A Return to the Land of Red Squirrels
I recently returned to the Yorkshire Dales earlier this year with the hopes of finding and photographing the red squirrels again. Although the ground was still muddy and wet from the ongoing rainfall throughout the remaining winter months, the day that my husband and I returned to Snaizeholme Red Squirrel Reserve was pleasantly dry.
As we made our way through the forest, a lone red squirrel suddenly appeared on top of some fallen trees, and then ran along them and climbed up a standing tree next to the walking trail. I didn’t have much time to think about what camera settings I was on, as this was one of the first occasions that I had a red squirrel close by, and wasn’t sure if I would get this opportunity again. Luckily, there was enough sunlight coming through the canopy to lighten the surroundings, and for a brief second, the squirrel stopped to get a better look at us both. I was thrilled to see this shot on the back of the camera, and I believe it truly depicts the curious nature of these mammals. It has quickly become one of my favourite images to date!
We continued to walk further into the forest, and we eventually arrived at the viewing area. Opposite the feeding station, where the red squirrels and woodland birds came to feast on the food provided on occasion by the landowners, I recognised the small clearing for which a few mossy-covered tree stumps were dotted within it. On my first visit towards the end of last year, I was overwhelmed by seeing the red squirrels for the first time, so I didn’t give this area in particular much attention despite it providing ample opportunity to be at eye level when the squirrels came down from the trees. The lack of tree canopy in this area allowed more daylight to come through, so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry too much about decreasing my shutter speed, which can cause blur especially when the squirrels were moving around a lot, or increasing my ISO which can add more noise to the image. Rather than positioning the camera on the feeding station as I did before, I positioned myself on the ground with the camera attached to the tripod for extra stability and pointed the lens towards the clearing. At least half a dozen red squirrels were running all around this area of the woods, and it was very tempting to follow them with my lens as they ran back and forth from the feeding station to the clearing. But I bided my time, and I waited for them to come to me and into the frame. As this was my second time seeing the red squirrels, I paid close attention to the routes that they were taking from the tree canopy to the ground, so I could better predict where the squirrels would end up and I made sure my camera was pointed roughly in the area where they stopped to rest or feed. My patience paid off, and I managed to get closer shots of the squirrels as they briefly sat on the stumps feeding or surveying their surroundings.
When it came to editing these images, I decided to change my editing style for this particular shoot. Initially, I would convert the RAW file to a JPEG and work from the JPEG version. But I decided to edit from the RAW file and the images seemed a lot more vibrant during processing. RAW files contain more available data so when it comes to editing there is more, if not complete, control over what is edited. For a JPEG image, the camera adjusts the image automatically such as the white balance, so the changes that can be made to a JPEG file become limited in comparison to almost complete control when editing the RAW file. After adjusting the exposure, vibrancy, and levels of the RAW file, I subtly added a blur vignette to my images to add a softness to them. Overall, I believe that the changes made to my editing style have helped improve the quality of my images. It is worth experimenting with your editing setup now and then, and see if it can help improve your images as well!
I feel a lot more confident and pleased with the images that I took on my second visit. It was nice to be in the red squirrels’ home in a different season, and spending time with these wonderful little mammals was simply joyous! I have added the images shown to my portfolio on my website.
In case you missed my previous blog, I have launched new products on my Etsy shop, which you can find through www.pinfold-photographic.co.uk/shop , so feel free to check them out!
