BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY-DIPPER DECK- CAMOUFLAGE-GETTING SUPER CLOSE

[@aneurinlloyd1964]

Brilliant Simon,just goes to show put the effort in and reap the rewards!!.A Brilliant idea 💡 👏 👌

[@simoneardley]

Always worth going the extra mile and its a good laugh!!😆📷

[@inthewildwithfrankwilliams8749]

I’m so glad you have taken to the OM-1 system. I bet you wished you’d done it earlier. Your Dipper shots are great. Well done.

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Frank

[@brianlemke6017]

Brilliant! Just ……. Effing …….. brilliant. Somewhat crazy, some might say insane …… but brilliant.

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Brian, 'Who dares wins!!' 😆👍🏼

[@ghulamrasool3363]

Beautiful bird shot.

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Ghulam👍🏼

[@paulpugh6178]

Brilliant… just love watching 👍

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Paul👀👍

[@KGsPhotography]

Lot of effort but well worth it for the rewards. Great video Simon. Cheers Keith

[@alanscott4078]

As always inspirational. Enjoyed it. Thanks Simon

[@simoneardley]

Many thanks Alan 👍🏼

[@basilreardon5783]

Wow fantastic idea/platform 💡 for laying on the water for these pics 👍

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Basil, bit of a faff but it worked a treat. Wallace and Grommit eat your heart out!!😆

[@richardhutchings921]

My sincere condolences to the people of the UK on the passing of the Queen. May she Rest in Peace. Long Live the King.

[@paulflatley3753]

Brilliant video Simon. I spend a bit of time around there, camping and walking, it's a beautiful area. Marvellous footage and wacky ideas, I love the way your mind works 🤪🤪

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Paul, hope youre well mate. Its a cracking spot up there isnt it and on the doorstep practically 👌🏼😀

[@philheude6985]

Excellent as always Simon outstanding

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it Phil 👍🏼

[@LaNaturalezaEscondida]

With that dedication and patience success is assured, sooner or later, thanks for the video.

[@simoneardley]

Thanks for watching 👀

[@Rob.1340]

Brilliant. Absolutely love the dipper deck. Cracking film. All the very best. Thanks again. 👍📷😎

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it Rob and thanks for watching 👀

[@RichardBirchett]

Great work mate, such superb birds and the deck is quality!! Good to see the time invested worked 👍

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Richard, ive got a few more ideas for the old Dipper deck!! Thanks for watching pal 👍🏼👊🏼

[@evgenygorshkov9893]

Hi Simon ! Great !!! Great !!! Great !!!

[@simoneardley]

Glad you like it Evgeny 👊🏼

[@johntravena119]

When I was a youngster used to see American Dippers just above one particular waterfall. They were similar to your dippers. Little dinosaur ballerinas running underwater. Haven’t seen them in 30 years. Lovely footage!

[@simoneardley]

Thanks John, theyre a fascinating bird, so at home in the water. Thanks for watching👍🏼👀

[@six66red14]

Bravo super travail, Merci.

[@simoneardley]

Cheers

[@johngdinesen1]

Amazing. I love your creativity👍

[@simoneardley]

Thank you very much John 👊🏼

[@laurensschaddelee1173]

You put in a lot of effort but the result pays off. Cracking shots and video. 👍

[@simoneardley]

Thankyou Laurens and thanks for following the channel 👌🏼

[@cliftonwhittaker260]

Simon, I admire you. You are a man who knows what he wants and is willing to put in the time and effort to get it. It paid off very well for you, too. Good video and good stills at eye level.

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Clifton, it really makes a difference getting down to eye level 👀👀

[@danwillis_photography]

Fantastic video, had me in stitches at times. Love your hair brain ideas they often seem crazy yet yield quality results 👍🏻

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Dan, everythings worth a try eh. How you getting on with that Z9?

