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TSC + 3 PiPs

The Sunday Challenge this week was a photo using flash. My Canon has a built in flash which I never use, so this was quite a challenge.
Almost every evening, from dusk onwards we have a visiting hedgehog, sometimes two, that scrabbles around underneath the bird feeders for nuts and seeds, and hopefully a few slugs too. It is very dark underneath the feeders, and I couldn't have an outside light on so much of the time I was guessing where the hedgehog was.
The first photos I tried using my normal Canon lens were hopeless as the heghog was under a planter and by the time I got there he had rolled into a ball. New measures were called for.
The following evening before it was too dark, I placed some bird food in a more open area, fitted a somewhat clunky Tamron 70-300 lens on the camera and sat down to wait. I had to position myself about 4 metres away from the possible sighting to stand a chance of getting the hedgehog in position, and a tripod would have been too cumbersome. This is the result straight from the camera - the flash is lighting up the gravel which was a pity. I think that after this the poor hedgehog was so traumatised, he just turned and waddled quickly down the path. I hope he appears again though. Next time I'll just sit quietly in the dark and watch.

PiP 1 First attempt
PiP 2 Enticement into the open.
PIP 3 Cropped and brightened
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23 comments

Amelia said:

I sit out on our back step for ages some nights just watching the hedgehog(s), Judith. It was unfortunate that I had to be so far away from the subject, but at least I managed to get a reasonable photo - albeit it a bit dark. ;-)
8 years ago

Gary Schotel said:

Super!
8 years ago ( translate )

Amelia replied to Gary Schotel:

Thank you, Gary. There is an element of OCD in my behaviour sometimes. ;-)
8 years ago

Gudrun said:

That hedgehog is just so sweet! He will be back for sure:-) I like your saga about getting a photo, you went to a lot a trouble! Btw, the 2nd PiP doesn't show...
8 years ago

Amelia replied to Gudrun:

I hope I have sorted out the 3 PiPs now, Gudrun. If any neighbours looked out their windows before they went to bed, they'd think they were observing a mad woman.
8 years ago

Shuttering Yukon replied to Amelia:

the 2nd pip is working now.
8 years ago

Shuttering Yukon said:

what a cutie, you really made this weeks challenge a challenge, good job Amelia.
8 years ago

Amelia replied to Shuttering Yukon:

I often look out in the darkness for the hedgehogs, Wendi. But to get a photo of one of them proved to be more difficult than I first thought.
8 years ago

M♥rJ Photogr♥phy !!… said:

How CUTE is that !!......Lovely capture for the challenge Amelia of a rarity I've not seen a Hedgehog for years !!
8 years ago

Amelia replied to M♥rJ Photogr♥phy !!…:

Thank you Marj. I would have preferred to take a photo like this without using flash, but that was the challenge. ;-)
8 years ago

??? said:

Oh I've not seen a hedgehog coming to a feeder for snacks. This one is such a cutie. Do hope it will return so that you can enjoy his/her visits. Must say you were extremely patient in getting the picture for the challenge. :)
8 years ago

Amelia replied to ???:

I 'waste' quite a lot of time looking at things, Chris, and this was no exception. It was a good challenge, but I in retrospect I should have chosen a subject that didn't move that I could get close to.
8 years ago

Bruce Dean (Puchinpa… said:

The bane of all photographers with a straight on flash. The eyeball reflection.
8 years ago

Gillian Everett said:

How lovely to see the hedgehog. Hope he still visits you.
8 years ago

Sami Serola (inactiv… said:

Good composition ;-) Clearly a very challenging subject for the camera to get the focus and light right. I would personally try to improve a flash shot like this on editor, and use a gradient tool to change the foreground darker, and bring more light on background.
8 years ago