Macro Photography walkabout + Snakes, Lizards & Frogs : Wildlife Photography & Film-making

Dear Friends,
I haven't done a macro photography walkabout in ages so thought I should take the opportunity whilst I'm still at Lake Kerkini where there are milliions of amazing bugs and spiders to photograph.
Following which I spent a couple of hours down by one of the harbours photographing and filming snakes, lizards, frogs and terrapins.
This is likely to be the last video for a while as I'm leaving Lake Kerkini and heading down to Athens.
Hope you enjoy and hope to see you again soon..!
g
PS. I misidentified the snake in this video.. it is in fact a Natrix Tessellata, aka. Dice Snake.
Affiliated Links to kit I use:
MACRO KIT:
Canon 100mm f2.8 IS MACRO: amzn.to/2UtU1JN
Extension Tubes : amzn.to/3xFVomN
Speedlite Diffuser : amzn.to/3iZsXfx
GENERAL KIT:
Tripod: Rollei Rock Solid Alpha : amzn.to/3eUN6Bz
Tripod Head: Manfrotto Fluid Head: amzn.to/3sb37Hu
Backpack: MindShift Gear FirstLight 40L : amzn.to/3tKa5DH
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K: tidd.ly/30XCVUH
Rode Video Mic: amzn.to/3gFrU1Q
Binoculars: Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 : amzn.to/2PbkSYx
Muckmaster Boots: amzn.to/3pdKnqE
Complete list of affiliated links to my favourite gear & clothing plus other resources I am happy to recommend:
www.photography...
Websites:
PATREON: / geopictorial
EDITORIAL: www.geopictoria...
WORKSHOPS: www.photography...
All Music Licensed from Artlist : artlist.io/

[@tbannikov]

Great stuff, George! Though check out the snake ID - I believe it's a dice snake (Natrix tessellata). All the best!

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Thanks Timo.. much appreciate it and you are correct in your IDing... but I couldn't edit the video after I had uploaded it.. it is indeed a Tessellata..! 😊👍

[@JohnFormstone]

Another beautiful upload George. There is such a diversity of wildlife there. All the best. John. 👍

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Thanks so much John..!! Cheers.. g

[@HeleneBlonsky]

Τελειοοοοο!! Και τι χρώματα! 😍😍

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

❤️❤️😘😘

[@shaunmurray2307]

Cracking work

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Thank you so much Shaun..!! Really appreciate you saying so! g

[@diedrichmusic3696]

Very calming to watch! :)

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Thank you Diedrich..! Best wishes to you.. g

[@shantanupawar1452]

Love your video George. Can you please tell me what camera body did you use the first and the one you swapped it with and the other lens too. What was the Samsung attachment and other things on your camera, haven't seen anything like that before 😃

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Hi Shantanu and thank you for your comment..! The first camera body you see me using is the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 6K (BMPCC 6K) which I use for recording the video.. it is rigged with a SmallRig cage on which is attached a Samsung T5 1Tb HDD drive for writing the video to and a Core SWX PowerBase battery pack underneath for extra recording time . The other camera I swap to is my Canon 5D MkIV which is my main photography camera. The first lens you see me using for the bugs is the Canon 100mm f2.8L Macro and then I switch to the Canon 500mm F4 L II for the snakes and other pond life. Hope that is of some help..! Many thanks again and best wishes.. g

[@frankanderson5012]

I've recently found your channel and have been going through your videos. I have to say, they have been hugely entertaining, varied and informative. They're also different from the other similar mainstream content out there which, for the most part, tend to be much the same as each other. Can't understand why you haven't got more followers. People don't know what they're missing. I'm also amazed by how much these places you do your photography in Greece, look like the UK. In fact I presumed you were until you mentioned Jackals so that was really confusing.

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Thank you so much Frank for taking the time to comment.. I really do appreciate it.. especially when so complimentary.. 😊 ..and I'm so glad you're enjoying them ! It's been a struggle truth be told to get the number of subs I have.. maybe something to do with the algorithm that I'm not getting or maybe Greece isn't of that much interest to people..? I don't know to be honest but I'll be carrying on regardless as I still enjoy making them when I can. Thanks again & all the best to you..!! g

[@ZisDimitris4444]

Helo George .Pleasant this change with new representatives of wildlife . Really how long will you stay here in Athens? If you have some free time we treat you a cofee !!

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Hi Z..! I will be staying a while.. and would be happy to meet for a coffee..!!

Nice video, Like 27 and Bye from Italy :)

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Thank you..!! 👍

[@TocTocTrax]

I really like what you do with your channel. Very interesting and beautiful footage. Keep on going! Greetings from Belgium.

