Its refreshing to see that your outing was'nt what you hoped but you made the best of it...didn't fake anything or stage anything. In todays world that is gold. I'm a hunter as well as a birder and thats exactly how it is. Thanks Will.
Thanks Vincent. I think a lot of the time we spend photographing wildlife is dependent on being in the right place and time. Not much we can do except make educated guesses and keep heading out. Thankfully, just being out there is a reward :)
Some days are diamonds, some days are stone.........always the expectation of something special presenting itself. Even forays into the bush that fail to delver what you hope for are not wasted, it's all stored in your memory for that next visit....a great upload portraying the "reality" of bird photography....
Sometimes the hard times won't leave me alone.... :) You are right, you never know what might happen. Especially somewhere different. It's just important to be out there. Thanks for taking a look!
Thanks for taking a look - now you know the environment I hope to use the bmpcc6k pro in - and understand why I am conflicted about using it in place of an R6 for video
To me this is what a true adventure in photography is. Not only I am able to see a wildlife , but also I get to see places, the environment,the weather influence on the landscape. Love the scenes with Manuel driving through the huge paddles. I thought: wow, that's amazing! Adventure in full swing.I am pretty much the same if comes to wade in marshy waters. I am afraid of the hidden unknown. Very good video showing us the rainy side of the photography, but I know, how it works magic for the exposure of the birds or animals. Thank you very much for taking us with you on that flooded road. I enjoy it very much .
Hi Margaret, thanks again, I am so glad you enjoyed it! I wasn't sure that I would return with anything to show you from that trip but now I'm glad I went there even though I got no good pics - but maybe that was more my mindset and prejudice and not the place itself . It is a very different side to see of South Africa, maybe one that people don't know that much about. I had a lot of fun out there and my mind is churning over how I can go out there and get good pictures from the swamps. :)
Thank you Will, keep creating these inspirational and interesting video stories! I miss South Africa, been 16 years since I was there. I bet many things have changed.
Great video Will. Thank you for sharing. I fully agree with you about photography not being just about the images. It's the whole experience. That being said, I do love sharing the images that I do get to create with others.
Thanks a lot for taking a look Stephen! Yep no doubt it is great to share shots and ideas. Just sometimes you don't come back with any or at least you feel like you don't come back with any that you are happy enough with to share.
I need to go there lol, Nothing better than frog song at a marshland with birds singing too, I love it! I wasn’t too worried about my personal safety while I was in SA as I was with two armed ex-special forces guys one was a seal from the states, great guys switched on with big guns, plus our course participants were switched on also, so we had a smug glow of personal safety but still aware at all times, however I heard you say you wasn’t sure of your safety on that trip with bigger kit etc, maybe a vlog on what people can do for their safety out there where you are? That looks like an amazing place for a trip, I got some cracking shots of a sable whilst I was out, plus the joy of the 100-400 is you can get cracking close up invertebrate and small vertebrate shots with it, I can’t wait to see how the 100-500 fairs up once I get it! 👌👍 .... this vlog really got my wildlife juices flowing! Cant beat that after the rains time frame it’s just magical! On a side note how about some back yard birding at your place I hear plenty of birds whilst you vlog at home in your garden? Get some technical bits in there too? Take care all the best JP
Hey JP, glad you enjoyed it! Sadly no room or budget for special forces in the Landy :) I pulled up for diesel and the first words out of the petrol attendants mouth were 'do you have a gun' WTF? I just held my right arm low and told him it was none of his business and why are you asking? My mother was shot through the chest and leg (survived) held up later by 5 armed me at home, my wife was held with a gun to her head, I was held in a home invasion. Everyone here has the same stories and is always on edge. This area is near a town (glorified informal settlement) and is a hijacking hotspot - but less so on the country roads. I've thought about doing the backyard birding thing, but so many others do it better! I have been really lazy about making setups and putting out bird baths. The dogs don't help either. They go crazy if I go outside without them and if they are out they scare the birds :)
@@WillGoodlet We should be so lucky ;):). perhaps I've mentioned I live in north central Alberta; we had a beautiful storm move thru yesterday - mix of snow and rain sort of.. went walking with camera and arrived home an hour and a half later just soaked. Stay safe and thanks for all the effort you put in..
Hi Axel, thanks! This comment is so helpful, I never even thought about it like that when I was doing it. I am always worried that people already know about the camera settings, do you think I should include more info on that?
