Spring Photo Competition

Spring Photo Competition
Paul Dore won the Dorset Echo Camera Club competition in March with this beautiful image, for the theme of Spring.
 
Paul tells us a little bit about himself and how he acheived the shot.
 
"The photo was taken from Highcliffe cliff top whilst walking my dogs.
I noticed the Greenfinches on the top of the gorse, so used my height and distant backdrop of the gorse bushes to create the bokeh , despite using the RF800 f/11 lens with my Canon R6.

Being an f/11 lens you need good light but the low noise of the R6 and image stabilisation means I could take this handheld.
 
The low weight of the R6 with RF800 means I can use this combo whilst walking my two retrievers. I also use a Canon 100-400 L IS ii lens with the R6 using the EF RF mount adaptor as a walkabout. 
 
I have now acquired an EF 500 L F4 IS ii lens which works well with the R6 but not so much a walkabout lens!
 
I am 59 years old, married with 2 children.  I work for Lockheed Martin on Postal address recognition technology.  I am an AFC  Bournemouth fan, travelling all over to watch them (when we could ).  As well as my love of photography, I am into BBQing/smoking, fishkeeping and fishing.
 
I got back into photography around 5 years ago when I was given a Canon 400D , I then started to take photographs of wildlife and quickly realised I needed more reach and a more up to date camera.
I bought a 760D and an EF 70-200 mm lens but this wasn’t enough reach, so then bought a Sigma 150-600mm contemporary lens from Castle Cameras and upgraded my camera to a 7D2.
I then upgraded the body to a mirrorless R6 and bought an RF800 lens and the RF 1.4 converter , which I have had great success with.
Finally I bought the EF 500mm F4 lens."
 

Thanks to Paul for telling us about yourself and your lovely image.

 
If you are reading this thinking you would like to try some of the kit which Paul used but wouldn't be able to or be quite ready to buy them outright, then you might be interested in Canon's Test Drive.  Castle Cameras have collaborated with Canon to offer you the chance to hire their kit for free for 48hours.  There are plenty of EOS DSLR cameras, EOS R mirrorless, EF Lenses, RF lenses and Canon Image Stabilised binoculars available.  They can be sent to your house and picked up completely free of charge.  All the information is here on the Canon Test Drive Page, or look for the TEST DRIVE tab on the relevant products.
 
If you would like to be in for the chance of winning a £50 or £250 Castle Cameras voucher, look for the monthly competitions in the Echo Camera Club Dorset Facebook Group.
 
 
 
Posted by Karen
19th April 2021

Back to blog