Nature photography is pursued by me as a hobby. For me, it is a balance to my professional work as a construction engineer and offers me relaxation and the enjoyment of being in the great outdoors.
I took my first steps in photography in my youth - first with my father's (roll film) camera, then with a 126 Instamatic camera.
For a long time, photography took a break for me. My studies and job did not allow me to continue with it.
In 2009, I bought my first digital camera - a Canon compact camera, which was hardly used in the first few years.
From 2012 it became more intensive. Mainly because of the Christophstal website.
The compact camera was followed by the first digital SLR camera, a Canon EOS 600D, with which I then relied on fixed focal lengths. This was joined by an analogue Canon EOS3, which I also use to a small extent.
In 2016, I replaced the Canon EOS 600 D by a Canon EOS 5D III because I ended up in nature photography and a higher ISO is helpful with animals. An EOS 80D followed as a second camera, but it was quickly replaced by a used EOS 5DIII.
Since 2021, a changeover to mirrorless cameras with RF bayonet has been underway. Because of the higher pixel density, a Canon EOS R was purchased to which the old lenses can be attached with an adapter. New lenses (if needed) are then RF lenses.
For me, nature photography consists of 3 parts: Landscape, animals and plants. In the beginning, my focus was on landscape photography, especially waterfalls. With some first shots of water birds and squirrels, my photographic field of activity expanded towards animal photography. Besides birds also other vertebrates and insects. Finally, plants were added.
Most of my animal photos are taken in the wild, which means that the animals are relatively shy and it is always difficult to take good photos. Sometimes I also use wildlife parks where it becomes relatively easy - some of the animals there can even be stroked...