@@WillGoodlet Thanks Will - I think so although there are so many makes and models out there it could get difficult. Personally I am a Nikon user but can equate the settings from your 7DII to my camera. As for the maps on where you going, they are very handy as I will try and visit the places when I get to South Africa - Rietvlei, Pilansberg, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens, Robert Austin, Giants Castle etc. Thanks again Will really appreciate it!
Sounds like you have a good handle on the good photography spots in Gauteng. The settings should be pretty much the same across brands, it's more the concepts. I also shoot medium format film so a lot of my thinking on exposure is based on the zone system. I use it to pick out either a shadow or a highlight and choose my exposure around that.
Great video Will. Great to see an area at different times of the year. Yes, getting out isn’t always about getting the shot. Being out is the most important to me. Thanks for sharing.🙂
Hi Terry, thanks a lot! Yeah just being out there is worth it especially at this time of year. I think there is a lot of unlocked potential on the floodplains. Just have to figure out how to get out there safely!
Love the video Will! I especially like the positive attitude regardless of all the challenges. You portray "patience as a virtue" very well! Haha. As I go through your videos I definitely am picking up on some great wisdom, "learn the area, learn the wildlife, learn the times of day for different events, and above all, patience." :-) Thanks for putting all this content together! I really enjoy it!
Thanks so much Steve! Yes, I think a lot of my experience over the years has lead me to believe that we often leave too soon in search of something else. Especially in an African context where we probably will run into something else to photograph. But waiting, if you have the time, can really reveal unique moments.
Hey Will Awesome vlog. Like the way you described camera settings, showed map of where you went, nature notes re animal behaviour and what to find this time of year. Just brilliant. Definitely not a failure, and best of all it is about being in nature for the experience, not just the photography. See you out there!
Thanks Euge :) Really great to get that feedback from you! I was worried about this one as I don't really have any pics to show for my day out in the sticks.
Superb video. Great attitude to a less than perfect photography day - still a Defender with a snorkel and lots of muddy water is fun in its own. I am glad you didn’t don those waders - sounded like too many reasons why that water isn’t somewhere to get up to your butt in. Look forward to the next video, but not at the expense of your own photography.
Giles, you really don't want to see me in waders!!! Yeah I had a great time driving, obviously I now have to park on an incline wherever I stop 'cos I blew the starter motor :) Thanks for watching and for the kind comments. I will strike a balance with the photography I'm sure. Especially once I get more practised and organised.
This must have been a lot of work to put together, Will. It's a wonderful vlog, so much information and incredible films of so many different species. The pressure to get a good photograph is great these days, especially when the weather conditions and light are not ideal, I find myself having to wrestle with the facts and understanding more and more that I have to be satisfied with the experience itself and not to feel defeated if I just can't get a great photo. I try hard to put myself in the mindset I once had as a beginner, where the awe and wonder comes from just being out there in nature and if I can find a photo out of it, I'm lucky! I think part of it for me is that years ago, I *thought* I was taking an abundance of amazing photos all the time, but now when I look back I judge those photos harshly and they are not as good as I thought they were. So now I know so many things have to fall into place to get a good photograph and it's a massive challenge. I can only imagine how it would be for you out there. I think that's why it is good to still share a vlog even if you aren't satisfied with the photography results because this is reality, it is just not always possible to get great photos every time we go out. I enjoyed the vlog, thanks for sharing it!
Thanks, Liesl! it was a bit of work but I really enjoyed this one. Feel like I've figured out some of the 'how to edit a video' stuff - although I still can't seem to figure out how to fix the colour for all the different camera footage (and sound). I enjoyed my time out there, really liked seeing the place flooded (it happens rarely) but I must figure out how to get out into the water. The last time I tried it, I got bitten everywhere by some kind of insect and every step my heart was in my mouth (bit like you at the lake with the water snakes!) I should love snakes, and I do, sort of but they scare me! When I was growing up in Hong Kong, my dogs job was to go first and deal with the snakes on the path :) You are right about being satisfied with the experience. I think it's something all nature photographers have to deal with. The reality is that we have very little control. The season, subject, light and our own patience all have to line up and then, with a little luck, we get a good shot. I think that realisation also helps to take the workload down. I used to find that I had thousands of mediocre shots to work through because I had been pushing hard to get something and I would take an age agonising over which ones to delete. Then I had a mental breakthrough, now I do it the other way around. I only choose the absolute best and delete all the others. I try to apply the same idea to the scenes in front of me. If the scene is good I will work it, if it's not. Bad light, too much contrast, too far away etc... I leave it. You shoot less, but maybe see more? Still, it's a risk as there are often diamonds in the old pics - I'm sure you have seen that as your editing skills grow over time?
