# I´m a hobby photographer



## Vargur

Hi all, I´m a hobby photographer.
I take mostly photos of birds but occasionally I take photos of arctic foxes and horses.

here are some of my favorite photos and here is the link to my webpage

https://www.flickr.com/photos/elmaben/


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https://flic.kr/p/qYumKj


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https://flic.kr/p/paXpTv


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https://flic.kr/p/fxkjG4


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https://flic.kr/p/bRg8r6


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https://flic.kr/p/c9jYeE

Please do not post my images on the forum. Thank you.


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## aluz

Wow, those pics are quite impressive, you are very talented! 
I especially loved the ones of the bird with the fish on its beak and those close shots of the eagle.
Thanks for sharing!


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## Peetysmom

wow they are spectacular photos! Great Job!


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## despoinaki

VERY impressive work you did there!  I really like the eagle pics! Great photos!! Thanks for sharing!


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## Budgiekeet

Very stunning pictures you have captured. Thank you for sharing .


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## Jedikeet

Wow u must be a professional photographer, Elma. Your photos look just like the ones on National Geographic, very nice!:thumbsup:


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## 4711

Awesome shots!

You ought to consider watermarking your pictures, and resizing them to make use of them when stolen more limited!

And lastly, have you considered to offer them as stock photo to make a little bit of coin off them?

the quality is certainly well past 'hobby'!


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## FaeryBee

*Elma --

I'm speechless! Your photos are BEYOND AWESOME!! :wow:

I'm totally impressed by your abilities as a photographer :hug:
Are they frequently published in wildlife magazines?

Here is the US you could do large matted framed copies of your photographs and sell them for quite a lot of money. Wildlife photography is often exhibited at "Craft Fairs" in this area and is always the first thing I go to look at!

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful pictures with us!*


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## Kate C

Elma they are seriously good pictures. They are definitely well beyond a hobby quality. I agree that they should be published.

I too love the ones of the Eagle and the Ducks. But I also love the ones of the horses. They are just stunning.


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## 4711

what camera/lens are you using!


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## jrook

VERY Impressive!!!/// you are so talented.. I've always admired the photos of your own little birds.. now I see why. I'm sure you have published and sold much of your work.


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## Vargur

4711 said:


> what camera/lens are you using!


Hi I am Using Canon EOS 7D and Canon 400 mm f/5,6.
Im maybe gonna buy me a new Canon EOS 7D II this summer



4711 said:


> Awesome shots!
> 
> You ought to consider watermarking your pictures, and resizing them to make use of them when stolen more limited!
> 
> And lastly, have you considered to offer them as stock photo to make a little bit of coin off them?
> 
> the quality is certainly well past 'hobby'!


HI thank you 

I will watermark them when I get better software like photoshop.
Now I am only putting my name in the corner of each photo.

I havent sold many photos. I dont really advertise much.
But occasionally I allow people to use one and one picture in essays, on webpages.. etc.

Everybody: Im glad you like my photos  
Thank you for nice comments! I really appreciate it!


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## kcladyz

very nice! If you are ever in my area I know where you can find Bald Eagles to photograph


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## Vargur

I would love to photograph bald eagles, Heidi


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## Vargur

One from last summer


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https://flic.kr/p/ooLNz5

and one from my new camera!
its really sharp


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https://flic.kr/p/r8tnMu


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## despoinaki

Wow!! The new photo is so great!! I see these birds here, they are beautiful!


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## FaeryBee

*Elma,

Your photos leave me breathless and are, without question, professional quality!*


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## WendyBob

Stunning photo's I love them


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## Vargur

This pair of black swans, visited Iceland for about two weeks, from Europe (not Australia) 


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https://flic.kr/p/sqqmb2

Little Icelandic lamb

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https://flic.kr/p/sK5GyS

Great northern Diver

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https://flic.kr/p/umKd3Z

Short - eared owl

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https://flic.kr/p/ufKhjQ

Raven nestlings

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https://flic.kr/p/uwjnrc


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## Budgiezilla

The new pictures are beautiful. It's probably no surprise I especially love the one of the baby ravens in their nest.