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Thank you so much..! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment.. and greetings to you too from Greece..! g

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks George. Amazing as always! So impressed with your ability to identify wildlife. Have a good trip down to Athens. Any chance of a video from there? Not sure what the urban wildlife scene is like in the city? In any case, I’ll look forward to the next video, whatever it is.

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Hi James..!! Thank you.. and Yes..! I will be trying to shoot over the next few weeks from Athens and surrounds though it will be a challenge as temps are now 37C+ here..! As soon as I find a flat to live I will be out exploring again..! All the best to you my friend... g

[@JamesKerLindsay]

@@GeorgeSBlonsky Blimey! I remember those temperatures from my days living in Greece and Cyprus. Not much fun in the city. Good luck with the flat hunting.

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

😂🙏

[@sorintud]

No more comments, simply wonderful!

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Thank you so much Sorin..!!

[@robertlawrence7958]

Another excellent video George. Your video editing skills and the way you integrate the music is superb. How do you perceive yourself? Would you prefer to be considered a videographer who also shoots stills or a stills photographer who also shoots video? Or maybe simply a photographer who works in both mediums? It interested me to see the spider and the trapped beetle and like yourself I felt the cruelty of nature in that clip with the beetle spinning away helplessly. Yet, when photographed as a stills image I found that to be my favourite image of this session. I wonder if that is because as a still image there is a feeling that the end has already arrived for the beetle and therefore it is not actually suffering. Anyway, good luck in Athens and we will look forward to your return. All the best.

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Hi Robert and thank you as always for taking the time to comment..! ...originally I trained as a photojournalist.. so in truth I am a photographer.. but having said that.. in the last few years I've been getting more in to the video and am loving it.. and this year I've been involved in the making of a major TV doc for Nat Geo as a cameraman and that has been amazing.. I guess I'm just a photographer now that works in both mediums like you say.. :-) It's interesting what you say about the spider and beetle shot.. I know exactly what you mean..! It's one of those situations where, I guess, because in the still you can't see that the poor beetle is still alive you have the impression that its all over already... ..thanks again for all your support and hopefully I'll be making another from Athens in the next few weeks.. all the best to you.. g

[@marieta.s]

Hi George, I am catching up a little bit late with your videos. I’d like to ask what kind of resources are you using to identify each species? I am using various local guides and recently I discovered inaturalist for my identifications. Is there anything else I could be using? Also sorry for the dumb question but do you use autofocus with the macro lens when handholding? Bugs and animals don’t stay still for long and I was wondering what is the right technique for handholding.

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Hi Marieta.. lovely to hear from you.. For birds I use Collins "Bird Guide" both the book and the App as well as "Smart Bird ID" App.. for the butterflies I use the Collins Butterflies book and for the bugs I use internet as I haven't found a book for insects & spiders of Greece... you can also post a pic on "anagnoriseis" Facebook page and there are plenty of experts that will help identify.. For macro i usually set the lens on its minimum focus distance and then move the camera in and out physically to achieve focus.. and take bursts of photos as the critter comes in to focus.. autofocus on macro doesn't really work very well because you move one mm or the bug moves and its instantly out again.. try also going out early in the morning for bugs before they get too active.. and it's not a dumb question..! Hope that helps a little..! g

[@marieta.s]

@@GeorgeSBlonsky Hi George, thank you for the prompt reply. As always you have been very helpful 😃. Regarding the identifications there is a website called herpetofauna.org where they specialize in snakes, lizzards etc. for spiders there is a section on projectnoah.org and there is another website called spiderid.com where they also have a section on greek spiders. I am also using the biodiversitygr.org website for a lot of my ids and naturegraeca.com for reference. You might find them useful. At least these don’t require uploading any pictures like inaturalist does. Also please tale care while being in Athens, covid cases are on the rise again and being in the capital where there are the largest numbers is way different than being up North in Kerkini.

[@mb-hb1fr]

Is it possible to capture snakes with a macro lens of 1:1 ratio?

[@GeorgeSBlonsky]

Hi mb.. it could be possible, potentially.. but you'd have to firstly make sure the snake is not a dangerous one, secondly ensure you are not stressing the snake by being so close and lastly have a snake that is not only not scared of you but is amenable to being photographed and will sit still long enough for you to take the pic.. I think with wild snakes the preferred methods should be keep your distance and use a long lens or set your camera up on a small tripod and use a wide angle and trigger via remote when the snake enters the frame.. or.. shoot "tame" snakes or snakes in a terrarium through the glass.. hope of some help.. all the best..g