3200 ISO (and some whimsy)

I don't tend to shoot at higher than 1600 ISO on the OM-1.  Even with Lightroom denoise the image quality goes down, losing some sharpness and dynamic range.  It's a limitation for low light shooting.

Perhaps I should reconsider.  Here's 100% crops of two shots of a very cooperative European Robin, both taken with the OM-1 and 40 to 150mm f2.8 PRO.  f5.6, 1/160sec.  The first has no noise reduction, the second Lightroom denoise.  Click to embiggen.

No Noise reduction

Lightroom denoise

The denoised file is certainly cleaner in the background but on the body of the robin the feather detail is pretty similar.  If I was preparing this for publication I'd be happy to submit it withour noise reduction.  It would hold up.

One more weapon in the armoury.

Not that I would submit it to Alamy or another stock agency.  The uncropped file will show why.

Cluttered, messy with bird dropping on the plant label, it's not going to attract any interest from buyers.  But it does have potential for a bit of whimsy.  So, generative AI removal of the label dropping and text in Lightroom, a transfer to Photoshop to generate replacement text, and we have a self labelled bird portrait.  Isn't digital photography fun!*

*I'm 76, well into my second childhood so I find my fun where I can.

Summer Migrants

It's been, by UK standards, a hot, dry and sunny summer.  With the favourable weather conditions it's also been an exceptional year for migrant moths and butterflies, heading over the Channel to feed, possibly breed, but ultimately pay the price of our cold damp winters.  They may be commonplace in more southerly European climates but for us, they can be rarer and hence to be treasured.

It's been an exceptional year for Clouded Yellow butterflies, Colias croceus.  There are always a few reported every year but this year has been exceptional.  I last saw one over twenty five years ago.  This year, even in South West Devon, there's been a multitude.  I was able to get a few shots.  They do love Buddleja.

Painted Lady butterflies, Vanessa cardui, are common enough to be seen every year but rarely in the numbers I've seen this year.  So much so I could even capture pristine specimens in flight.

These are both obligate migrants.  Movement out of their core Southern habitats is a dispersal mechanism.  They feed, they breed, and at least some of the offspring head south again rather than perishing in our winters.  Much the same can be siad for some of our migrant moths.  I was pleased to trap a Convolvulus Hawk-math, Agrius convolvuli, yesterday...

Convolvulus Hawk-moth

...and we've had loads of Humming Bird Hawk-moths,  rather than the one or two that I see every year.

There are many other migrant moths.  Here's another three I've photographed this year.  It's always fun looking in the trap after a night outside.

Rhodometra sacraria, Vestal 

Udea ferrugalis, Rusty-dot Pearl

Small Mottled Willow, Spodoptera exigua

As always, click to embiggen.

Dragons and Damsels 2026

I could never make a living as full time dragonfly and damselfly photographer.  I have neither the time nor the resources to do the travelling involved in seeking out the rarer species both in the UK and abroad.  But they're fun to photograph so every now and then I'll sit by a lake or stream where they're flying and take my shots  It's usually relaxing, sometimes frustrating, but rewarding when I capture a decent flight or behavioural shot.

So here's my pick of this summer's crop.  Taken with either the OM Systems 100-400 mm MKII or the 40-150mm +1.4x teleconverter.

Emperor dragonfly female egg laying

Blue male and green female Azure damselflies mating wheel

Broad bodied chaser male on perch

Beautiful demoiselle female at rest

Beautiful demoiselle male at rest

Common blue damselfly male

Golden ringed dragonfly

Broad bodied chaser female

Male Emperor dragonfly resting on an Astlbe

Souther Hawker male in flight

Male Common Darter

In the great scheme of things it's not a significant crop.  But, hey, it was fun.