[@danwillis_photography]

@@simoneardley yeah slowly but surely I’m starting to see the results from experimenting with various setups for the AF system, cheers Simon

[@nickclaytonphotography]

Bloody brilliant Simon! It might be one of your ‘daft ideas’, but what a great invention! There’s no other way that I can think of getting at water level with the dippers without getting wet, so well done you 👏👏👍 Even an anchored paddle board would still cause movement & a high probability of getting wet & nowhere near as much room. Brilliant mate, & glad all the hard work paid off for you 👌👏👏👏 Keep on keeping on mate. Best, Nick

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Nick, it pays sometimes to think outside of the box and its a good craic in the process. Thanks for watching the channel 👊🏼👍🏼

[@NikCan66]

Another brilliant video 📹

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it👍🏼

[@SanJuanMountainBob]

Dandy idea and great video. I enjoyed that!

[@simoneardley]

Awesome, thank you Bob 👍🏼

[@Huddsbirder]

Great stuff Simon, what fantastic footage, loved the idea of the dipper deck... loving the channel 👍

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for supporting the channel 👍🏼

[@SwanSycorax]

Great video and some excellent advice. Thanks

[@simoneardley]

Glad it was helpful!👍🏼

[@ScottPrincePhotography]

Love it!!

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Scott

[@raytaylor3090]

What great invention, crazy but great. This is one of your best videos in my opinion, loved it. You got to get down and dirty (wet) to get those great shots. Thanks for sharing Simon

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Ray, something different eh !!👍🏼

[@dcurleyifa]

Simon you should be sending some if your vids to the Springwatch team, they could use your skill and persistence, great footage and stills again. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@simoneardley]

Cheers David, an all expenses trip to Mull would be very nice thanks 🤣👌

[@dcurleyifa]

@@simoneardley I am currently in Shetland on Unst following a Mum and 2 cubs, I don’t do Vids though only stills. I will get to Mull in about 3 weeks,still using your Beanbag with handles 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@richard25894]

I was going to comment about necessity being inventions mother but you said it right before the end. Love those moments when you have an idea floating about in that cavernous space between the ears for a few days and then suddenly a little bulb 'pops'. Little tip for you regarding Stoats and weasels. They absolutely LOVE peanut butter!!! One to cogitate on mate. Full memory card to you, be lucky!

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Richard I'll store that tip in the cavernous void!!🤣👌🏼

[@alanarmer8069]

Great video again Simon,thanks for sharing,love the Trough of Bowland 🌲🌲

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it Alan, its a great place 👍🏼

[@GiuseppeGessa]

The hard life of a wildlife photographer. Great job Simon and great pictures.

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Giuseppe👊🏼

[@withvinayak]

Outstanding video !!!

[@everydaygrandad5642]

Superb video again 👌

[@simoneardley]

Thank you so much 😀

[@johnbeattie1225]

Simon to save your lens fasten some thick polystyrene to the bottom of lens hood if it touches water it won't go under.Maybe?

[@simoneardley]

I think I just need to be a bit more careful John, luckily it didn't take a dunk!!😆

[@RichardCookphotography]

Another great video Simon. Well done 😀

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it Richard, thanks for watching.

[@robertlawrence7958]

That is a brilliant idea. I didn't think I could feel much more embarrassed than when I wear a ghillie suit but I would feel really awkward carrying that lot down to a river!! However, as your superb film footage and images show, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and this video was a veritable feast for the eyes. Brilliant results.

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Robert, the ghillie stuff only comes out when theres no-one else around. Hopefully then the camo is so good nobody sees me!!🤞🏼😆👀

[@paulcbennettphotography7959]

Love it mate and another fabulous example of thinking outside the box !!! We need to hook up at some point in the future 👍

[@simoneardley]

Nice one Paul, yeh probably bump into you some time 👍🏼📷

[@clivemear4481]

Loving the ghillie outfit… so will be investing! Thanks for the sharing of good ideas and great footage/pics - well done!

