Yes to wildlife too! I have a question about the focus for bee shot... you said you went to manual focus but then when the baby came you released and went back to auto focus. Is this because you wanted auto focus in case the bee moved or does it not automatically switch back to auto focus? Why not keep in manual? Amazing shots and yes Attenborough like thoroughness in your descriptions too!!😉👍 makes the videos even more enjoyable with the great story line. Thanks.
I too have a kayak and have taken my Nikon out with me on the Niagara river in New York. It is so much fun being at water level for the photography. Your right, the birds don't seem to mind the kayak being near them. Thanks for the great images and narration. All your videos are so well done!
How do you only have 33k Subscribers? Your narration style & image quality is outstanding and I look forward to everything you put on RU-vid. Keep up this excellent work and you never know I may fly over someday from the UK for one of your workshops & take a vacation at the same time!!
The large lily is a Lotus , rare to find in lakes, usually waterlilies.. big pads.. lovely closer pics all around.. be careful... alilgators.. whew... good snowy egrets, but love the snail hawk evolving.. that was new... thanks so much. !
Yep, I also loved shooting from our kayaks. Wildlife reacts differently when your in a kayak and enables you to get closer. Love your work, greatly entertaining.
Photography from a kayak open up so much more when you become part of the aquatic world...I am glad u enjoy your time in your kayak and didn’t get eaten by an alligator!
As always Mark I enjoyed your video and look forward to your postings. Colorado has had a lot of snow, but it is starting to melt in the high country, and I was able to get up to 11000 feet the other day with no problems. The high-country ponds have been filled with many species of waterfowl and several other birds. The landscape is beautiful with all the wildflowers coming out. We haven’t had this much moisture for a long time, and it is great to see the lakes full. The kayak was a great idea and it sure makes it easier to get closer to those amazing birds. I have a little boat I bought a few years ago for the exact same reason and it works great. I’ve been thinking about getting one of those Twin Troller X10 that way you can control the boat with just your feet. I especially like the bee’s in this one but the snow egret is an awesome bird.
As an absolute bird lover and photography enthusiast, your videos resonate with me at a sub-atomic level!! Thank you very much for your work, from New Zealand (a country with unique bird life on its own, just in case...)
I enjoy your narration as much as the photography. Snowy Great and Miniature White Egrets are prevalent along the San Francisco bay mud flats and inlets. Masters of balletic grace. But I have never scene them dance across the water. What a treat. One day we will meet. ~ your neighbor
Yet another extremely enjoyable journey with Mark Smith. If you're ever looking for a short video idea I'd love to see how you set yourself up to shoot from the kayak, bags, supports, etc. I've always been a big leery of taking out expensive gear in small boats but I'm likely missing out on a lot of great chances to get closer to wildlife.
You would laugh if you saw how I set things up. I sit down, put the camera in my and paddle. When a photo opp arises, I pick up the camera and shoot. Pure and simple.
I love taking photos from a kayak. I see so much more wildlife than I do on foot. Great job especially on the kingfisher photos; I have been trying to get shots like that here in VA for a long time.
Another great video Mark, looks like your new equipment is going to be an excellent addition. I am looking forward to more on the water videos. Thanks for sharing.
Waterfowl and seabirds are great to photograph, beautiful birds against interesting backdrops. That was a great idea to purchase a Kayak, getting closer to those birds really paid off. Great video as usual Mark.
Fantastic shots Mark, and the kayak is obviously a great tool for you. When I was stationed at Grand Forks AFB in North Dakota years ago, I tried something similar with a fisherman's float tube, got the camo version and some waterproof waders, and built a blind over the top of it all. Very carefully waded out (I was scared of slipping, with my brand-new 300 f4 D and used F-4), but eventually made my way out to the middle of the "lake".... where I was STILL only calf-deep in water! I bet I looked pretty damn silly out there. Made my way back to the truck, and the skin on my arms, neck and head were more mosquito bite than clear skin. Quite the misadventure....
Thank you for the time spent on making these videos so informative and helpful for us aspiring bird photographers. They speak volumes about your love of nature, conservation, and sharing the joy.
As always - amazing photos and fantastic story to go with them. I think the new 'gear' has greatly enhanced the photos as it changes the perspective and allows the viewer to feel much closer to the wildlife. Thanks for the great video.