I'm glad you enjoyed making the video, it was entertaining to watch. I don't blame you being afraid to go into the water, my husband and his siblings got Bilharzia when they lived in Zambia and they all have some serious health problems from the damage caused, even now many years later. I also understand the fear of snakes, they fascinate me and I love watching them, but I too am afraid of some of them. We have 4-5 venomous snakes in Texas, one such is extremely dangerous, the Water-Moccasin or Cottonmouth and in very wild environments like our neighborhood pond, you just do not go near the water alone, not just in the water but the outer-banks are just not safe. I have snake-boots, but any time other than winter it is near impossible to get near the water at this pond anyway because of the thick vegetation and we have these nasty bugs in summer called 'chiggers' that make you want to avoid tall grasses anyway, their bite is extremely painful and the effects last for about a week and you can get many bites just from one outing. Anyway, you are right, and I find myself shooting less now and making better decisions, and yes, I think I deleted many photos from my earlier days that I could have saved with a good edit now! Well, I hope you're able to get out and enjoy the change in season and have some fun successful trips coming up, best of luck to you!
@@WillGoodlet funny you say that - my channel has also been completely stuck for the last couple of months?! not to mention that I haven't received my google adsense pin and I've been trying to for more than a year now via snailmail - I'm concerned because i'm owed 24k!
Tristan Masterton my pin was sent on March 11 - never arrived. Not good that yours has taken so long!! Have they stopped monetisation or are u still getting notional payments?
@@WillGoodlet they stopped ages ago - the banner comes up everytime I login to my adsense account - I've read that in some countries you can do a manual proof by submitting I'd/proof of address... I've given up and I've stopped making content because there's no way of following up... so disappointed
Great video! It is so true that getting out often and learning your Gear is very important. Also being out in the wild a lot will mean that you're more likely to be there when those moments actually occur. Best of luck to you in 2020!
Hi Forrest, thanks so much for taking a look and for leaving a comment. Great to hear from you! Yep, you are right, you have to be out there and the rest will fall into place. Hope you have a fantastic 2020 too!
Hi Dennis, thanks so much! Yes I do, but difficult to use a Beamer from a vehicle and my flash was stolen in an armed robbery in October last year - amongst other things. No money for a new one :(
@@WillGoodlet i understand, and sucks of course. I cant wait to get back to tanzania. Just got my flash and struggling a little bit on how to use it right. Suggesting you get one and do a video on fill in and wildlife photography. Since there is really nothing sound to find for this on youtube (-; Have a nice evening my friend, keep this channel up, doing a great job!
Wow looks like an amazing place if the time is right. Why don't you show the photos you took like you always do? Or was it realy that bad that nothing came out of your camera?
Hey Guido, thanks! I ran out of time with this video (I had a lot of issues rendering and encoding it - finally resolved) So I haven't processed the pics. But also I was only happy with one or two of them. Hence the title...I am also finding that producing video is very detrimental to my photography, I need to find a happier balance.
@@WillGoodlet I think you don't have to feel rushed getting out your videos. I don't know if I'm talking as all your viewers but you should only release stuff that you are happy with. If that take some more days so be it. It is always interested to see what images you produce. Most times when I see in the video what you are shooting Im amazed of tree picture that it finaly becomes. It is difficult to see when only shooting the video. But he it is your video and I like them anyway 😉 I'm actually in Denmark right now but the ciara storm has ruined my photography plans. Not a single shot taken in 4 days time so I know the feeling of not getting the shots you hoped for 😂
@@GuidoVanDeWater Thanks Guido, I am sorry that the storm is messing up your trip! Sometimes on the edges of those weather systems, you get extraordinary light and bird activity? No luck at all!!? It's really helpful to get your opinion on this. I'm learning that what I imagine people want and what people actually want can be really different. I think there is an understandable tendency to assume everyone already knows most of what I know, so I think that if I talk about it they will not be interested. I guess I must just talk about what I am doing and the content will find its own place and audience. So, I guess what I am saying is that you surprised me in this way, because I thought no one was that interested in the final images. I will bring them back in!
