Photographing Badgers: A New Wildlife Photography Project

[@CamillaI]

A great project. I am hoping that someone I know in the New Forest is able to get out again soon as he has promised to show me his back garden Badger set. Lovely to watch thanks for sharing

[@BosePhotography]

It must be amazing to have badgers in the back garden! We bought a book recently by Richard Peters about setting up camera traps in your back garden, it's something we'd love to do but unfortunately our own garden is walled and isn't very badger friendly (so far the trail camera has only picked up a mouse!). I hope you can make it to your friend's garden soon, and good luck! S.

[@nordicwildlife]

What a a great story! Thanks for the video :)

[@davidpearce2981]

So much patience required, great effort Sam and Hannah

[@BosePhotography]

Ah, it is all worth it David! Thank you very much for watching! S.

[@ianspicer1529]

Slipping Jimmy is going to become a KZbin star....I can see it now!! Very enjoyable vLog and curiously, I don't mid at all the slightly blurred shot - it never-the-less captures the moment which, is I think the point? We've discussed badgers, I maintain a slightly ambivalent about them but, I have to admit they make completely charming photographic studies. Well done both of you.

[@BosePhotography]

Thanks Ian! I felt I had to try and justify the out of focus face, if it hadn't been for that the photo would have been a winner! I don't think it's too noticeable on YT or instagram, but I'm sure purists would bring me up on it. But yes, this was just one of those moments that stays with you and I was just glad to capture that, and just enjoy it, which is what it's all about after all!

[@TimsWildlife]

Nice work Sam and Hannah! I assume you shoot RAW and denoise in Lightroom? That can help :-). And neat video for video denoising. And finally, that speed booster coupled with an F2.8 lens to make it F2.0 effectively

[@stephenroberts28]

nice film Sam and Hannah ive recently found a badger set and there are 3 adults,ive also just brought a Camtraptions kit,which does all the work once ive set up the camera.im looking forward to hopfuly seeing some young cubs

[@BosePhotography]

Thank you very much Stephen, I hope you have some success! We're looking forward to getting back to this sett again soon, we also purchased a camtraptions setup over the winter but haven't had a chance to try it out yet, I'm looking forward to giving it a go! Sam.

[@robertlawrence7958]

Photographing badgers in woodland without resorting to flash can be difficult. It is also quite seasonal. I find that the best time of year is as the evenings get lighter yet before the canopy becomes too dense and blocks out too much light. I generally start around Easter. It's a lot easier these days when cameras are capable of getting good results at high iso's but even then I often have to resort to wide open apertures and slow shutter speeds. With good technique and support it is surprising how slow a shutter speed you can get away with although I then concentrate really hard on anticipating and capturing the moment when they are perfectly still. Persistence will bring its rewards.

[@BosePhotography]

Hi Robert, many thanks for your comment! This video was made back in the spring when it was still possible on occasion to see the badgers just before it became too dark, but it was still a struggle. I could do with a wide aperture lens really, Hannah took a few nice images later in the year with a 100mm f2.8, but I'm itching to buy a 300mm 2.8! Since making this video we have been monitoring multiple setts and we found another location that is far more open so I'm really excited about heading there next spring. Hopefully the patience will pay off in the end! Sam.

[@robertlawrence7958]

@@BosePhotography yes it can be pretty frustrating on times. I initially used the 70-200 f2. 8 but some parts of the sett were a bit further out and so I started to also use my venerable 400 f5. 6 prime. With good support and carefully choosing the best moment to shoot I did get some decent images with the longer lens (obviously the shorter f2. 8 still gave me more leeway light wise). When I changed from the 400 prime to the 100-400 with IS and a body that handled higher iso better my keeper rate improved, plus I had the benefit of one lens to cover most of the sett. Good luck.

[@ramblinman77]

Looks like your patience and persistence paid off. Excellent video and images. I always look forward to the videos you two post. Have a wonderful week.

[@BosePhotography]

Thank you very much Jim, we really appreciate your support! It felt so amazing to finally get somehwere with the badger photography, it has required quite a bit of work and patience! So worth it though! Hopefully we will have more badger videos to come :) S.

[@trevorwright6165]

well that was wonderful sam and Hannah thank you so much for all the time you put in to making this film all the very best from trev in Sussex

[@BosePhotography]

Thank you so much for watching Trev, we really appreciate it! It has been so rewarding to finally get some images of badgers, hopefully we'll be able to take more over the coming weeks! S.

[@thevalleywalker]

Ah great... looks like you have hit upon a location that you will be able to work in the following weeks. Nice footage and shots. Knowing how long you have both been wanting to do badgers it must be so exciting that you have found a location that might reap rewards. Good luck going forwad and will be watching and keeping my fingers crossed for you. Atb Alan

[@BosePhotography]

Thanks Alan! It has felt so good to finally have a bit of success, they're tricky to photograph! The hard work has all been worth it though! Hopefully we'll have some more success to share on the channel again soon. Hope you're keeping well, Sam.

[@DarrenKnightPhoto]

Well done guys. I’ve been watching your mountain hare videos (love them BTW) and your last Badger video Sam. I’m so pleased you’ve found a live set and look forward to your future videos. Now you’ve found them you must both be super excited

[@BosePhotography]

Hi Darren, thank you very much! Yes, we're really looking forward to being able to spend more time here, although we're trying not to pressure them too much. We were there again last night and had a close encounter with the adult this time. Hannah took some great photos, but I decided just to watch as my lens wasn't really up to the low light this time. We also saw a little owl on the drive home, absolutely amazing! Sam.

[@Macroadventures]

Great video guys. Looks like a perfect long term project. Good luck, looking forward to more updates and videos 👍🏻

[@BosePhotography]

Thank you very much! It is great to finally have a location where it's been possible to photograph badgers. Good luck with your own project by the way, it looks like you have a great area there too, we'll look forward to following how you get on! Sam

[@Macroadventures]

Sam and Hannah Bose Photography thank you, much appreciated. I have been back many times and started a Vlog but end up with nothing to show. I half a dozen intros recorded now. 😂 Good to be out though

[@BosePhotography]

@@Macroadventures Oh the troubles of trying to put wildlife photography on KZbin! I know exactly what it's like, we've been there so many times ourselves! I was looking through our folders of old clips to put some footage from my early badger attempts into this video and it's amazing how many random b-roll clips I have of Hannah or I walking backwards and forwards in front of the camera like muppets wearing camo!!! :)

[@kezimahl]

Snuffle holes... love this phrase

[@BosePhotography]

Hahaha, we were having a discussion yesterday about whether or not that was the 'technical' term!!! :)

[@davidknowles5519]

Great work guys thanks for sharing I only ever see them dead on the road which is so sadn

[@BosePhotography]

Thank you David, yes it is really sad to see them like that, but all too common. Hannah saw one on the road (alive thankfully) a few weeks ago, and that was the stimuli for us to start trying to photograph them again. S.

[@cillyede]

🤙🤙🤙🇩🇪

[@KGsPhotography]

Brilliant video guys. I have yet to capture a badger but am inspired to try harder now. Look forward to seeing what other images of the badgers you can get. Cheers Keith

[@BosePhotography]

Thanks Keith! It's taken us quite a while but it has been well worth the wait! Sam