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Clive 👍🏼

[@aynsleycooper365]

Simon, we're not worthy of the efforts that you go to when you bring us these images. Time was, we remember watching Dippers as we walked along the river, and the wider public were far away for most of the time. Nowadays, if I tried to set this sort of thing up, by the time I did it, I'd have to live there until an airlift came for me. Fabulous. J&A&B&T

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Aynsley, theyre a bit harder to come by than they used to be but always worth searching them out 👀👍🏼📷 Thanks for supporting the channel

[@deanseldon5640]

Cracking stuff mate. What an idea to come up with 👌

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Dean

[@adrianafernandez6763]

Hermoso trabajo Simon. Saludos desde Argentina.

[@simoneardley]

Gracias Adriana, saludos desde Lancashire, Inglaterra y gracias por apoyar el canal.

[@cherrob48]

Congratulations on yet another entertaining and informative video. Since finding your presence on KZbin, looking for other bird photographers who bought the OM1 and/or the 150-400mm, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your vlog and enjoying your bird Photography. I do my photography in very different conditions in very tropical far North Queensland, Australia. I will keep looking forward to your videos and in fact I have recommended them to friends at Cliviger, which I suspect is not far from where you are. 😃

[@richardhutchings921]

Absolutely Brilliant. Wow, what nice footage. I love it. Marvelous stills

[@simoneardley]

Many thanks Richard 👍🏼

[@davidkelly1427]

Well done Simon great thinking works great love the stills and video. thank you

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it David, thanks for watching 👍🏼

[@garygough3341]

Just subscribed to your channel , the first one I was watched was the barn owls 🦉 wow fantastic work , love the way you take your time to prep and your camo gear is top , i live on the Isle of Man 🇮🇲 and we’ve got barn owls 🦉 and long and short ear owls but hard to see as not that many . We don’t have dipper’s here but have more hen harriers than anywhere in the Uk and I see them on a daily basis, we’ve got buzzards a plenty , kestrels and Merlin’s plus afew kingfishers

[@simoneardley]

Nice one Gary, sounds like you've got plenty of subjects to keep you busy!! Last time I was over there was for the TT, beautiful island. Thanks for watching the channel, atb Si 👍👀

[@eddiek0507]

Great Video Simon, What a fantastic set up!! A simple idea, but it's worked a treat. You have had some great little ideas over the past year or so and they've all come good. No expensive equipment, just a few bits laying about and hey presto!! Just Brilliant... 🙂👍🏻👍🏻

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Eddie, thats why my workshop is full of goodies or 'crap' as my missus calls it!!🤣👍🏼

[@tamzart7974]

Absolutely stunning I think it was worth doing, such amazing results. Capturing these gorgeous birds in their natural environment and the amazing visuals you were able to get is breath taking. I was very emotionally touch. Thankyou for sharing and being here. I have just subscribed 😊🤗😊 Amazing results so beautiful. 😮😊

[@simoneardley]

Kind words and thanks for the sub. Welcome to the channel 👍🏼👊🏼

[@grahamfinch1]

Excellent. Ingenious idea with the dipper deck - even better than my idea of camo canoe! WIll be in touch nearer to my next visit to Carnforth for some directions.

[@simoneardley]

Haha, not tried the camo canoe yet!!😆👍🏼

[@Meyntjens]

Simon goes crazy with his camo 🙂.

[@simoneardley]

Its the only way to go Zoran!!😆

[@andywilson3381]

Brilliant! Very enjoyable watch pleased they turned up for you after all that!!

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Andy, yeh I was relieved too😆

[@stevecolwill9761]

Next level stuff there, Simon. Cracking video and stills, well worth all the effort. Oh, and you didn’t let me down at 12:02! 😁

[@simoneardley]

Hahaa, cheers Steve 😆👍🏼

[@will.scotnativeingreece]

Hi Simon, enjoyed that, great idea the platform that allowed the great shots, we had a name for the dippers in Scotland but the old noggin won't conjure it up. Cheers Will.😊

[@simoneardley]

Glad you liked the film Will, It'll pop into your head at stupid o'clock!!🤣

[@will.scotnativeingreece]

@@simoneardley Hi Simon, yes ousel or water ousel had to google it, ousel old scottish name for blackbird never knew that bit. Cheers