@@WillGoodlet well I think the final inamge just shows what you have talked about. That's the point where I start to think he I should try that sometime. For example a while ago you picture a white bird in a fast steaming river. That picture was amazing but if you didn't show it I would have never thought that was going to be the result. But I think the most important thing with these videos is that you yourself have to keep interested. I see this with a lot of people that they are not making what they like anymore. Just creating content to get viewers but in the end I think it works the other way around. It might take a bit longer but it is far enjoyable to see someone talk with passions about what he's doing then to watch someone who makes just dull videos for the viewers. You have a realy good way of telling what your doing, you make great pictures and live in a beautiful part of the world. I think it is only a mater of time before other people will fin your channel. At least in enjoying every video you've made so far. Yes storms can be an opportunity but if your tripos gets blown over its not funny. The wild / bird life in Denmark is not that great unfortunately. But I did get some decent long exposures this morning in a half an hour time frame where the sky seems to have opens up a bit. So those are in the pocket the rest is extra 😊
I'm glad to hear you got some pictures at least. Good attitude! Long exposures in storm winds must be very hard work! I hope the camera, lens and filters were all ok after the tripod fall? I broke my Samyang 24mm like that, before I even took 1 shot with it :( How many more days have you got? Ah that egret in the river was interesting, I never would have got that shot if I wasn't making videos. It was my first real video too! Because I had a neutral density filter on for the video, I could take really long exposures. You are right of course, I have seen the same thing with a few channels too. Thanks for the advice, I'm not going to waste time on making videos I don't enjoy making that's for sure!
Hi Will Thanks for an awesome vlog! I'm an enthusiastic amateur and trying to learn from experts like you. How do you think one would experience this area in the winter months? Also how did you feel traveling through this area in terms of safety? Really appreciate the material you provide for us, keep it coming!
Hi Darren, thanks for watching and coming here to comment, great to hear from you! The light is good in winter but the bird count is way lower, the birds also display less (non-breeding) and will not show their breeding plumage. To be honest, in winter it's not great. Definitely a location for high summer and the inundations around Feb.
Missed the second part of your question sorry! We were held up at home in October so now I am suffering a little paranoia. I have never had an incident on my travels in SA in the past 11 years. Most people I run into are really friendly. Including on the Zaagkuilsdrift road. I just wave and strike up a conversation with the villagers. I am not really sure of the protocol near the village, you know, whether to ask the headman's permission...But they are really used to seeing birders there so I guess it's OK. Hammanskraal to the south is a bit more wild west, so best avoided in my opinion - although I never had any problems driving through. If you want to visit, it's probably well worth staying at the Zaagkuilsdrift lodge? zaagkuilsdrift.co.za/ (no affiliation with me)
@@WillGoodlet the 70-300mm, most of the time I am in the addo elephant national park and in dense bush and forests and also just photographing birds in flight
Umm, southwest tip of what? Africa? Winter rainfall and storms. Warm summers interspersed with cold fronts. Wear is dry due to cold current running up the coast (similar situation to atacama desert) South and east is wetter
@@WillGoodlet That's the country you call home. I'm in the nearest eqiovalent in the south west of Western Australia. We have wet winters, though not as wet as they were 70 years ago. In Mandurah, _I_ can walk to the beach and peer in the general direction of South Africa, only 8,000 or so Km away. We're having a week above 35 - 40+ in Perth, a new record. All that water reminded me of winter on the farm in the 50s.
@@oneeyedphotographer oh you mean where I am. I’m not on the southwest tip. I’m 1200km inland north east. Dry cold winter and summer thunderstorms here. I believe the cape is also hot this week same as you
![Quando Rondo - Grow Up [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8zFnCg3BO4Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Its refreshing to see that your outing was'nt what you hoped but you made the best of it...didn't fake anything or stage anything. In todays world that is gold. I'm a hunter as well as a birder and thats exactly how it is. Thanks Will.
Thanks Vincent. I think a lot of the time we spend photographing wildlife is dependent on being in the right place and time. Not much we can do except make educated guesses and keep heading out. Thankfully, just being out there is a reward :)
WoW ,j’adore votre approche de la photographie …Merci du partage
GOSH,, I'm SO glad I found your channel. LOVE your work. God Speed and Cheers from Virginia in USA
Hi again Jack, so glad you like it! Great to see you here :)
finally someone who not only talks about technology, but also about the emotion of photography.
Thanks Pieter!
Great work, Will.
Some days are diamonds, some days are stone.........always the expectation of something special presenting itself. Even forays into the bush that fail to delver what you hope for are not wasted, it's all stored in your memory for that next visit....a great upload portraying the "reality" of bird photography....
Sometimes the hard times won't leave me alone.... :) You are right, you never know what might happen. Especially somewhere different. It's just important to be out there. Thanks for taking a look!
