Andrew Fusek Peters gives his first impressions on the new OM-1 Mark II and M.Zuiko 150-600mm IS lens for bird photography. Advertising feature OM System OM-1 Mark II. Image: OM System I have in my hands the new and very versatile 150-600mm F5-6.3 and the first upgrade since the OM-1 came out two years ago – the OM-1 Mark II. The lens weighs just over 2.2kg, only 150g more than the 150-400mm, but gives an equivalent reach of 1200mm. The zoom is of the push-pull type and the various buttons can control how smooth this action is along with a useful focus limiter. My concern is not specificaton ..read more

Swedish photographer, Alex Dawson has been named as Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for his image ‘Whale bones’. The photo portrays a breath-hold diver exploring a minke whale skeleton under the Greenland ice sheet. According to Dawson ” from a stable population of over 100 000 minke whales in the North Atlantic the hunters of Tasiilaq typically take less than a dozen” and they share and process their catch between each other, the families use almost all parts of the whale, but the skeleton is left behind. Despite depicting the by-product of small scale whaling the evocative image rai ..read more

We speak to three award-winning bird photographers to find out what it takes to capture unique and inspiring portraits of beautiful birds from around the world. Like photographing wildlife generally, bird photography requires a lot of patience, practice and a camera for bird photography, but what else do you need to create awe-inspiring images? Read on for expert tips by Rachel Bigsby, Jake Levin and Jack Zhi. Bird Photography Tips from Rachel Bigsby Seabirds provide me with a portal into another world. I am mesmerised by their epic voyages, resilience, characterful behaviours, unique beauty a ..read more

Camera bodies and lenses aside, the right gear can help you take better photos – and make your life more pleasant, comfortable, and safe while you’re doing so. Here, wildlife photographer Graeme Green talks through some of the best accessories for wildlife photographers, from camera backpacks to clothing. Our accessories for wildlife photographers quick list: Arc’teryx Acrux TR GTX Boot (M&F) – Check best price Camelbak stainless steel bottle – Check best price Snugpak Snugnut Hat – Check best price Wildlife Watching Supplies camera and lens cover – Check best price Helinox Chair Zero – C ..read more

In his latest column for AP, nature photographer Marsel van Oosten explains how to be creatively proactive in your wildlife and nature photography, and how powerful previsualising ideas can be. As I’m writing this, I’m on a ship in the Antarctic leading a photo tour to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica. We’re on our way back now to Ushuaia, Argentina, after spending three weeks on and around the wildest and most remote continent on our planet. Antarctica is so inhospitable that, for six months of the year, you can’t even get here because there is too much ice and the conditions are t ..read more

The results of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year have been announced. Congratulations to Laurent Ballesta who, for a second time, has taken home the main title prize. Plus, Carmel Bechler has won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 award. Amy Davies spoke to some of the winners to find out more about their stunning pictures It’s always a huge treat to take a look at the winning and highly commended images from Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and 2023’s selection is no different. Over the years, there’s been a noticeable shift away from what you might call “classic ..read more

Being attacked by a shark would put many people off going back into the ocean. But for Hawaiian surfer Mike Coots, 44, the near-death experience led to a new life as an underwater photographer working to understand and to help protect the majestic but threatened apex predator. He tells Graeme Green about his venture into wildlife photography, shark portraits and his new book Shark: Portraits. Trigger warning: detailed mention of shark attack experience Your new book is called Shark: Portraits. Are sharks open to having their portraits taken? Some sharks like the camera. They’ll come close and ..read more

David Tipling shares how and when to photograph coastal birds including Red Knot in the Snettisham Spectacular, a world-class wildlife and nature spectacle. There is a place on our shores which hosts one of the world’s great nature spectacles, attracting birders and photographers from far and wide: the autumn gathering of red knot (knot). The Wash, a vast tidal bay separating Norfolk from Lincolnshire and bordering the North Sea, attracts over 100,000 of these wading birds, a species that nests in the Arctic. Many use our coasts and estuaries to feed in winter but in autumn freshly arrived fro ..read more

The question ‘Which format should I use?’ has been asked since the earliest days of photography, and it’s just as relevant now in the digital world as it was back in the days of sheet film. Here, Will Cheung takes a long look at whether Micro Four Thirds or the full-frame format is best for nature and wildlife photography. Whenever the question of which format to use arises, there’s never a definitive answer and that’s simply because we are all different, be that physically, financially or in terms of expectations and what we want from our photography. So here we’ll be looking at the pros and ..read more

Bird photography with the OM System OM-1 – Amateur Photographer’s Online Editor, Joshua Waller, and Deputy Online Editor, Jessica Miller spent a day photographing birds with OM System’s UK Wildlife Ambassador, and AP Zoom Photo Tours guide, Tesni Ward, with the OM System OM-1. Tesni Ward on photographing birds with the OM-1 Tesni Ward using the OM System OM-1 Using the OM System OM-1 which is almost always fitted with the M. Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm f/4.5 PRO zoom, Tesni likes that you can customise the camera for your own shooting needs. With the OM-1 (now with firmware v1.5), Tesni has n ..read more