[@will.scotnativeingreece]

Ha! you were right, 5 o'clock this morning putting off the aircon it's still high 30's here....ring ousel was what we called them! zzzzzzz

[@diloraptor3191]

Love your videos mate! Always a joy to see on my recommended

[@simoneardley]

Glad you like them and thanks for the support 👊🏼

[@phynes6]

Im 16 minutes into this and wow you really do put soo much time effort and thought into your photography. And it really does inspire me and im sure lots of others to do this. You are probably one of the genuine people out there so down to eart. 👏

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Peter, glad to hear these ideas encourage other folk to get out and do a bit !!👍🏼👀📷

[@scooter5193]

Beauty! It really does make a big difference getting done low. Good eye contact and you can blast out the background. I was able to get our version of the dipper family - the American Dipper this summer. I could have used a “Dipper Deck”! You will have to patent this product😉.

[@simoneardley]

Dead right Scooter, gotta get low!!!!Thanks for watching 👀👊🏼

[@derricksalisbury7631]

Absolutely brilliant 👏 Simon (Rambo) lol l look forward to seeing what you get up nxt ps when you getting a Donkey to carry all that gear now there one for thought 😀

[@simoneardley]

Haha, i think I'm gonna need more than a donkey mate. Good job the site was close to the road 😆👍🏼

[@laurencedocherty6512]

Great work again Simon 🤘😎 it made me think how about an old bed chair from carp fishing, I got one and will be trying it now. Thanks for the idea 💡

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Laurence, yeh I thought of a bed chair myself but youd need a good bit of adjustment on the legs. Worth a try though👍🏼

[@NiallSmith]

Great photos Simon! And a great idea. Thanks for sharing

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it Niall, thanks for watching 👍🏼

[@RickTOutdoorAdventure1969]

Absolutely brilliant Si. Great film. Loved the footage, beautiful little birds and what an ace simple invention the garden gate, dipper deck 😀. Great stuff and I still need to watch all the phoenix nights 🙂. Cheers Si, brilliant as always Atb Rick n Billydog

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Rick, sometimes the simple ideas are the best ones. Thanks for watching, catch up with ya soon !!👍🏼👊🏼

[@davidwhitehead7441]

I watched your video on you photographing the dipper last night I did exactly what you did and got some crack in shots of one of my local river I've watched every single one of your videos this channel is amazing keep up the good work cheers David

[@simoneardley]

Good stuff David, I know sometimes the ideas seem a bit off the wall but they do tend to work!! Thanks for giving it a try, all the best. Si 👍🏼👊🏼

[@27penmar]

Awesome mate, always amazed as to the lengths you go to !!👍🏻 great images!

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Mark👊🏼

[@relichunter7984]

Great all round video, I admire your enthusiasm. You put the effort in and get the rewards, and add humour too. 👍

[@simoneardley]

Thank you very much and you gotta have a laugh along the way 👍🏼🤣

[@jspbjmflyn1921]

Hi Simon. really enjoyed everything about this film, made me laugh in some parts. you're a genius great work keep safe.👍

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Bryan, glad you enjoyed the film mate👍🏼

[@pathogan4854]

Yet another great idea and very well executed ! I think there was a Grey wagtail out of focus at 22.54. Cracking footage and stills its worth a wet bum😀

[@simoneardley]

Youre right Pat there was, cheers for watching 👀👍🏼

[@neilalmond9354]

Great video Simon.

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Neil 👍🏼

[@shinysurfer]

Interesting how species can be so different depending on the area. Here in Bristol we have a couple of dippers that will get so close you could pet them. As long as you're happy getting wet, you can get close up eye level shots with no effort. Same with kingfishers. But good luck trying to get a bullfinch or any owls. . . Fantastic video as usual Simon. Im still waiting for my 150-400 (you lucky bugger 😅)

[@gordonpearson1265]

As per Simon, the 7P’s followed to the letter. Brilliant images another great video.

