Taken today at DN. The weather was due to be awful and happly the met office get it right for once: gales and driving snow/ice squalls from the north.
This old chap was just letting it all pass him by.
600mm/Gpod
15'/F11/100ASA
Normal PS and dust spotted.
Distance to subject about 50 feet
The more frightening part of the day was the 35+ cars in the carpark when we turned up at 6.50am (~1 hour before sunrise) and the 48 (counted) photographers in our immediate vacinity out on the far bank. Two years ago there would have be about 3 cars. The behaviour of Photogs was generally good but still, and it spoilt the day, too many people far to close to the seals and knowingly harrassing them to get those WA shots i.e. no low crawl/wait/crawl/wait/approach but, as witnessed, a let's run after it bolt upright (and circle around it whilst fleeing) whilst chasing it seaward.
We left the circus early and I doubt I will be back this year - too much human pressure on a ever dwindling number of seals.
Posted by John Robinson on November 22, 2008 at 4:02 PM
Good evocative image.
Sad to read your comments though.
Like I said - this photo world aint getting any better.
Can see why you had a dust problem !!
JohnR
Posted by Tim Gregory on November 22, 2008 at 4:07 PM
Nice shot I like the waves being brought into view by stopping down.
I was down this morning also, and left earlyish around 10-11. I was in the car park for around 6ish, then 20 cars all came into the car park at once literally, and lined up it was actually quite bizarre..
Strangely enough there weren't that many seals around at all this morning compared to the last month and a half.. I know a lot of them are in the Rookery at the moment but it was still pretty sparse out there.
I watched 2 people actually chase a bull along, running alongside it like 3-4 ft away each time it started moving, near the targets.. really quite strange..
Saying that I did get a bit too close myself early on, didn't cause much disturbance but got growled at a bit so backed off, I really wanted another good WA shot, but all the people on the beach make them more nervous.. Saying that I should practice what I preach a bit more.
I doubt i'll be down again either this year, next week most people are running they're photography workshops and safaris, which will add another 50+ people.
Posted by jack chapman on November 22, 2008 at 4:22 PM
very nice image, quite different feel to it, the storm certainly looks foreboding
I've never been to Donna Nook, so maybe i'm missing something, but why do so many people want to go??? There are grey seals in lots of other places, i know that's one of the larger/largest? colonies but in the end that doesn't make much difference. Why does everyone go there and not areas more local to them??
Posted by Major Gilbert on November 22, 2008 at 4:23 PM
He looks slightly P off with it all Tom. Your image illustrating well the elements that these mammals have to put up with.
I have never been to DN to do seals and based on your info am not likely to do so either.
Like a lot of other things it looks to be coming a victim of its own sucess and not one airing on the subjects side.
Major.
Posted by Andy Shepherd on November 22, 2008 at 4:49 PM
This is a very nice image Tom, great POV, like it lots.
Andy...
Posted by Vincent Jones on November 22, 2008 at 6:23 PM
A place I have never been to & the images I have seen including this one is tempting me to visit one day. Well taken & presented Tom
Posted by Paul Inglis on November 22, 2008 at 6:45 PM
Hi Tom,
Fantastic and refreshing image!
Over here is very difficult to get close due to the terrain and weather condition’s which doesn’t seem a bad thing by the sounds of it! I enjoy like many from a distance and use a very long lenses set-up to get full frame images!
Posted by Rene de Heer on November 23, 2008 at 2:30 AM
Very nice moody image, love it.
Rene de Heer
Posted by David Kjaer on November 23, 2008 at 6:18 AM
Hi Tom
You have captured the mood well - especially like the rough OOF sea in the BG!
David
Posted by Magnus Hird on November 23, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Lovely shot Tom, like the way you've caught the seal in its habitat and the almost misty sand
Shame the other visitors couldn't all behave appropriately.
"..too much human pressure on a ever dwindling number of seals."
I thought the population at DN was steadily increasing, both in adults present and number of pups born. Have you noticed a decline?
Cheers
Terry
Posted by John Chapman on November 24, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Great moody image Tom but a sad story.
Posted by Trevor Wilson on November 25, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Perhaps I can throw some light on the arrival of 18 cars all at once as I suspect I was one of them.
We were taking part on a Chris Weston Photography weekend and had all left a local hotel to head to Donna Nook for the sunrise.
Ah. You would be one of the 20 ish people under the bombing target then
Terry,
Sorry I missed your question. You are correct: let me explain what I was refering to.
I beleive the the seals are increasing in number but the seals that stay, to rest, on the outer sand banks around the area behind the Bombing run would appear (by my lose reckoning) to be dwindling. I base this on a number of visits over the past years. I attribute this dwindling of the number of seals in that area ( I have no doubt that the missing seals have simply moved up or down the tide line) to the increased number of photographers present showing little restraint.
Yes, I know that we all make mistakes and have to learn some how (and in a way better with a mass population that a single animal), but even in my less informed days, I would not (running upright) chase a bull seal across the beach, one person either side of him, obvioulsy shooting with wideangle lenses. I seen this happen 3 times in 30 minutes with 2 sets of people.
T
Posted by Trevor Wilson on November 25, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Tom
Yes, I briefly returned to the target area because we had a bbq in the trolley to make bacon butties and returned for my brekkie only to find it would not start due the weather.