Love watching your video's. Your Passion for wildlife and where you go is very different to my stomping ground in Highlands of Scotland . Looking foreword to next one.
Great shots of the birds from an excellent low vantage point. I think my favorites were the Snowy Egrets "walking" on water but the best was the one with the dreamy reflection. The shots of the bees were also great, with amazing detail!
Wow, this is one of the best bird photography videos I have seen. Such great shots, wonderfully explained. I have had a Native Watercraft Marvel 14.5 for years and love it. Looking forward to more of your videos. So inspiring. Thanks!
I was thinking of embarking a wildlife photography, your channel and your work has inspired me. But after seeing your so many awesome work, it would be impossible for an amateur be successful.
Yes, Mark I liked your A9 segment since I am headed in that direction. That explanation about the Snail Kite's adaptation is a-May-zing. I am wary about using my gear in a kayak because I flipped one in a very strong current and lost my camera (a Canon 7D) even though it was in a wet bag. I am happy to hear that yours is a very stable kayak, especially cruising among alligators!
Another great video, the Snail Kite evolution is fantastic and remind me of the finches and lizards on one of the Galapagos islands that during a severe draught managed to evolve in a blink of an eye (2-3 generations) to combat the effects of the weather. I also love the crows, they have no fear whatsoever, I remember seeing 2 of them go after the biggest Red Kite I'd ever seen, poor kite didn't know what to do as they chased it round the sky! Can't wait to see the next video, they are a constant source of inspiration and make me excited for getting the kti to photograph the birds around here!
Mark, you will get famous soon my brother. Wherever you shoot, or whatever you shoot, the results are just simply mesmerizing. From here on i need a shot of Mark Smith's photo & videoworks every day. Keep it coming!
Mark, I think the late Tom Ulrich would take a bow to your work. Ulrich was as good as they come. You and the technology are beautifully wed. Thank you for sharing.
So interesting and WoW! I luv all your images and storytelling. What a great entertainer you always are! Kayak is such a great idea. I plan to try that for my bird photography this summer. Thank you so much 😊😘
Fantastic as usual, Mark. I'm pretty sure the flowers with the shower head looking centers are Lotus flowers which are different than Water Lilies. I can't pick a favorite series, maybe the snail kite because I enjoyed the evolution lesson and your sons theory about a new subspecies. Looking forward to the next one.
Mark Smith I only know because there is a small wetlands near the Volkswagen plant here in Chattanooga that is full of them this time of year. American Bullfrog paradise!
I start to cry right now, looking at my Nikon D700 only with manual focus 300mm f4.5 (with the old, hard focus). I have some good photos, but yours are one of the best. Thank you for the videos, I enjoy them very much!
Your videos are amazing. It was your videos that finally convinced me to buy my D850 and I love it but still have a lot to learn and improve using it. One thing that I wish that you would do is every once in a while let us know where you are when you are photographing.
Awesome video and photos I love the education with the bee and the pollen and how easy was to manual focus with that lens. Thanks for sharing Mark we appreciate your hard work to educate us with all your camera settings to take some outstanding photos.
The best part is how you bring us right into the story with your enthusiastic Narration. I chuckle when I'm out in Nature & I swear I can hear your voice in my head, narrating the scene I'm observing. I really liked the Snowy Egret shots & the Kingfisher action. The Snail Kite observation is incredible science as well, but that up close image of GBH was amazing. The close-up of the Ring while holding the Apple Snail was my favorite part;-/ Great work as always.
Mark your amazing... love the quality of your work and you ability to tell these story's with such excitement tells us how much you love what you do! that said, how are you holding up with the virus situation? i think a lot of us photographers are struggling and depressed. Thanks
I didn't expect to see those honeybee shots, and they were gorgeous. I'm constantly amazed at the quality of photographs you are able to get. Around here our crows get harassed by filthy starlings, so I guess what goes around comes around. Loved the vultures, one of my favorite birds. Now that you have that nifty kayak, you need to look into acquiring an underwater drone. 🙂
Great work. Always loved our kayaks, each of us has 2. The Hobies with pedals were amazing. Hands free. If your near Aurora. Let me know. Hope to get to Steamboat next week to fly with our balloon friends but chemos been a little tough
