?)
The Gannet shot was taken at Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire. For
anyone who hasn’t been, go! It’s a fabulous spectacle let alone a
great place for photography. Make sure it’s a clear sunny day and
there is an onshore wind as this allows gannets, kittiwakes, fulmars
to ride the wind coming up the cliffs and give stunning and
sometimes prolonged views.
(Gannet - flight shot)
Given
that my hobby, unfortunately, comes second place to a pretty
demanding job and a partner who has no interest in the hobby, my
photography is a relatively unplanned event.
(Common Tern - portrait
shot)
I do, however, have an
obsession for photographing Sanderling (which is why my Sanderling
gallery on my site is the fullest) and am able to coincide this with
taking the fiancé to the beach, which is one her favourite pastimes!
(RB follow up question - I'd like to have a go at photographing
Sanderlings at Titchwell some time, what camera settings do you use
when you do your portrait work?)
Now then, photographing Sanderlings is like flight photography – you
need high shutter speeds (circa 1/1000s) and I also try and close
the aperture a little, using around 7.1 as this gives you a little
more allowance with depth of field as their movement is often
unpredictable. Try a low angle as well.
Favourite Pro.
Bird Photographer?
Jari
Peltomaki – the finnish photographer. This guy’s photography is just
immense and he covers everything from action to art. He is also a
very nice guy and has always returned emails of mine.
RB follow up question - Do you have a favoured British Pro & why?)
I
like Andy Rouse’s Work. I am a fan of bird and wildlife ‘art’
photography, which involves capturing wildlife in an interesting
scene or in an interesting behaviour, with an interesting
composition. Andy Rouse delivers some stunning work of this type.
Where?
I do most of my
photography at two places dependant upon season – Rufford Country
Park, Nottinghamshire, which is great for Nuthatch, Marsh Tit etc
and Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire.
(Nuthatch - great detail)
RB follow up question - I don't have a Nuthatch image, are they a
difficult or easy Species to photograph
I would say they are quite difficult, unless you get obliging
individuals in the wintertime coming to feeders – and then the
challenge is photographing them away from the feeders to get the
natural shot. They are a great subject to photograph as I think they
are such a stunning looking bird. Rufford Country Park in
Nottinghamshire is the best place I know.
(Great Tit - Clean image)
(RB follow up
question - Do you use Neat Image or similar software? If so, have
you found any problems with it?)
I did use Noiseware Professional Edition, which I rated highly until
I got CS3, which has completely changed my workflow. I think the
detail tab on ACR4.3 is awesome and has even replaced my use of
unsharp mask. On ACR4.3 you can move sliders to reduce luminance and
chroma noise (luminance noise being the horrible grainy effect you
get at high iso noise or through oversharpening) whilst altering
detail and sharpness separately. I never sharpened in a RAW package
previously but have been very impressed with the results.
(Dunlin - Super-close!)
(Little Stint -
exquisite)
(RB follow up
question - Some birds are so approachable & are in no way distressed
as you take their photographs...this bird looks like one
Matt...details please?)
This was the most obliging Little Stint I have ever seen and there
were several equally obliging individuals at Covenham Reservoir
throughout September. You could sit low at the side of the reservoir
whilst it simply walked along the shoreline straight past you within
2 metres. It would regularly pause right in front of me as if
checking me out!!
Favourite photo? & Why?
(Sanderling - Superb
image)
For anyone
who knows birds, they will appreciate how quick these things move
and given their preference for big open beaches, cover is not
something the photographer can get whilst trying to get close. One
fortunate day and after about 3 hours wait in a tidal creek, one of
these gems managed to settle within feet of me, light was perfect
etc etc etc.
Pass on a tip?
Three
tips
1. Obvious, but patience is the key. .it really does work!
2. Be aware of your wider environment - When I
photographed Sanderlings recently, I made the most of dog walkers
and other people as I stayed ahead of them, lying motionless while
they unknowingly moved these people friendly little birds closer to
me! (RB follow up comment - This is a
good and totally ethical technique..I use it when possible. I think
we both agree, that if you have any doubts about what you're doing
in order to get a photograph of a bird, it's because it's wrong..an
important point to make I think).
3. To make a photo aesthetically pleasing (to my eyes anyway!!), try
and capture the subject with a diffuse background by experimenting
with depth of field – otherwise known in the industry as ‘getting
good bokeh’
Secret site to photograph
birds?
My secret site
revolves around Sanderling and is the beach at Huttoft,
Lincolnshire, just south of Mablethorpe. This place, on a nice day,
is always crammed with fishermen and dog walkers, however, catch it
on a low tide and the Sanderling seem to play (possibly as a result
of their constant interaction with humans and dogs). This site is by
far the best for photogenic Sanderling that I know.
You've won £10,000 quid on The Lottery...Spend it!
A
600mm F4 L IS lens, gitzo tripod and wimberley head, the only thing
wrong with this combination is I would have to change my entire
photographic technique! (RB follow up question
- I reckon there's 3 grand left Matt...A nice new camera maybe?)
The Canon EOS 1D
Mark 3....when they fix the autofocus problems!!
My Favourite Matt Latham
image?
Little Gull...no more
words, just enjoy it!!
Check out more of Matt's
work by visiting his website below
MY NEXT ESSENTIAL
INTERVIEW - It's confirmed-Kev Joynes
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