Bats.........Again!

we don't really want to hear about how your wife shot your avatar...

As with Gareth's pebble-throwing,Don, I'm not sure about "interfering" with their lives/activities that much.
Take that to its logical conclusion for a "sharper" photo, & we might as well put them in a glass tank.
Let them go free, do what they will &, if we don't /can't get a good shot, then so be it!
Bret, thanks for your thoughts.
Should a stronger flash be used, we would still be left with the problem of ... how far away will they be at the point 0of exposure?
Will extra power bring extra
exposure latitude?

The advantage that perhaps that power would bring is shorter flash duration = faster "shutter" speed...?

This is great... thinking on one's feet bowling along in mutual inspiration with fellow AMATEUR photograhers!

Have a go!
Let's all see those bat shots!
Our images are not limited by our equipment, only by our imaginations!!!!!!!!

Roger.

valid argument. From game farm trained model animals, to zoo's to feeding the animals.... there are varying levels of interference.... now what level suits you is a personal choice, and I'm all for going with as little interference as possible.
The coral method does not trap or injure, but simply takes advantage of their natural obstacle avoidance skills to get them into a predictable flight pattern to increase your number of successful shots. You are also corralling the food for them, so it becomes a win win situation for everybody but the insects.... I can live with that level of interference, myself.

some bat species are nearing extinction right now due to a fungal disease spreading across north america... so anybody that puts up bat houses, and black lights may in fact be saving the species, as the fungal infections are spreading in larger colonies inside caves...
link

If you use a strong flash with a fast sync (use them on optical with a HSS onboard) and you can get seriously rapid speeds (1/500+); so that, along with some judicious aperture work, should mean you get a decent bash, especially if you lure them somewhere.

I would also not worry too much about interfering with nature. Humans do do it all the time and there's nothing you can do about that; lure them somewhere, take the shots, but don't do it every day and they'll be fine.

Quick story: while I was at the summer house over Juhannus, there was a new "kranssi" - so a round thingy made of twigs - that had been moved by my mother in law away from the door. A bird had nested in it.
Said bird was very, very suspicious of humans for the first few days. Then we saw she had eggs and suddenly she got a lot more patient and ignored people far more. Only shame was it appears she and her chicks got eaten...
Moral? Nature adapts and short-term minimal intrusion destroys little.

Bret

You make a good case for your strategy, Don

As soon as you've set it up, let's see those images!



Roger.

(I'll be out again tonight, in about an hour!)

All bats are protected species so you should just leave them alone.

You are very privileged to have them flying over you and you are doing very well with photographing them as it is. I particularly like the second photo. Can't explain why - it just appeals.

Don't handle an injured or grounded bat without wearing thick gloves. Even in the UK they can carry a form of rabies.

If you want to get truly stunning photos you need a set up like this .

Thanks for your insight, Bret.
I take your story on board.
Good point, well made!

Roger.

Thanks, Gwyn.

I am very & ever aware of the priveleges I enjoy, with all the beauties that surround us.
The pictures displayed on PU more the adaquately display the respect with which Creation is held, I believe.

As for the Daily Mail link, this was posted some time ago & I referred to it in one of my (many!) previous "bat-posts"!

& thanks for the rabies advice!

Roger.

I'm farrr too lazy to do that.... unless Gerri tells me to or somebody pays me to.... but sitting up half the night swatting mosquitos and firing shots in the air hoping to hit a bat is not really my idea of fun.... bring some booze and come on over, and I'll happily set it up and drink your booze while YOU try.

oh, and I do have a pond Gwyn!!!

That's just one less reson not to, then!

Very best wishes to you both!

Roger.

We have a "bat box" on the wall over the patio and a 100W bulkhead lamp about 1 metre away to provide us with light.

When sitting out at this time of year we frequently see little (pippestrel??) bats emerge and flutter about the garden and listen to them with a bat detector.

They spends ages under the lamp when there are moths to be had so we get to view them at short range and they appear to completely ignor us and often fly within a few inches before shooting off to the end of the garden.

Despite the light enabling me to occasionally see when they are coming close I've yet to get one on camera, even with it set to 18mm, so I for one am suitably impressed.

Regards
Bernard

small, fast, agile, and in the dark.... definitely one of the toughest things to photograph.....

And just to round the evening off...

1. Look out - behind you!

[IMG]http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af340/rogerhlane/BatMon003crop.jpg[/IMG]

2.Moths ahead!

[IMG]http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af340/rogerhlane/BatMon002crop-1.jpg[/IMG]

3.Supper's over!

[IMG]http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af340/rogerhlane/BatMon001crop-1.jpg[/IMG]


That's all folks!

Thank you
&
Goodnight!


Roger.

I was wondering how silly it was to label something so obvious as 'Photographer' and 'camera' until I saw it was "The Daily Mail", and then I realised it was necessary.