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## StarlingWings

Breathtaking, Elma!!
These are absolutely breathtaking. You're enormously talented and these definitely are not "just hobby" These are stunning and I'm shamelessly going to admit I just spend the better part of two hours looking through all your pictures! 

Wow, I'm absolutely amazed, these are just :wow: 
Thank you so much for sharing!


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## Brienne

Wow, superb photography...have looked through them, as well...especially love the horses and the 'laughing face' on the Harlequin Duck...wish I had half your talent...thank you for sharing


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## RavensGryf

I'm glad this thread was brought up again! Wow, such talent you have with the camera Elma . I loved looking at all the bird species, and such beautiful scenery in Iceland too. Professional quality photography for sure.

I love the pics of the Ravens, and I see you have many. I'm fascinated by them. I have a Bronze Winged Pionus parrot who is very dark blue/bronze/charcoal, and named Raven. I have never seen a Raven in person. They're up in our mountains I think, but not in the cities or suburbs where I live. Only Crows around here!


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## Vargur

Budgiezilla said:


> The new pictures are beautiful. It's probably no surprise I especially love the one of the baby ravens in their nest.


Thank you! It was very hard for me to photograph the nest, it was high up and Im very afraid of heights.



StarlingWings said:


> Breathtaking, Elma!!
> These are absolutely breathtaking. You're enormously talented and these definitely are not "just hobby" These are stunning and I'm shamelessly going to admit I just spend the better part of two hours looking through all your pictures!
> 
> Wow, I'm absolutely amazed, these are just :wow:
> Thank you so much for sharing!


Thank you  I love photographing birds (and other animals)


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## Vargur

RavensGryf said:


> I'm glad this thread was brought up again! Wow, such talent you have with the camera Elma . I loved looking at all the bird species, and such beautiful scenery in Iceland too. Professional quality photography for sure.
> 
> I love the pics of the Ravens, and I see you have many. I'm fascinated by them. I have a Bronze Winged Pionus parrot who is very dark blue/bronze/charcoal, and named Raven. I have never seen a Raven in person. They're up in our mountains I think, but not in the cities or suburbs where I live. Only Crows around here!


We have a lot of ravens (no crows here)

We feed the ravens in our garden at winter.


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## jean20057

Elma, your pictures are gorgeous! I'm visiting my parents in ohio, and she walked in and just said "wow, those are beautiful!" Very impressive!


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## SeaToSky2432

Absolutely stunning pictures. I am very much amazed at the diversity of birds and mammals on Iceland.

Your pictures are an absolute eye-opener. Will refer this to my family members for sure.

SeaToSky

PS: Have you considered sending these pictures to National Geographic? Lol


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## Didoushkaya

Elma, from a photography lover to a professional, I would just like to say thank you for sharing your beautiful shots. I do hope that you are shooting commercially, or at least considering it


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## Vargur

SeaToSky2432 said:


> Absolutely stunning pictures. I am very much amazed at the diversity of birds and mammals on Iceland.
> 
> Your pictures are an absolute eye-opener. Will refer this to my family members for sure.
> 
> SeaToSky
> 
> PS: Have you considered sending these pictures to National Geographic? Lol


Thank you  yes I have considering it. Maybe I will try next year. Want to capture Merlins on nest this summer and maybe I will send then few pictures.



Didoushkaya said:


> Elma, from a photography lover to a professional, I would just like to say thank you for sharing your beautiful shots. I do hope that you are shooting commercially, or at least considering it


Thank you  I have not shoot for commercial, but I have sold few pictures to be printed out on postcards and pillow cushions for example.