Will, SUCH great content. Wow!
Thanks for taking a look - now you know the environment I hope to use the bmpcc6k pro in - and understand why I am conflicted about using it in place of an R6 for video
To me this is what a true adventure in photography is. Not only I am able to see a wildlife , but also I get to see places, the environment,the weather influence on the landscape. Love the scenes with Manuel driving through the huge paddles. I thought: wow, that's amazing! Adventure in full swing.I am pretty much the same if comes to wade in marshy waters. I am afraid of the hidden unknown.
Very good video showing us the rainy side of the photography, but I know, how it works magic for the exposure of the birds or animals. Thank you very much for taking us with you on that flooded road. I enjoy it very much .
Hi Margaret, thanks again, I am so glad you enjoyed it! I wasn't sure that I would return with anything to show you from that trip but now I'm glad I went there even though I got no good pics - but maybe that was more my mindset and prejudice and not the place itself . It is a very different side to see of South Africa, maybe one that people don't know that much about. I had a lot of fun out there and my mind is churning over how I can go out there and get good pictures from the swamps. :)
Thank you Will, keep creating these inspirational and interesting video stories! I miss South Africa, been 16 years since I was there. I bet many things have changed.
Thanks so much. Glad you liked it. Yeah, things change but also stay the same as they say :)
What a place!
Yep it's fun :)
Great video Will. Thank you for sharing. I fully agree with you about photography not being just about the images. It's the whole experience.
That being said, I do love sharing the images that I do get to create with others.
Thanks a lot for taking a look Stephen! Yep no doubt it is great to share shots and ideas. Just sometimes you don't come back with any or at least you feel like you don't come back with any that you are happy enough with to share.
I need to go there lol, Nothing better than frog song at a marshland with birds singing too, I love it! I wasn’t too worried about my personal safety while I was in SA as I was with two armed ex-special forces guys one was a seal from the states, great guys switched on with big guns, plus our course participants were switched on also, so we had a smug glow of personal safety but still aware at all times, however I heard you say you wasn’t sure of your safety on that trip with bigger kit etc, maybe a vlog on what people can do for their safety out there where you are?
That looks like an amazing place for a trip, I got some cracking shots of a sable whilst I was out, plus the joy of the 100-400 is you can get cracking close up invertebrate and small vertebrate shots with it, I can’t wait to see how the 100-500 fairs up once I get it! 👌👍 .... this vlog really got my wildlife juices flowing! Cant beat that after the rains time frame it’s just magical!
On a side note how about some back yard birding at your place I hear plenty of birds whilst you vlog at home in your garden? Get some technical bits in there too? Take care all the best JP
Hey JP, glad you enjoyed it! Sadly no room or budget for special forces in the Landy :) I pulled up for diesel and the first words out of the petrol attendants mouth were 'do you have a gun' WTF? I just held my right arm low and told him it was none of his business and why are you asking?
My mother was shot through the chest and leg (survived) held up later by 5 armed me at home, my wife was held with a gun to her head, I was held in a home invasion. Everyone here has the same stories and is always on edge.
This area is near a town (glorified informal settlement) and is a hijacking hotspot - but less so on the country roads.
I've thought about doing the backyard birding thing, but so many others do it better! I have been really lazy about making setups and putting out bird baths. The dogs don't help either. They go crazy if I go outside without them and if they are out they scare the birds :)
Excellent presentation
Thanks Grephus!
Pure perfection, Will!! Just a wee bit too short. Just kidding.. Loved every minute.
Haha thanks Jann! Glad you liked it :) Is the snow melting yet over there?
@@WillGoodlet We should be so lucky ;):). perhaps I've mentioned I live in north central Alberta; we had a beautiful storm move thru yesterday - mix of snow and rain sort of.. went walking with camera and arrived home an hour and a half later just soaked.
Stay safe and thanks for all the effort you put in..
Definitely not a failure Will - awesome the way you explained everything form location to camera settings! Thank you!
Hi Axel, thanks! This comment is so helpful, I never even thought about it like that when I was doing it. I am always worried that people already know about the camera settings, do you think I should include more info on that?
@@WillGoodlet Thanks Will - I think so although there are so many makes and models out there it could get difficult. Personally I am a Nikon user but can equate the settings from your 7DII to my camera. As for the maps on where you going, they are very handy as I will try and visit the places when I get to South Africa - Rietvlei, Pilansberg, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens, Robert Austin, Giants Castle etc. Thanks again Will really appreciate it!
