Les Clefs de la Paroisse de St Pierre 04/09/2012 - Parishes Online

La Vie Paroissiale
On Safari in St Peter
Whilst the thought of an African safari to see animals in their natural habitat
might be every wildlife enthusiast’s dream, local photographer Paul Marshall
explains why he prefers to focus on the rich variety of wildlife in St Peter.
‘Forget the Masai Mara or the Serengeti,’ says Paul, ‘there’s an
incredible range of wildlife right here in the Island – just grab your
camera and go for a walk.’
And if you need convincing, just take a look at these amazing
images. Although Paul doesn’t live in the Parish, it’s where he
spends most time taking pictures – and considers St Peter his
second home. Les Clefs spoke to him to find out more about his
passion for photography and pick up some tips on getting the
perfect shot. ‘It’s easy to think that
there isn’t that much wildlife on offer
in the Island but if you spend a bit of
time in the right place, the experience
can be much more rewarding than
watching a lion asleep under a tree on
the African plains.’
Paul’s interest in wildlife and
photography began at an early age.
He explains: ‘I’m a great lover of all
wildlife but birds are my main passion,
which I think I inherited from my mum
and which she inherited from the
wonderfully knowledgeable and
passionate about nature Mike Stentiford. And it’s people like Mike
and the Société’s Mick Dryden that continue to provide me with a
passion for this often frustrating but very rewarding pursuit.’
So where do you start? ‘Well, what I often do is drive slowly along
the lanes looking out for bird activity. Where you find things varies
tremendously depending on species, time of year, weather
conditions, etc., so you need to look carefully. Sometimes you get
lucky and you can get your shot from inside the car, which is ideal
because a vehicle makes for a great mobile hide. But most often
you’ll need to make a stealthy approach on
two feet. Get too close though, and the only
shot you’ll get will be of a bird’s tail as it
flies away from you. Different species have
different tolerance levels and you’ll soon
learn just how far you can push your luck.’
How can you get that perfect shot? ‘The
main thing is to be slow and keep your eyes
peeled. Just last year I was walking slowly by
St Ouen’s Pond, camera at the ready, when I
flushed a bittern that was no more than
twenty metres away. The light was perfect,
the bird was as out in the open as a bittern
gets, but I wasn’t going slow or looking
carefully enough. It could have been the
perfect shot – I certainly learned a lesson
that day!’
But what about equipment? ‘Well,
professionals use kit that costs about the
same as a small car and to get the best
possible results this is necessary. But in the real world you can achieve great
results for much less money. The key is getting close. The closer you are to
your subject the less magnification you need to get a good picture - less
magnification usually equals less money and you get less camera shake
to boot. The trick is to find a promising spot, hide away as much
as possible and simply wait. You’ll be surprised at how much life
passes by. Do this towards the beginning and end of the day
and not only will you get the most activity, you’ll also get the
best light.’
That may be the best
course of action for
someone who’s serious
about wildlife
photography, but Les
Clefs isn’t sure it wants
to spend hours hiding
in the undergrowth.
Does Paul have any
suggestions for the
amateur nature-spotter?
‘Binoculars are all
you need and a half
decent pair won’t cost the earth. No bird watcher or
photographer would leave home without them. They’ll
get you into the action and will allow you to observe
behaviour close-up, from a distance. But whatever
equipment you use, the most important thing is to get out
there. This is a great time of year as there are many chicks
around, still being tended to by their parents. That means they
won’t be going too far and will be frequenting a smallish area,
great for photography or observation.’
page6 St Pierre Summer2012