I put few more photos on my page  check it out!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/elmaben


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## Didoushkaya

Vargur said:


> Thank you  I have not shoot for commercial, but I have sold few pictures to be printed out on postcards and pillow cushions for example.
> 
> I put few more photos on my page  check it out!


You aquarium shots are stunning.

As for the wild collection, I'm guessing that you must be an early riser 

I always try to have all my hobbies (including photography) pay for themselves and even though I do not come near being as good as you are, I have been successful so far (all my cameras and lenses were bought with money I made from my photography). From the quality of your shots, my guess is that you should be able to make a living out of it


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## Vargur

What camera /lenses do you have?

everything here is like 3 times more expensive than other places in earth!
So I only own one lens to photograph birds/animals. One for landscape and one for people/portraits.. 

my dream lenses.. I cant choose only one.. Canon 300mm f/2,8, Canon 500mm f/4
or Canon 600mm f/4


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## Didoushkaya

Vargur said:


> What camera /lenses do you have?
> 
> everything here is like 3 times more expensive than other places in earth!
> So I only own one lens to photograph birds/animals. One for landscape and one for people/portraits..
> 
> my dream lenses.. I cant choose only one.. Canon 300mm f/2,8, Canon 500mm f/4
> or Canon 600mm f/4


They all sound like excellent choices 

My camera is nothing fancy, just a Canon 700D, which is not the professional model but I chose because it was equipped with the latest generation of sensors -extremely sensitive. It's a very affordable camera for the results it gets.

I have the same problem as you regarding equipment prices -New Zealand is just as far away from everywhere as Iceland, even if our weather is much more clement  What I do is buy direct from Hong-Kong. The best way to go about it is to look for HK dealers on eBay who come with impeccable feedback. Some of them will even guarantee that you don't end up paying import taxes.

But from what I see, you don't need any better equipment than you already have. Your talent is more than enough anyway!


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## FaeryBee

*Elma,

I agree with Dee completely. 
The clarity and expressiveness of your photography is superb! :hug:

In addition to selling your photography as wall art, you could easily sell your photos to wildlife magazines, companies that produce calendars, greeting cards, etc.

You have a true gift and I thank you for sharing it with us. *


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## Vargur

Thank you!

It means a lot to me!:grouphug::hug:


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## Didoushkaya

What are you doing about selling your work?
I don't know if you're interested but this article is full of really good info:
So You Want To Sell Your Wildlife Images?

One of my very best friends and at times pro bono client is a professional photographer. I have been working with her a lot on marketing herself as a photographer. If you ever would like some pointers please do PM me. I'll be glad to provide the little help I may be able to offer.


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## Vargur

My new photos, take a look  https://www.flickr.com/photos/elmaben


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## Vargur

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https://flic.kr/p/vkWFdj

three GND in one photo

Golden plover pretending she is having broken wings.. because I was next to her nest with four eggs. 

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https://flic.kr/p/wfdqiJ

Juvenile Merlin

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https://flic.kr/p/uXBJXc

Merlin mom feeding her chicks

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https://flic.kr/p/vC5GWq

baby merlins

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https://flic.kr/p/vkk43G

RTD with chicks on a very calm water

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https://flic.kr/p/uGdFcQ

baby arctic fox

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https://flic.kr/p/unzcLD

GND wings

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https://flic.kr/p/umKd3Z

I hope you like


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## Kate C

Brilliant pictures Elma. I particularly like the baby Merlin's and the baby Arctic Fox, he is so cute.


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## Jonah

Very lovely photo work Elma...thank you for sharing with us...


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## FaeryBee

*Elma,

As always, I'm in awe of your talent and totally in love with your photographs.

The sweet baby arctic fox is just as cute as a puppy dog and I'm completely smitten with him!*


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## babytommy

Your photography is definitely some of the best I've ever seen! If you ever start selling prints, please let us know. I know I'll definitely want to buy at least one, and I'm sure others here will be interested as well!


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## Vargur

Thank you!

Im so glad you like them!!


:cheers::whoo::clap:


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