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Rainbow Lorikeet eating a fig Nikon Coolpix P950 | 714mm (2000mm equiv.) | F6.5 | 1/400 sec | ISO 450 |
Community member, Kathie Thomas, loves birds. She greatly enjoys getting that shot that shows off a bird’s unique color palette and physique, and fortunately lives in an area with hundreds of beautiful bird species.
“Birds are my #1 genre – I just love them. I’m always trying to get that better shot, and when I get a really good one, it’s not long before I’m trying to do even better. I am blessed to live in a region with many bird species year-round. Some live here, some are seasonal and some are just passing through. I keep a daily eBird record of the birds I’ve seen and heard, and of course, a photo with it.”
This story is part of our What’s in your bag? community spotlight series. The series showcases the diverse gear and photography of our community, and shares their stories of how that gear helped them to capture the perfect shot.
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Male Zebra Finch Nikon D7100 | AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR @ 500mm | F5.6 | 1/1250 sec | ISO 320 |
Meet Kathie Thomas
Home base: Dandenong Ranges, Victoria, Australia
“My uncle was a wedding and portrait photographer and often shared with me what he’d been doing when I was in my early teens. My parents bought me my first camera for my 14th birthday. It’s been a journey ever since! My uncle is long gone now, but my aunt tells me that he always wanted to do the type of photography I do, which is nature photography – he never got around to it, sadly.”
What’s in Kathie’s bag
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| Kathie’s camera bag
Photo: Kathie Thomas |
Favorite camera: “Nikon is the brand I’ve been using for over 20 years now. In fact, my husband gave me my first digital camera in the early 2000s, a Nikon, of course. I later upgraded to a D90, which I wore out after about 6 years, having taken almost 100,000 images with it. I’ve been a Nikon girl a long time now! I currently have a Nikon D7000, D7100, Coolpix P950 and a variety of lenses. The P950 is my favorite – it’s lightweight, and I get excellent bird shots with it.”
- Support gear: Kathie typically carries spare batteries for her P950, as its battery life can be limited during long birding sessions, along with a water bottle and a few snacks for time spent out in the bush or along the coast.
- Camera bags: “I use a simple, colorful backpack with a zippered compartment against my back, so no one can open it while I’m wearing it. It’s big enough to carry my camera, although that’s usually hanging at my hip on a shoulder strap.”
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Barking Owl in flight Nikon D7100 | AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm F3.5-6.3G ED VR @ 300mm | F8 | 1/2000 sec | ISO 800 |
How has your photography changed since you started?
“It’s improved heaps – I understand so much more about it now. I chose to do a Diploma of Photography Course back in 2014, just for the sake of doing it, so I could learn more. But it’s the regular usage and learning from other photographers that have really helped me improve. I also belong to a local photography club.”
“I learned from a professional nature photographer some years ago, that when tracking a bird, don’t look it in the eye, look around elsewhere, move slowly towards it, take a shot now and then, and keep moving slowly without eye contact. It often has helped to get the shots I’ve wanted – especially before I got my P950.”
What trip memories come to mind where you discovered a new bird?
“Many! Before we retired, we used to take overseas trips by plane and by cruise ship, visiting many places. But since retiring, my husband and I have invested in a campervan (motorhome) and have begun traveling around our own country, Australia, and exploring a bit more consistently. My goal is to record as many different species of birds as I can.”
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Australasian Darter Nikon D7100 | AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm F3.5-6.3G ED VR @ 18mm | F6.3 | 1/1600 sec | ISO 500 |
“Don’t underestimate your abilities and work at surprising yourself. Move out of your comfort zone and try different things. A friend thought she wasn’t very good, but she recently got a Highly Commended in our photography club exhibition. I could tell she was really choked up about it and thrilled. I told her I always thought she did well.”
Kathie really enjoyed participating in this spotlight article and would be grateful if you could join her in the forums.
Kathie’s work
You can check out her other work on Instagram. Thanks, Kathie, for being featured!
If you’d like to share your photography, tell us about your main camera, lens choices, key settings and strategies. Your photos and story could be featured in the next article!
Editor’s note: This article continues a series, ‘What’s in your bag?’, highlighting DPReview community members, their photography and the gear they depend on. Would you like to be featured in a future installment? Tell us a bit about yourself and your photography by filling out this form. If you’re selected for a feature, we’ll be in touch with next steps.
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