Badger (Bore)

[Trev B]

Badgers are perhaps the easiest of British mammals to photograph - at the Sett. They emerge, have a sniff of the air, have a good scratch and stretch and then trundle off for their nights foraging. Photographing them away from the sett is something completely different. At my Sett I have lighting set up (electric) with various brackets for fixing flash units - triggered remotely. You can get a decent pictures every time, but basically the same picture every time. I decided I wanted to get pictures of them away from the sett, so set up various feeding points around the area using honey. Last night I lay in wait at one such point, for a couple of hours not knowing if any of them would turn up. Eventually this bore appeared, not the best of shots by any means. The problem being I had the flash mounted directly alongside the camera rather than say at a 45% angle which I have at the sett. Red eye can be a problem in this situation, I know I can go on Photoshop to correct the problem, but I prefer to get it right in camera. I have today made a couple of long extension brackets and will try two flash units tonight - weather permitting.

Bore Badger out foraging. Shot taken at 22.50 hours.
1597 - Bore Badger 1597110423 by Trev Bartlett MBE, on Flickr

[tigerburnie]

Good work getting the shot.

[Bill53]

Great shot Trev, beautiful animals.

[@imagesBV]

Nice work….I like a good engineering solution and that you can in some way guide behaviour to get the shot you want.

[El Sid]

[Lavenderhill]

Lovely shot.
Rose

[Farider]

A good shot Trev and it’s great to read about the taking of it. I think you’re going to need wet weather gear if you go out tonight!

Ian

[Trev B]

A good shot Trev and it’s great to read about the taking of it. I think you’re going to need wet weather gear if you go out tonight!

Ian

Ian, those days are long since gone, highly unlikely there would be much activity badgers are not great fans of rain and windy conditions - they can’t get positive scenting in windy conditions. At the moment here it’s pouring in rain backed up by 60-70mph winds.

[Daisy M]

Like that Trev, looks like you will be building a good little set(t) of your own.

[Colin W]

Well done Trev, a great photo.

[Trev B]

Many thanks everyone for your comments - this is very hit and miss, I'm still working at several other locations, some sitting for two hours and seeing nothing!