UKC

This is not an easy animal to shoot!http://www.flickr.com/photos/93270292@N03/8679518097/sizes/k/in/photostream...

In reply to dale1968:

I would say that's a good start. The big problem appears to be motion blur, so I guess brighter lights & higher iso are in order.

In reply to dale1968: Even with a 12 bore it is tricky


I wonder if it would be possible to lock the shutter open with a film camera and 'paint' the bat with flash?

In reply to dale1968: tried without a flash the night beforehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/93270292@N03/8680647484/sizes/k/in/photostream...

In reply to davidbeynon:

yeah I reckon a strobe would be the way forward. maybe a 10 sec repeat exposure and a 1/125 sec strobe when the bat is in the right place. ie click - no bat, click - no bat , click - bat - flash, click - no bat, click no bat.

those are good first hits tho.

In reply to dale1968:

This was my only attempt at taking a picture of bats, with a canon compact...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arjen_van_doorn/3371134840/

You kinda need to be able to predict their behaviour, that makes it a bit easier to photograph them...

In reply to dale1968:

ive had a bit of success with an external flash and manual focus pre-set. hard to see them in the dark though, stand near a light if there is one?

I've taken a few photos in my garden. We have water and woodland behind and get at least 3 species in the garden. I use manual focus and just point and hope. I don't do more than about 10 flashes per session.

You do have to be careful, excessive use of flash could disturb them and doing it in the vicinity of their roost is illegal.

If you don't have one, get a bat detector or better still go out with the bat conservation people. They have time shift detectors which are much better than heterodyne based models.

but iif you get it right...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1213851/Stunning-shots-thirs...

In reply to HardenClimber:

Only the Daily Mail would bother to add the "Photographer" caption in the second photo.