So, after many many months of lockdown and self quarantine, I finally stepped out to my favourite hunting ground - Lalbagh. Armed with the massive 70-210 for birding! I’m sure I’m the only clown in 2020 walking with this Compsognathus (google it) of a lens and that too for birding. Though not ideal, it’s the most beautiful lens in that focal range. It’s light, it’s got a zoom ring that turns at the slightest touch and it’s an F4. I usually use this lens for my dance outings. Since that has become scarce and I didn’t want to rent a lens yet. I made do with the longest focal range I own. I could always crop to my heart’s content.
As usual, Jeff was there to welcome me. This time, he had his girlfriend along with him. He gave me a welcome flyby and a nice silhouette before I moved on shooting some leaves. Leaves and flowers are not my usual thing, but I was inspired by a Youtube video by Liesl Huddleston and that got me seeing things around that I never would have otherwise. Plus her videos are calming in some strange way. I usually don’t spend 15 minutes on a youtube video.
As I walked on, I spotted a snail crossing a step and out came my trusty Olympus OMD EM5 with its kickass Kit Lens that does double duty as a Macro lens. I took some shots of the snail with my phone flashlight lighting it up from the sides. This was followed by a caterpillar, spider, bees and droplets on a flower. I need to do a complete session on Macro one of these days. The Olympus colours are to die for and the kit being so light, they take the pain of holding it for long hours trying to get these tiny beings in all their glory. You still have to squat a lot, but I dont think Olympus can do much here. The 5-axis IBIS helps too. But the colours…. can’s stop raving. I’m eyeing the Olympus 60mm Macro for a 1:1 view of these beauties.
Let’s get back to the business of birds and maybe a squirrel or two.
I’ve saved the best for the last. Moorhens are not the birder’s most favourite birds. They are found everywhere around a waterbody and they are rather dull looking birds that keep darting around awkwardly on their long gangly legs. The lockdown caused the usually shy Purple Moorhens to grow a pair and they are now strutting around near the fence and even taking a chance to come out of the fence to grab a bite. Looks like they have started walking on the wild side. I got an opportunity to sit very close to them to make almost full frame (no crop) portraits of these two Moorhens. The highlight of my day. Yep, no spotted owlets or APFCs or even a decent portrait of Jeff. But hey, I’m happy to be out doing what I love most - making photographs.