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it Gordon 👍🏼

[@raypurkissukwildlifeandlan5361]

Top work Simon Great to watch and always great to see the humour you put in to it all 👍👌

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Ray 👍

[@michaelwallwork7482]

Love the dipper platform. P.s. I've had a dipper land on my lens while photographing 👍

[@simoneardley]

Wow, not many can claim that i bet!!👌🏼

[@JohnCooper-jl5nt]

Well done mate totally bloody awesome loved it

[@simoneardley]

Thanks John 👊🏼

[@andrewhopkins7334]

Great set up, great footage and great stills. PS leave the gum at home next time ;-)

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Andrew, didnt realise I had it in till I did the edit and I wasnt filming it all again !!! 😆

[@neilward4936]

Wow Simon another very informed and very interesting film . Such an inspiration to many amateur photographers. Top man keep up the good work 👍👍👍

[@simoneardley]

Glad you enjoyed it Neil, thanks for watching mate 👊🏼

[@richardgee9558]

Great video and fantastic footage. Well done.

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Richard 👍🏼

[@steviebye1]

Really loved this one Simon. Dippers are one of my favourite birds. Spent a week in South Wales at Easter photographing Dippers, was lucky enough to see a pair with three fledglings, spent the whole week with them. Loved it .

[@simoneardley]

Nice one Steve, yeh theyre fascinating to watch in the water 👀👌🏼

[@ggwildlife]

excellent footage Simon and a great invention keep'em coming.

[@simoneardley]

More to come!👍🏼

[@JohnTomasella]

The lengths you go through for the photo is impressive. Well done with the platform.

[@simoneardley]

Cheers John 👍🏼

[@1ongava]

Proper loved this episode! Even better for a Tommy Dick Fingers reference!, class I've got the exact same legs on my old Shakespeare box, might be repurposed now. Loads of dippers down here, are they ready for a dipper deck?? I'm not sure. Come visit sometime, we have good tea in Devon.

[@simoneardley]

Haha, I'm impressed. A Southerner who gets a Pheonix Nights reference!! Respect😆😆. Get yourself one made, once youve got a Dipper deck, you'll never look back👌🏼🤣👀

[@1ongava]

@SIMON EARDLEY ha some of us are ok! I was an early convert, That Peter Kay Thing was genius, huge fans during Uni days. PN was brilliant too, "snake eyes" Hahaha. Good job you're not a Kiwi building a Dipper Deck! Right I better get out to the garage!

[@narinthip3058]

Really admire your hard work and dedication. The footage is awesome both video and still images. Cheers.

[@simoneardley]

Thank you very much!

[@andywhiteside16]

Again Simon you nailed it

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Andy😀

[@MarcioAussie1]

Absolutely super video, actually one of the best I've ever seen on KZbin. With your skill and talent you should 100% be working for some of the major wildlife TV companies. 👌🏻👌🏻

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Marcus, now that would be a result 👌🏼🎥

[@tonyfluertynaturephotograp5272]

Looks a better setup than Trond used a wee while ago. It seems the RIGHT way to do it lol

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Tony, everyone has a different way to get the shots theyre after. Mine' s not quite as portable as Tronds!!😆👍🏼

[@tonyfluertynaturephotograp5272]

@@simoneardley portable is handy but comfy is everything lol

[@paulbaldwin2290]

Great video Simon excellent work as usual great footage and great camo👌but no reply to my other comments 🤔

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Paul, thanks for watching but get lots of requests for shout outs but tend not to on the films mate👍🏼

[@paulbaldwin2290]

@@simoneardley no worries thanks for replying buddy 👍🍻love your videos 👏👏

[@gregwilsonnaturephotography]

Hey Simon, perfect video and solution to being comfortable. The only thing that would make this more perfect is if you were using the Z9! Ah.. I have to twist your gears a bit... beautiful images of the Dipper for sure. I love your idea and persistent. The day after my wife and I got married on our honeymoon was the first time I ever saw a Dipper. Wonderful birds! Greg

[@simoneardley]