I think i saw the incident were the 2 guys were running away from the bull, moments earlier they had been practically on top of a young pup in a shallow pool and it was clearly getting distressed at the closeness of them. i approached them with the intention of having a word and it became apparent that these guys were foreign, because my words did not have much effect but think the scrowl on my face clearly got the message across.
i then saw one of them running from the bull while his mate snapped away with a short looking lense.
Posted by Paul Gibbs on November 25, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Very nice image Tom, like the feel and the mistyness of the blowing sand.
I agree about the idiots, i find other times much nicer, fewer people. But i just dont understand people running after the poor animals.
Now i know its not fun spending 45 minutes making an approach then another 45 minutes getting the image right, with sea spray freezing to your lens barrels and clothing, but people should realise that you only get good natural images of "happy" animals which are not being stressed!
I think alot of these people are playing photographic version of pokemon... GOTTA SNAP THEM ALL!
Discussion
16 repliesTaken today at DN. The weather was due to be awful and happly the met office get it right for once: gales and driving snow/ice squalls from the north.
This old chap was just letting it all pass him by.
600mm/Gpod
15'/F11/100ASA
Normal PS and dust spotted.
Distance to subject about 50 feet
The more frightening part of the day was the 35+ cars in the carpark when we turned up at 6.50am (~1 hour before sunrise) and the 48 (counted) photographers in our immediate vacinity out on the far bank. Two years ago there would have be about 3 cars. The behaviour of Photogs was generally good but still, and it spoilt the day, too many people far to close to the seals and knowingly harrassing them to get those WA shots i.e. no low crawl/wait/crawl/wait/approach but, as witnessed, a let's run after it bolt upright (and circle around it whilst fleeing) whilst chasing it seaward.
We left the circus early and I doubt I will be back this year - too much human pressure on a ever dwindling number of seals.
Sad to read your comments though.
Like I said - this photo world aint getting any better.
Can see why you had a dust problem !!
JohnR
I was down this morning also, and left earlyish around 10-11. I was in the car park for around 6ish, then 20 cars all came into the car park at once literally, and lined up it was actually quite bizarre..
Strangely enough there weren't that many seals around at all this morning compared to the last month and a half.. I know a lot of them are in the Rookery at the moment but it was still pretty sparse out there.
I watched 2 people actually chase a bull along, running alongside it like 3-4 ft away each time it started moving, near the targets.. really quite strange..
Saying that I did get a bit too close myself early on, didn't cause much disturbance but got growled at a bit so backed off, I really wanted another good WA shot, but all the people on the beach make them more nervous.. Saying that I should practice what I preach a bit more.
I doubt i'll be down again either this year, next week most people are running they're photography workshops and safaris, which will add another 50+ people.
I've never been to Donna Nook, so maybe i'm missing something, but why do so many people want to go??? There are grey seals in lots of other places, i know that's one of the larger/largest? colonies but in the end that doesn't make much difference. Why does everyone go there and not areas more local to them??
I have never been to DN to do seals and based on your info am not likely to do so either.
Like a lot of other things it looks to be coming a victim of its own sucess and not one airing on the subjects side.
Major.
This is a very nice image Tom, great POV, like it lots.
Andy...
Fantastic and refreshing image!
Over here is very difficult to get close due to the terrain and weather condition’s which doesn’t seem a bad thing by the sounds of it! I enjoy like many from a distance and use a very long lenses set-up to get full frame images!
Rene de Heer
You have captured the mood well - especially like the rough OOF sea in the BG!
David
Shame the other visitors couldn't all behave appropriately.
"..too much human pressure on a ever dwindling number of seals."
I thought the population at DN was steadily increasing, both in adults present and number of pups born. Have you noticed a decline?
Cheers
Terry
We were taking part on a Chris Weston Photography weekend and had all left a local hotel to head to Donna Nook for the sunrise.
Ah. You would be one of the 20 ish people under the bombing target then
Terry,
Sorry I missed your question. You are correct: let me explain what I was refering to.
I beleive the the seals are increasing in number but the seals that stay, to rest, on the outer sand banks around the area behind the Bombing run would appear (by my lose reckoning) to be dwindling. I base this on a number of visits over the past years. I attribute this dwindling of the number of seals in that area ( I have no doubt that the missing seals have simply moved up or down the tide line) to the increased number of photographers present showing little restraint.
Yes, I know that we all make mistakes and have to learn some how (and in a way better with a mass population that a single animal), but even in my less informed days, I would not (running upright) chase a bull seal across the beach, one person either side of him, obvioulsy shooting with wideangle lenses. I seen this happen 3 times in 30 minutes with 2 sets of people.
T
Yes, I briefly returned to the target area because we had a bbq in the trolley to make bacon butties and returned for my brekkie only to find it would not start due the weather.
I think i saw the incident were the 2 guys were running away from the bull, moments earlier they had been practically on top of a young pup in a shallow pool and it was clearly getting distressed at the closeness of them. i approached them with the intention of having a word and it became apparent that these guys were foreign, because my words did not have much effect but think the scrowl on my face clearly got the message across.
i then saw one of them running from the bull while his mate snapped away with a short looking lense.
I agree about the idiots, i find other times much nicer, fewer people. But i just dont understand people running after the poor animals.
Now i know its not fun spending 45 minutes making an approach then another 45 minutes getting the image right, with sea spray freezing to your lens barrels and clothing, but people should realise that you only get good natural images of "happy" animals which are not being stressed!
I think alot of these people are playing photographic version of pokemon... GOTTA SNAP THEM ALL!