Year 8

Today marks the end of Year 8 for this photography website with 1,237 articles having been published since 2015, and 127 added this year. It certainly has been an interesting ride to be here with all of you again this year.

NOTE: Click on images to enlarge. Photographs have been added to serve as visual breaks.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 359 mm, efov 718 mm, f/8.7, 1/2500, ISO-2500, Pro Capture H, cropped to 3529 pixels on the width, subject distance 7.6 metres

With the on again off again nature of COVID-19 it was a challenging year in terms of content. While I have an interest in a wide range of photographic subjects I ended up spending a lot of time with birds this year.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS @ 150 mm, efov 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200, ISO-500, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3523 pixels on the width, subject distance 9.2 metres

Even after capturing hundreds of thousands of images of birds over the years I still find them fascinating. I often spend much of my time simply observing their behaviour and learning to better anticipate what they may do.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 560 mm, efov 1120 mm, f/9, 1/4000, ISO-10000, Pro Capture H, cropped to 3380 pixels on the width, subject distance 16.6 metres

Like all living things, birds follow strong instincts to procreate to continue the species. They build nests and feed young.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 346 mm, efov 692 mm, f/8.6 1/3200, ISO-1000, Bird Detection AI, Pro Capture L, cropped to 1807 pixels on the width, subject distance 53.1 metres

There is aggression from time to time. Sometimes caused by squabbles over territory, mating rights, or food.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS @ 400 mm, efov 800 mm, f/8, 1/6400, ISO-2000, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 2997 pixels on the width, subject distance 21.7 metres

When I witness such behaviour I think about humankind’s proclivity towards self-harm and needless greed.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 280 mm, efov 560 mm, f/8.6, 1/2500, ISO-3200, Pro Capture H, full frame capture, subject distance 6.5 metres

We all do have basic needs like food and shelter. It is sobering to think of the millions of people around the world who lack even the most basic of life’s necessities.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS @ 244 mm, efov 488 mm, f/6.1, 1/250, ISO-1000, handheld in-camera focus stacking, full frame capture, subject distance 1.4 metres

I spent some time during Year 8 exploring with my camera gear. Pushing it… and myself… to learn more about what is possible.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 293 mm, efov 586 mm, f/8.5, 1/2500, ISO-2500, Pro Capture H, cropped to 3284 pixels on the width, subject distance 47.4 metres

Experimentation always pays dividends in terms of learning how to use the technology in our hands in perhaps slightly different ways, to capture the world around us.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 403 mm, efov 806 mm, f/8.8, 1/5000, ISO-6400, Pro Capture H, cropped to 2564 pixels on the width, subject distance 8.2 metres

I became a bit more focused on particular species of birds this year and spent more time photographing swallows in flight.

OM-D E-M1 Mark III + M.Zuiko 75-300 mm f/4.8-6.7 II @ 300 mm, efov 600 mm, f/6.7, 1/5000, ISO-1000, Pro Capture H, cropped to 3571 pixels on the width, distance to subject 5.9 metres

I love these little ‘pocket rockets’ and had hours of fun photographing them in our local area. It reminded me that we don’t have to travel to foreign lands to photograph nature.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 60 mm f/2.8 macro, efov 120 mm, f/2.8, 1/125, ISO-400, full frame capture, handheld in-camera focus stacking, subject distance 300 mm

Year 8 was one during which I spent more time photographing flowers… mainly using handheld in-camera focus stacking.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 60 mm f/2.8 macro, efov 120 mm, f/5, 1/40, ISO-200, handheld in-camera focus stacking, full frame capture, subject distance 265 mm

I gained a new appreciation for this technology. It is now my preferred way to photograph individual blossoms handheld with a macro lens.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 60 mm f/2.8 macro, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-200, handheld in-camera focus stacking

Looking for light is something that we should do as photographers. Light creates mood and can communicate emotions.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 60 mm f/2.8 macro, f/8, 1/10, ISO-200, handheld in-camera focus stacking

Sometimes the simplest of subjects have a majesty about them if we can find the right light.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS @ 400 mm, efov 800 mm, f/6.3, -0.7 EV, 1/5000, ISO-2500, Pro Capture H, cropped to 3721 pixels on the width, subject distance 2.4 metres

Year 8 found me spending time photographing dragonflies, mainly at the Royal Botanical Gardens. Like many photographers I love capturing images of things in flight. Precise moment captures provide an added challenge that I find invigorating.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS @ 200 mm, efov 400 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200, ISO-16000, Pro Capture H, cropped to 4153 pixels on the width, subject distance 7.2 metres

Often nature will present ‘one of’ opportunities to us. We must be ready to respond immediately as that precise moment will never happen again.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 454 mm, efov 908 mm, f/8.9, 1/1600, ISO-2500, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3132 pixels on the width, subject distance 45.9 metres

Year 8 brought some changes. We decided to close portions of our client business that no longer made sense for us. That resulted in us selling some related equipment like business presentation gear, a laminator, and some camera supports used for video productions.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 560 mm, efov 1120 mm, f/9, -0.7 EV, 1/1600, ISO-1250, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 4033 pixels on the width, subject distance 101 metres

We also found some good, new homes for some of our older camera gear. There was a feeling of loss as that gear had many wonderful memories attached to it. But new memories are waiting to be made by extending the life and enjoyment of that camera equipment in the hands of new owners.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 280 mm, efov 560 mm, f/8.4, 1/8000, ISO-10000, Pro Capture H, cropped to 3785 pixels on the width, subject distance 5.9 metres

We published our Images of Ireland eBook in Year 8, and spent time working in earnest on a handheld bird photography eBook. We anticipate this eBook will be published in the first half of 2023.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 560 mm, efov 1120 mm, f/9, 1/1600, ISO-6400, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 4142 pixels on the width, subject distance 52.6 metres

It is sometimes hard to look into the future. There is one thing that is an absolute certainty. We will continue to use our Olympus kit and have no plans to change out any components. I anticipate shooting with my E-M1X bodies and complement of M.Zuiko lenses for many years to come. My E-M1X love grows with each passing year.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 560 mm, efov 1120 mm, f/9, 1/5000, ISO-6400, Pro Capture H, cropped to 3692 pixels on the width, subject distance 4.1 metres

We’d like to thank each and every one of you for your support and patronage in Year 8. We look forward to continuing our relationship in 2023 and beyond.

Technical Note:

Photographs were captured handheld using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW files or from in-camera jpegs, using my standard approach in post. This is the 1,237 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 60 mm f/2.8 macro, f/5, 1/50, ISO-200, handheld in-camera focus stacking

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8 thoughts on “Year 8”

  1. Thomas, I also look forward to your articles. As others may say, the articles can be grounding influence during yet another crazy year. And I have learned some great techniques. Keep up the good work. Happy Year to you and your family. Please stay healthy and safe!

    1. Thanks for the supportive comment Robert… much appreciated! As your comment noted we may be in for ‘yet another crazy year’. We can’t control what happens, but we can do our best to determine how we react to it.

      Tom

  2. An excellent summary, Tom. I think I’ve read every article of yours this year and have found them to be both interesting and helpful. I very much look forward to your handheld bird eBook and wish you and yours a very happy, productive and satisfying 2023. Warm regards, Bill

  3. Hi Thomas,

    I am an ardent reader of this website.

    You are solely responsible for my holding on to Nikon 1 V series.
    By imitating your post processing technology, I bought DxO PhotoLab and Topaz DeNoize AI software, and they have been working wonderfully.

    You are my mentor and guide for my photographic life.

    Thank you very much indeed.

    Regards
    Yoshi

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