Sounds like you have a good handle on the good photography spots in Gauteng. The settings should be pretty much the same across brands, it's more the concepts. I also shoot medium format film so a lot of my thinking on exposure is based on the zone system. I use it to pick out either a shadow or a highlight and choose my exposure around that.
Great video Will. Great to see an area at different times of the year. Yes, getting out isn’t always about getting the shot. Being out is the most important to me. Thanks for sharing.🙂
Hi Terry, thanks a lot! Yeah just being out there is worth it especially at this time of year. I think there is a lot of unlocked potential on the floodplains. Just have to figure out how to get out there safely!
Love the video Will! I especially like the positive attitude regardless of all the challenges. You portray "patience as a virtue" very well! Haha. As I go through your videos I definitely am picking up on some great wisdom, "learn the area, learn the wildlife, learn the times of day for different events, and above all, patience." :-) Thanks for putting all this content together! I really enjoy it!
Thanks so much Steve! Yes, I think a lot of my experience over the years has lead me to believe that we often leave too soon in search of something else. Especially in an African context where we probably will run into something else to photograph. But waiting, if you have the time, can really reveal unique moments.
Hey Will
Awesome vlog. Like the way you described camera settings, showed map of where you went, nature notes re animal behaviour and what to find this time of year. Just brilliant.
Definitely not a failure, and best of all it is about being in nature for the experience, not just the photography.
See you out there!
Thanks Euge :) Really great to get that feedback from you! I was worried about this one as I don't really have any pics to show for my day out in the sticks.
Superb video. Great attitude to a less than perfect photography day - still a Defender with a snorkel and lots of muddy water is fun in its own. I am glad you didn’t don those waders - sounded like too many reasons why that water isn’t somewhere to get up to your butt in. Look forward to the next video, but not at the expense of your own photography.
Giles, you really don't want to see me in waders!!! Yeah I had a great time driving, obviously I now have to park on an incline wherever I stop 'cos I blew the starter motor :) Thanks for watching and for the kind comments. I will strike a balance with the photography I'm sure. Especially once I get more practised and organised.
Nice job !
Thank you! Cheers!
This must have been a lot of work to put together, Will. It's a wonderful vlog, so much information and incredible films of so many different species. The pressure to get a good photograph is great these days, especially when the weather conditions and light are not ideal, I find myself having to wrestle with the facts and understanding more and more that I have to be satisfied with the experience itself and not to feel defeated if I just can't get a great photo. I try hard to put myself in the mindset I once had as a beginner, where the awe and wonder comes from just being out there in nature and if I can find a photo out of it, I'm lucky! I think part of it for me is that years ago, I *thought* I was taking an abundance of amazing photos all the time, but now when I look back I judge those photos harshly and they are not as good as I thought they were. So now I know so many things have to fall into place to get a good photograph and it's a massive challenge. I can only imagine how it would be for you out there. I think that's why it is good to still share a vlog even if you aren't satisfied with the photography results because this is reality, it is just not always possible to get great photos every time we go out. I enjoyed the vlog, thanks for sharing it!
Thanks, Liesl! it was a bit of work but I really enjoyed this one. Feel like I've figured out some of the 'how to edit a video' stuff - although I still can't seem to figure out how to fix the colour for all the different camera footage (and sound).
I enjoyed my time out there, really liked seeing the place flooded (it happens rarely) but I must figure out how to get out into the water. The last time I tried it, I got bitten everywhere by some kind of insect and every step my heart was in my mouth (bit like you at the lake with the water snakes!) I should love snakes, and I do, sort of but they scare me! When I was growing up in Hong Kong, my dogs job was to go first and deal with the snakes on the path :)
You are right about being satisfied with the experience. I think it's something all nature photographers have to deal with. The reality is that we have very little control. The season, subject, light and our own patience all have to line up and then, with a little luck, we get a good shot.
I think that realisation also helps to take the workload down. I used to find that I had thousands of mediocre shots to work through because I had been pushing hard to get something and I would take an age agonising over which ones to delete.
Then I had a mental breakthrough, now I do it the other way around. I only choose the absolute best and delete all the others. I try to apply the same idea to the scenes in front of me. If the scene is good I will work it, if it's not. Bad light, too much contrast, too far away etc... I leave it. You shoot less, but maybe see more?
Still, it's a risk as there are often diamonds in the old pics - I'm sure you have seen that as your editing skills grow over time?
I'm glad you enjoyed making the video, it was entertaining to watch. I don't blame you being afraid to go into the water, my husband and his siblings got Bilharzia when they lived in Zambia and they all have some serious health problems from the damage caused, even now many years later.