Haha, cheers Greg. The OM's doing the job for me at the moment👍🏼 Never say never though. Dippers are a great subject mate, youre right 👍🏼

[@adamsibbald1163]

Another great video Simon, love it as always. One request, please do something about the spikes on top of the legs, if you slip in the river you would impale on them 😢

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Adam, point noted. Pardon the pun 👍😉

[@laurencearnold5822]

Beautiful shots and footage Simon , you are on the same wavelength as me with ideas. I used a 3’ square pallet with my chest wader and a mat but this was non adjustable, this was not an issue as I was on a shallow weir sill. Grey Wagtails we’re the quarry must give it a go again as Kingfishers have taken over my Summer👍👍

[@simoneardley]

Nice one Laurence, chest waders are always a good shout!!👍🏼

[@philipswan1016]

I enjoyed that video I wish you'd put more stills into your videos

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Philip, i'll take that on board

[@stephenbarlow2493]

Great set up and some superb footage. I used to live in the Forest of Bowland a long time ago. My one bit of advice, and please don't take this as negative criticism, only how to get even better footage, is to work on light direction so you've got the light from directly behind you, to open up the shadows.

[@simoneardley]

No worries Steve, I get what youre saying but when youre shooting up river youre kind of tied to one direction really. Thanks for watching 👍🏼

[@garywebster8355]

Fantastic simon as always.

[@simoneardley]

Many thanks Gary 👍🏼

[@johnchecketts1732]

Afternoon Simon brilliant video mate I had a vision of the raft giving away from you and you ending up in the river mate well done mate take care

[@simoneardley]

Now that would have made a good film John !!🤣 Not good for the gear though😩

[@littlemike50]

Great work again Simon, love the platform, Nice images aswell... if I get a chance later I will try and pm you a few images of little session I done on the East Lynn River in Devon with adult feeding young, all the best Mike...

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Mike, got the images mate. Great work !!👍🏼

[@littlemike50]

@@simoneardley cheers Simon...

[@seanrooney6486]

Great video as always Simon. I have clicked on your etsy link to buy a beanbag, but its a broken link.. could you post the correct one in the comments please?

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Sean, I've tried to ammend it. If you can't get on it just go on Etsy.co.uk and type in Eardley Creations. Cheers pal.

[@satcat]

Nice one Simon, dedication is the name of the game.. been there and got one great shot, but was worth it....keep at it mate..

[@simoneardley]

Cheers Dennis, will do 👍🏼

[@rashmore7237]

Are you entering Talent Trek this year ? You'd have a great chance of winning with this video and those stills.

[@simoneardley]

Haha, thanks for that 👊🏼

[@neilcole3406]

Dipper decks now available £199.00 see below for details…………ha ha

[@simoneardley]

Cheap at twice the price 🤣

[@MadDogGiraffe]

How do you do this without your neck aching within 2min? Good effort!

[@simoneardley]

Haha, it lasted about 5 minutes before the stiff neck kicked in Stephen !!!😆😆

[@richardhutchings921]

Nice hat, who made it?

[@simoneardley]

I've had it yonks, its made by ANIMAL

[@juanantoniocorbascorral8592]

👏👏👏👏👏💯💯

[@anthonyhurren5613]

Well done Simon what a great project! you were well rewarded for all that prep 👍 did you use auto focus on the Olympus with bird eye detect for the video footage or did you jump to manual? Ant

[@simoneardley]

Thanks Ant, I used manual for the video but I'm certainly going to try the auto focus with tracking. I'm hoping it can cope with slower moving subjects. Have you used it yourself?

[@anthonyhurren5613]

@@simoneardley hi Simon I have the new Fuji X-H2s which is fab with animal eye detect a lot of the time but with video it’s not great in auto for all situations you can get minute drifting, so I can defaulting to manual in video but occasionally for birds in flight against the sky it’s not too bad for video👍

[@alandearson1270]

Great vid as normal,I have now got my OM-1 and was wondering what programme you use for post processing.

[@simoneardley]

Nice one Alan, I use Lightroom Classic and Topaz Denoise