Hello fellow nature and wildlife photographers!

Esther BeatonConservation, Environment, Mentoring, internships, Nature and Wildlife, Nature Photography, New South Wales, On the Beaton Track, South Australia, Wildlife Photography

Here is an opportunity for your photos to do some powerful good. Let me tell you the story behind this wonderful new grant created especially for those devoted to conservation photography. I “knew” Wayne Lawler going back to the days in the 1980’s when my stock agency, Auscape International, represented him as one of its contributing photographers. I only knew … Read More

The Worst Drought Ever – are the birds coping?

Esther BeatonBird photography, Environment, On the Beaton Track, Photography Techniques, Victoria, Wildlife Photography2 Comments

It’s the worst drought in New South Wales “in six generations” some say. Others say it’s the worst recorded since European settlement. Still others say the worst in 400 years.  Chiltern-Pt Pilot National Park, near the New South Wales border, is one of the world’s birding hotspots. When I was there on an assignment in 2004, I also found it … Read More

Wildlife Photographers to Follow

Esther BeatonAnnouncements, Beautiful Images, Bird Images, In The Media, Nature and Wildlife, Wildlife PhotographyLeave a Comment

I’M FEELING PROUD AS PUNCH     I’ve been given another nice “award”. I’m very honoured to be considered one of “25 Amazing Wildlife Photographers to Follow”. You can read the blog post here at Loaded Landscapes. They sell some great Lightroom presets and have very knowledgeable articles in their blog too. As a matter of fact – it is … Read More

A Visit to AWC and the Challenges of Mammal Photography

Esther BeatonConservation, Nature and Wildlife, Photography Techniques, Professional Photography, South Australia, Threatened species, Wildlife PhotographyLeave a Comment

Wayne Lawler, staff photographer for Australian Wildlife Conservancy, photographing Boodies and Woylies at night with several flash units, Yookamurra Sanctuary, South Australia

I love the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. I love all conservation groups but the AWC has an astounding success rate. Not only are they re-establishing populations of highly threatened species, they are achieving the job at discount rates. They run a mean, tight ship as far as admin spending goes. Income goes almost entirely to field projects.  So a trip in … Read More

Think the Reciprocal Rule is safe? It fails with high resolution cameras

Esther BeatonBird Images, Photography Techniques, Photography Workshops, Quick Tips, Wildlife PhotographyLeave a Comment

Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) on nest among casuarina trees, Lake Tuggerah, Central Coast, New South Wales

The reciprocal rule is handy to know when you are hand-holding your camera, especially with a long lens attached. It states “always use a shutter speed whose reciprocal is faster than the focal length of the lens”. So if you’re hand-holding a 500 mm lens, you have to use a shutter speed of 1/500 or faster. I still don’t fully trust … Read More

28 Best Reasons to do Bird Photography

Esther BeatonBird Images, Photography Techniques, Photography Workshops, Wildlife PhotographyLeave a Comment

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) (subspecies coromandus) at nesting site, in willow tree, farm dam, Dooralong, Central Coast, New South Wales

Bird photography is the most challenging, difficult, expensive and time-consuming of all the areas of nature photography. Why on earth would anyone want to go to all that trouble? But something’s going on, because not only is there a rapid rise in bird watching, but also in nature and wildlife photography. If you’re not already on trend, maybe some of these … Read More

Tripods and heads for Bird Photography

Esther BeatonPhotography Equipment, Photography Techniques, Photography Workshops, Quick Tips, Wildlife PhotographyLeave a Comment

Gimbal head holding 200-500 mm zoom lens on Benbo tripod.

A tripod comes with three features: the legs, the head and the mount. Each is an important choice. Needless to say, the more solid and heavier the tripod, the more sturdily it will hold your long lens. A well-built tripod will last decades (like my magnificent and trusty Benbo as you can see by these pics). The legs should splay … Read More

The Story Behind the Green And Golden Bell Frog Image

Esther BeatonAustralian Geographic, Behind the Scenes, Conservation, Cute Animals, Ecology, Nature and Wildlife, Nikon, Photography Equipment, Photography Techniques, Professional Photography, Threatened species, Wildlife PhotographyLeave a Comment

It was the magic year of 2000. Everyone had breathed a sigh of relief that our computers and systems hadn’t gone haywire. In Sydney it was the time of the Olympics. Energy was high. Somehow the threatened Green and Golden Bell Frog became emblematic of this productive and heartfelt era. I was on assignment for Australian Geographic to do a story … Read More

The exhibition wraps up!

Esther BeatonBird Images, Buying, using art, Exhibitions & Artworks, Nature and Wildlife, What they're saying, Wildlife PhotographyLeave a Comment

Many tourists and visitors to the Noble Spirit exhibition at Palm House, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australia.

What a great exhibition!   Hundreds of tourists, both domestic an international, went through the Palm House – that little jewel of a gallery tucked within the royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. Their comments in my visitor’s book and on tape confirm how amazed and delighted they were by the wildlife portraits. In addition, the ‘Noble Spirit’ exhibition was visited … Read More

You are invited…

Esther BeatonAnnouncements, Beautiful Images, Bird Images, Exhibitions & Artworks, Fine Art, Nature and Wildlife, Wildlife PhotographyLeave a Comment

Wedge-tailed Eagle portrait. Noble Spirit

…to attend my latest exhibition “Noble Spirit”. Once again, I’m at the renowned Palm House, a little jewel of a gallery tucked in the middle of the Botanic Gardens in Sydney. This latest series of artworks features some of my best images captured over many years of travels throughout Australia. But with a difference. They no longer look like “straight” … Read More