Rothiemurchus Osprey Photography (Updated 29th June)
12th June 2011
In: Events
Updated 29th June..
I was invited back to Rothiemurchus for two morning and evening sessions. The first evening saw a couple of Osprey having a look over the loch but none fished. The first morning (5am to 9.15am) saw no Osprey fish. The second evening was better with 2 Osprey fishing, one had 7 unsuccessful dives in various locations around the loch before getting a fish, sadly too distant for me. The second (Red 8T) had 2 dives, the first about 15 feet from my hide with the water from the splash reaching my hide. The second was about 150 feet away where good shots in the water were taken. The final morning saw just one Osprey fish, fortunately in good view and proximity of my location and some good shots were taken in and then exiting the loch.
Upon reflection of my time this year at Rothie there are two fundamental points:- a) just where the Osprey will fish and b) the cost.
Given the size of the Loch/Fish Farm there is no way of guaranteeing where the Osprey will fish. Keith Collins reduced this by excellent field craft which certainly improved matters. The chap from Speyside Wildlife was poor in comparison. Chris, who is now running the photography, has a much better grasp of what is needed having worked with Keith and is a huge improvement on what I experienced in early June. However, there remains some degree of randomness as to where the Osprey will fish given the size and layout of the loch.
Moving to the cost. Rothiemurchus are still charging the same rates as when Keith ran the photography. With Keith no longer involved it seems disproportionate to ask photographers to pay the same rates with no experienced Osprey photographer to act as a guide. If the same price is to be maintained the experience needs enhanced as it currently seems to be a bolt on to the other, more popular, activities.
They could consider briefing the photographer either the night before or on the morning. Photographing an Osprey fishing is incredibly difficult and knowing when to release the shutter and how to set the camera up would add value for the inexperienced Osprey photographer. Simple things such as coffee on arrival/afterwards would be simple, effective and very welcome. I'd like to see more information built into the Rothiemurchus web site detailing the number of dives per day from Ospreys with locations too. This would give the prospective photographer confidence as to what they might see and some knowledge as to where to locate a hide.
Knowing what equipment to use is crucial. On my last visit I had an 800mm f/5.6 attached to a 1D MKIV and a 400 f/2.8 on another 1D MKIV. This gave me scope to pick a lens/body up when I could see where the Osprey was likely to drop. If someone turns up with only a 70-200mm say then the chances of a good picture are limited if the wrong location is chosen. Again, interaction with the photographers asking them what they want to achieve would all go along way to enhancing value for money.
Until such time as an alternative comes up in the UK Rothiemurchus remains the best place to photograph Ospreys fishing, it really can be amazing. Some competition will be excellent for the paying photographer as it will either drive down the price or force value to be enhanced.
In conclusion, some photographers will experience a fantastic morning and strike lucky, others will see nothing and be dismayed. I have spent 28 hours in a hide to obtain a sequence of images that includes the one below. That is short in comparison to the weeks guys spend looking for one picture and for me is a good return. Rothiemurchus "is" a great place to "watch" Ospreys fish, it "can" be an amazing place to "photograph" them too - the difference is that subtle.
Updated 22nd June..
June 2011.
June 2011.
I was invited back to Rothiemurchus for two morning and evening sessions. The first evening saw a couple of Osprey having a look over the loch but none fished. The first morning (5am to 9.15am) saw no Osprey fish. The second evening was better with 2 Osprey fishing, one had 7 unsuccessful dives in various locations around the loch before getting a fish, sadly too distant for me. The second (Red 8T) had 2 dives, the first about 15 feet from my hide with the water from the splash reaching my hide. The second was about 150 feet away where good shots in the water were taken. The final morning saw just one Osprey fish, fortunately in good view and proximity of my location and some good shots were taken in and then exiting the loch.
Upon reflection of my time this year at Rothie there are two fundamental points:- a) just where the Osprey will fish and b) the cost.
Given the size of the Loch/Fish Farm there is no way of guaranteeing where the Osprey will fish. Keith Collins reduced this by excellent field craft which certainly improved matters. The chap from Speyside Wildlife was poor in comparison. Chris, who is now running the photography, has a much better grasp of what is needed having worked with Keith and is a huge improvement on what I experienced in early June. However, there remains some degree of randomness as to where the Osprey will fish given the size and layout of the loch.
Moving to the cost. Rothiemurchus are still charging the same rates as when Keith ran the photography. With Keith no longer involved it seems disproportionate to ask photographers to pay the same rates with no experienced Osprey photographer to act as a guide. If the same price is to be maintained the experience needs enhanced as it currently seems to be a bolt on to the other, more popular, activities.
They could consider briefing the photographer either the night before or on the morning. Photographing an Osprey fishing is incredibly difficult and knowing when to release the shutter and how to set the camera up would add value for the inexperienced Osprey photographer. Simple things such as coffee on arrival/afterwards would be simple, effective and very welcome. I'd like to see more information built into the Rothiemurchus web site detailing the number of dives per day from Ospreys with locations too. This would give the prospective photographer confidence as to what they might see and some knowledge as to where to locate a hide.
Knowing what equipment to use is crucial. On my last visit I had an 800mm f/5.6 attached to a 1D MKIV and a 400 f/2.8 on another 1D MKIV. This gave me scope to pick a lens/body up when I could see where the Osprey was likely to drop. If someone turns up with only a 70-200mm say then the chances of a good picture are limited if the wrong location is chosen. Again, interaction with the photographers asking them what they want to achieve would all go along way to enhancing value for money.
Until such time as an alternative comes up in the UK Rothiemurchus remains the best place to photograph Ospreys fishing, it really can be amazing. Some competition will be excellent for the paying photographer as it will either drive down the price or force value to be enhanced.