I also understand the fear of snakes, they fascinate me and I love watching them, but I too am afraid of some of them. We have 4-5 venomous snakes in Texas, one such is extremely dangerous, the Water-Moccasin or Cottonmouth and in very wild environments like our neighborhood pond, you just do not go near the water alone, not just in the water but the outer-banks are just not safe. I have snake-boots, but any time other than winter it is near impossible to get near the water at this pond anyway because of the thick vegetation and we have these nasty bugs in summer called 'chiggers' that make you want to avoid tall grasses anyway, their bite is extremely painful and the effects last for about a week and you can get many bites just from one outing.
Anyway, you are right, and I find myself shooting less now and making better decisions, and yes, I think I deleted many photos from my earlier days that I could have saved with a good edit now!
Well, I hope you're able to get out and enjoy the change in season and have some fun successful trips coming up, best of luck to you!
Will, another brilliant video, enthralling, entertaining and skillful. Something for me to aspire to - your channel is going to grow and grow!
Wow, thanks! Channel seems a bit stuck but here's hoping :)
@@WillGoodlet funny you say that - my channel has also been completely stuck for the last couple of months?! not to mention that I haven't received my google adsense pin and I've been trying to for more than a year now via snailmail - I'm concerned because i'm owed 24k!
Tristan Masterton my pin was sent on March 11 - never arrived. Not good that yours has taken so long!! Have they stopped monetisation or are u still getting notional payments?
@@WillGoodlet they stopped ages ago - the banner comes up everytime I login to my adsense account - I've read that in some countries you can do a manual proof by submitting I'd/proof of address... I've given up and I've stopped making content because there's no way of following up... so disappointed
That sucks. Mine is due for switch off on 11th August. It’s not as if we don’t have enough problems trying to get by here.
Great video! It is so true that getting out often and learning your Gear is very important. Also being out in the wild a lot will mean that you're more likely to be there when those moments actually occur. Best of luck to you in 2020!
Hi Forrest, thanks so much for taking a look and for leaving a comment. Great to hear from you! Yep, you are right, you have to be out there and the rest will fall into place. Hope you have a fantastic 2020 too!
Great just found your site subscribed even though I don't like snakes !
Haha, neither do I but you have to give them their due, they can be pretty magnificent. Thanks for taking a look and leaving a comment!
good content, the way of explaining and making videos is really good
Glad you think so!
Hey Will great educative video again. How did you get the shot at 6:51 through 6:55 when you drive over the camera and it pans to follow the vehicle?
Thanks for taking a look! I use a 360 action camera and reframe it to a 2:1 format. This means I can pan,
Roll and tilt in any direction.
Hey Will, really love your channel. Do you ever use flash to fill in? I'm just wondering... stay safe and have a great day over there
Hi Dennis, thanks so much! Yes I do, but difficult to use a Beamer from a vehicle and my flash was stolen in an armed robbery in October last year - amongst other things. No money for a new one :(
@@WillGoodlet i understand, and sucks of course. I cant wait to get back to tanzania. Just got my flash and struggling a little bit on how to use it right. Suggesting you get one and do a video on fill in and wildlife photography. Since there is really nothing sound to find for this on youtube (-;
Have a nice evening my friend, keep this channel up, doing a great job!
Wow looks like an amazing place if the time is right. Why don't you show the photos you took like you always do? Or was it realy that bad that nothing came out of your camera?
Hey Guido, thanks! I ran out of time with this video (I had a lot of issues rendering and encoding it - finally resolved) So I haven't processed the pics. But also I was only happy with one or two of them. Hence the title...I am also finding that producing video is very detrimental to my photography, I need to find a happier balance.
@@WillGoodlet I think you don't have to feel rushed getting out your videos. I don't know if I'm talking as all your viewers but you should only release stuff that you are happy with. If that take some more days so be it. It is always interested to see what images you produce. Most times when I see in the video what you are shooting Im amazed of tree picture that it finaly becomes. It is difficult to see when only shooting the video. But he it is your video and I like them anyway 😉 I'm actually in Denmark right now but the ciara storm has ruined my photography plans. Not a single shot taken in 4 days time so I know the feeling of not getting the shots you hoped for 😂
@@GuidoVanDeWater Thanks Guido, I am sorry that the storm is messing up your trip! Sometimes on the edges of those weather systems, you get extraordinary light and bird activity? No luck at all!!?
