Uploaded January 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
In this video I try something for the first time. It’s outdoor photography but not the way I know it, and I go in feeling a little nervous, yet excited, about what I am about to see.
Whenever I am going to new location or trying something a little different like this, I try and plan as much as possible to increase my chances of capturing the kind of shot I am after. And that’s no different for this trip as I do my best in getting prepared, but I soon discover that everything changes in the last minute. Do I get the shot I was after?
In case you can't wait until it's revealed in the video, I have come to Otmoor nature reserve in Oxfordshire to witness and attempt to photograph a murmuration of starlings. In this particular location there can be up to 100 thousand birds roosting, and as they gather to roost they form such incredible shape-shifting forms which really is one of natures most beautiful spectacles. Sadly, as I was concentrating on getting photos of the show, I didn't manage to capture too much great video, but here is a video that does.
youtube.com/watch?v=eakKfY5aHmY
...and Yes! I got a new tripod for Christmas! :)
This one if you're interested...
amzn.to/2lRWdG0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy prints
https://www.daviddixon.photography/landscapes/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check me out in Instagram - instagram.com/daviddixonphotography
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gear used
If you go on to buy any of the below kit on Amazon it will support me in making more videos for you :-)
Main kit
Camera amzn.to/2q9Z3r4
Long lens amzn.to/2plU46Z
Wide lens amzn.to/2p7jdDW
Prime lens amzn.to/2p7hgHk
Memory card - fast enough for landscapes and never failed! amzn.to/2tkgTft
Spare batteries - way cheaper than official Canon ones and do a decent job amzn.to/2sm8B2g
Other kit
Backpack amzn.to/2p7kr20
Cable release - cheap as chips and faultless essential bit of kit amzn.to/2p7mpPR
Filter holder amzn.to/2oA8ZwU
10stop filter amzn.to/2plM1XM
ND grad set amzn.to/2plXMxm
Tripod
Tripod head - ball head, solid, so easy to use! amzn.to/2oPmxkt
Tripod amzn.to/2ozVZre
Filming
Filmed with amzn.to/2tGdq7c (f1.4 for beautiful cinematic footage, and does 4k!)
To keep the frame rate consistent a variable ND filter is invaluable! amzn.to/2xpun8L
...stuck to my Lumix using: amzn.to/2z9sYHU
Lavlier mic amzn.to/2p7tM9W
Drone! amzn.to/2plTnu7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music
NirvanaVEVO by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: chriszabriskie.com/uvp
Artist: chriszabriskie.com
Cylinder Six by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: chriszabriskie.com/cylinders
Artist: chriszabriskie.com
In this video I try something for the first time. It’s outdoor photography but not the way I know it, and I go in feeling a little nervous, yet excited, about what I am about to see.
Whenever I am going to new location or trying something a little different like this, I try and plan as much as possible to increase my chances of capturing the kind of shot I am after. And that’s no different for this trip as I do my best in getting prepared, but I soon discover that everything changes in the last minute. Do I get the shot I was after?
In case you can't wait until it's revealed in the video, I have come to Otmoor nature reserve in Oxfordshire to witness and attempt to photograph a murmuration of starlings. In this particular location there can be up to 100 thousand birds roosting, and as they gather to roost they form such incredible shape-shifting forms which really is one of natures most beautiful spectacles. Sadly, as I was concentrating on getting photos of the show, I didn't manage to capture too much great video, but here is a video that does.
youtube.com/watch?v=eakKfY5aHmY
...and Yes! I got a new tripod for Christmas! :)
This one if you're interested...
amzn.to/2lRWdG0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buy prints
https://www.daviddixon.photography/landscapes/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check me out in Instagram - instagram.com/daviddixonphotography
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gear used
If you go on to buy any of the below kit on Amazon it will support me in making more videos for you :-)
Main kit
Camera amzn.to/2q9Z3r4
Long lens amzn.to/2plU46Z
Wide lens amzn.to/2p7jdDW
Prime lens amzn.to/2p7hgHk
Memory card - fast enough for landscapes and never failed! amzn.to/2tkgTft
Spare batteries - way cheaper than official Canon ones and do a decent job amzn.to/2sm8B2g
Other kit
Backpack amzn.to/2p7kr20
Cable release - cheap as chips and faultless essential bit of kit amzn.to/2p7mpPR
Filter holder amzn.to/2oA8ZwU
10stop filter amzn.to/2plM1XM
ND grad set amzn.to/2plXMxm
Tripod
Tripod head - ball head, solid, so easy to use! amzn.to/2oPmxkt
Tripod amzn.to/2ozVZre
Filming
Filmed with amzn.to/2tGdq7c (f1.4 for beautiful cinematic footage, and does 4k!)
To keep the frame rate consistent a variable ND filter is invaluable! amzn.to/2xpun8L
...stuck to my Lumix using: amzn.to/2z9sYHU
Lavlier mic amzn.to/2p7tM9W
Drone! amzn.to/2plTnu7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music
NirvanaVEVO by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: chriszabriskie.com/uvp
Artist: chriszabriskie.com
Cylinder Six by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: chriszabriskie.com/cylinders
Artist: chriszabriskie.com