In conclusion, some photographers will experience a fantastic morning and strike lucky, others will see nothing and be dismayed. I have spent 28 hours in a hide to obtain a sequence of images that includes the one below. That is short in comparison to the weeks guys spend looking for one picture and for me is a good return. Rothiemurchus "is" a great place to "watch" Ospreys fish, it "can" be an amazing place to "photograph" them too - the difference is that subtle.
Updated 22nd June..
Following a conversation with the guys at Rothiemurchus I was informed that things have been changed at the chap from Speyside Wildlife is no longer involved. It seems that the Osprey have returned to fish in the loch with good levels of activity. I have been invited back on a complimentary basis and will be there for 2 mornings over the next week. I will update this post with my finding. It is refreshing to see an organisation act on feedback so quickly.
June 2011.
I have enjoyed many successful photography sessions at Rothiemurchus over recent years as a result of excellent planning and organisation from Keith Collins who led the Osprey photography. Sadly, and for reasons I do not know, Keith left Rothiemurchus before the start of this years (2011) Osprey season.
I spoke to the staff at Rothiemurchus to enquire what they were planning given Keith's departure. It all seemed as though things had changed for the better with a new hide having been erected next to a small pond built a few years ago. The pond, no larger than a tennis court, was to be stocked with medium sized trout, ideal for the Ospreys. I consequently booked two mornings at a cost of £195 (one morning is £125).
It all sounded promising as over the years it had been difficult to predict where an Osprey would fish given the size of the fishing area. Having said that Keith's experience and that of the photographer frequently found the correct spot.
A few days before I was due to arrive I received a call from Speyside Wildlife who had apparently taken over the running of the Osprey photography to check I was still coming - odd given they had already taken £195 from me. I enquired as to how the new pond was working and how many Osprey had fished in it - a curt "None" was the reply. Indeed, few Osprey were fishing at all anywhere on the site.
Ever the optimist I was still confident of capturing some images. On the first morning I asked about the new pond and was told, you can go there if you want but no Osprey have fished in there. Oh dear.
Radios were placed in the hides (I took my own hide as I had been told over the phone they didn't have many) and updates were given as to an approaching Osprey. It was frankly laughable at times when the Osprey would literally be 50 feet above the loch when our host would announce an Osprey was over the northern loch - what he was doing I really don't know. He added nothing at all to the sessions, he simply saw the photographers to the hides and then told them what they could see anyway. At one point he announced a Heron was approaching with prey - great when you're waiting for an Osprey!
No Osprey fished at Rothiemurchas on either morning (that's 8 hours) although about 5 were seen close by with 2 perching in nearby trees. Why they didn't fish I don't know but I saw no feeding of the fish to bring them to the surface at any time during my visit. Keith would do this around 5am and then again during the morning in the areas near where the photographers were located.
In summary, the photography has lost its way through the loss of a key individual. I, for one, will not be returning until things have improved. I am visiting the Osprey centre in Finland in September for a week where the preparation and facilities are geared around photographers. Rothiemurchas is now offering Osprey photography as a bolt on to its other activities and marketing itself on the back of superb work Keith had undertaken over many years. In essence a photographer is being ask to pay £125 to rent a tiny piece of grass at the side of a loch for 4 hours. It is very poor.
Two days after my visit I ventured up to Spey Bay and photographed 3 Ospreys fishing at the mouth of the Spey in the space of 2 hours. This was free and equally as good as what one now sees at Rothiemurchas.
I spoke to the staff at Rothiemurchus to enquire what they were planning given Keith's departure. It all seemed as though things had changed for the better with a new hide having been erected next to a small pond built a few years ago. The pond, no larger than a tennis court, was to be stocked with medium sized trout, ideal for the Ospreys. I consequently booked two mornings at a cost of £195 (one morning is £125).
It all sounded promising as over the years it had been difficult to predict where an Osprey would fish given the size of the fishing area. Having said that Keith's experience and that of the photographer frequently found the correct spot.
A few days before I was due to arrive I received a call from Speyside Wildlife who had apparently taken over the running of the Osprey photography to check I was still coming - odd given they had already taken £195 from me. I enquired as to how the new pond was working and how many Osprey had fished in it - a curt "None" was the reply. Indeed, few Osprey were fishing at all anywhere on the site.
Ever the optimist I was still confident of capturing some images. On the first morning I asked about the new pond and was told, you can go there if you want but no Osprey have fished in there. Oh dear.
Radios were placed in the hides (I took my own hide as I had been told over the phone they didn't have many) and updates were given as to an approaching Osprey. It was frankly laughable at times when the Osprey would literally be 50 feet above the loch when our host would announce an Osprey was over the northern loch - what he was doing I really don't know. He added nothing at all to the sessions, he simply saw the photographers to the hides and then told them what they could see anyway. At one point he announced a Heron was approaching with prey - great when you're waiting for an Osprey!
No Osprey fished at Rothiemurchas on either morning (that's 8 hours) although about 5 were seen close by with 2 perching in nearby trees. Why they didn't fish I don't know but I saw no feeding of the fish to bring them to the surface at any time during my visit. Keith would do this around 5am and then again during the morning in the areas near where the photographers were located.
In summary, the photography has lost its way through the loss of a key individual. I, for one, will not be returning until things have improved. I am visiting the Osprey centre in Finland in September for a week where the preparation and facilities are geared around photographers. Rothiemurchas is now offering Osprey photography as a bolt on to its other activities and marketing itself on the back of superb work Keith had undertaken over many years. In essence a photographer is being ask to pay £125 to rent a tiny piece of grass at the side of a loch for 4 hours. It is very poor.
Two days after my visit I ventured up to Spey Bay and photographed 3 Ospreys fishing at the mouth of the Spey in the space of 2 hours. This was free and equally as good as what one now sees at Rothiemurchas.
June 2011.