It's really helpful to get your opinion on this. I'm learning that what I imagine people want and what people actually want can be really different. I think there is an understandable tendency to assume everyone already knows most of what I know, so I think that if I talk about it they will not be interested. I guess I must just talk about what I am doing and the content will find its own place and audience. So, I guess what I am saying is that you surprised me in this way, because I thought no one was that interested in the final images. I will bring them back in!
@@WillGoodlet well I think the final inamge just shows what you have talked about. That's the point where I start to think he I should try that sometime. For example a while ago you picture a white bird in a fast steaming river. That picture was amazing but if you didn't show it I would have never thought that was going to be the result. But I think the most important thing with these videos is that you yourself have to keep interested. I see this with a lot of people that they are not making what they like anymore. Just creating content to get viewers but in the end I think it works the other way around. It might take a bit longer but it is far enjoyable to see someone talk with passions about what he's doing then to watch someone who makes just dull videos for the viewers. You have a realy good way of telling what your doing, you make great pictures and live in a beautiful part of the world. I think it is only a mater of time before other people will fin your channel. At least in enjoying every video you've made so far. Yes storms can be an opportunity but if your tripos gets blown over its not funny. The wild / bird life in Denmark is not that great unfortunately. But I did get some decent long exposures this morning in a half an hour time frame where the sky seems to have opens up a bit. So those are in the pocket the rest is extra 😊
I'm glad to hear you got some pictures at least. Good attitude! Long exposures in storm winds must be very hard work! I hope the camera, lens and filters were all ok after the tripod fall? I broke my Samyang 24mm like that, before I even took 1 shot with it :(
How many more days have you got?
Ah that egret in the river was interesting, I never would have got that shot if I wasn't making videos. It was my first real video too! Because I had a neutral density filter on for the video, I could take really long exposures.
You are right of course, I have seen the same thing with a few channels too. Thanks for the advice, I'm not going to waste time on making videos I don't enjoy making that's for sure!
Hi Will
Thanks for an awesome vlog! I'm an enthusiastic amateur and trying to learn from experts like you. How do you think one would experience this area in the winter months? Also how did you feel traveling through this area in terms of safety? Really appreciate the material you provide for us, keep it coming!
Hi Darren, thanks for watching and coming here to comment, great to hear from you! The light is good in winter but the bird count is way lower, the birds also display less (non-breeding) and will not show their breeding plumage. To be honest, in winter it's not great. Definitely a location for high summer and the inundations around Feb.
Missed the second part of your question sorry! We were held up at home in October so now I am suffering a little paranoia. I have never had an incident on my travels in SA in the past 11 years. Most people I run into are really friendly. Including on the Zaagkuilsdrift road. I just wave and strike up a conversation with the villagers. I am not really sure of the protocol near the village, you know, whether to ask the headman's permission...But they are really used to seeing birders there so I guess it's OK. Hammanskraal to the south is a bit more wild west, so best avoided in my opinion - although I never had any problems driving through. If you want to visit, it's probably well worth staying at the Zaagkuilsdrift lodge? zaagkuilsdrift.co.za/ (no affiliation with me)
Hi will,I have just bought a 300mm canon lense,do you think that it is alright for bird/wildlife photography?
Which one? 70-300, 300 f4 or 300 f2.8? It is my favorite focal length especially the f2,8. It also depends a lot on where you are?
@@WillGoodlet the 70-300mm, most of the time I am in the addo elephant national park and in dense bush and forests and also just photographing birds in flight
@@WillGoodlet what is your opinion on the sigma 150-600mm?
I have only tried the tamron 150-600 G2 it was nice. Very usable focal length.
The 70-300 L ? I used this lens it’s good but a little short for birds
What's the climate like on the southwest tip?
Umm, southwest tip of what? Africa? Winter rainfall and storms. Warm summers interspersed with cold fronts. Wear is dry due to cold current running up the coast (similar situation to atacama desert)
South and east is wetter
@@WillGoodlet That's the country you call home. I'm in the nearest eqiovalent in the south west of Western Australia. We have wet winters, though not as wet as they were 70 years ago. In Mandurah, _I_ can walk to the beach and peer in the general direction of South Africa, only 8,000 or so Km away. We're having a week above 35 - 40+ in Perth, a new record.
All that water reminded me of winter on the farm in the 50s.
@@oneeyedphotographer oh you mean where I am. I’m not on the southwest tip. I’m 1200km inland north east. Dry cold winter and summer thunderstorms here.
I believe the cape is also hot this week same as you