Rear focussing is where you separate the operation of the shutter release from the operation of autofocus. Traditionally (at least on Canon cameras) a half-press of the shutter button would start up autofocus, start up exposure metering, and then to take the photo you would continue to press down all the way and thus fire the shutter. Canon bodies have long had the ability, via custom functions, to have a button on the rear (under the thumb) operate autofocus and metering, leaving the shutter button exclusively for the shutter (although it meters again as well). I used to operate my venerable EOS 1N like this something like 15 years ago! When I got back into photography after a longish break, I bought an EOS 30D that didn’t have this capability - either that or I forgot how I used to work. I trashed my 30D relatively quickly, and even when I finally saw sense and got a 1D Mark II, I continued to use the shutter button in the default mode.  The great advantage of separating the two functions is that you can leave the AF mode in “AI Servo/Continuous Focus)” 100% of the time, and when you have a static subject you can focus, stop focussing and recompose, and then just use the shutter button to actually take the picture. No more needing to change the mode between "One Shot" and "AI Servo". One of my favourite photographers Arthur Morris extols the virtues of this technique here, and offers a far better explanation than I can. I’ve wanted to change for a while, especially now that I have the 800mm f5.6 lens – when using this with a 1.4x teleconverter only the central AF point is available, which is pretty useless for composition – but up until now I’ve always been too scared to make the change as I felt I’d be all confused when a great opportunity came along. So throughout Shetland and Tobago I persisted with what I knew best. Finally, this year, I manned up and made the changes on my two camera bodies – think of it as a New Year’s resolution. Best relearn how to do it now before my trip to Morocco, and there aren’t many great photo opportunities in the UK midwinter. So everything I have posted up this year – Bearded Tits, my children (on the other blog), Fieldfares, Ducks, the local Turaco, Gulls – has been with the new settings. It’s still not completely natural, and a big problem with gloves is that I continually hit the exposure lock button at the same time, but gradually I think I’m getting there. It is certainly a lot more versatile, and though there have been several times when I’ve nearly switched it back, I’ve managed to hold off. Wish that I could be that strict with my diet! Hopefully some sunshine tomorrow and an opportunity to get out and practice some more.

Fieldfare was virtually absent on the patch for the first couple of weeks in January this year. When the cold weather arrived though, so did they - now outnumbering Redwings 20:1. To help get the birds through the hard weather a local birder has been putting apples out, spiking them onto a Hawthorn shrub. The birds are still very nervous, as this species always is, but it provides a rare opportunity to get close to them. I spent a quiet half hour today (instead of eating lunch!) photographing one particalur bird that didn't seem to mind my presence too much - I made sure I was slow and deliberate, and was rewarded with the nicest shots I've yet got of this beautiful thrush. The snow on the ground made for excellent and even lighting, and for the first time in ages I didn't have to shoot at silly ISOs and so was back to my regular 400. Thank heavens for small mercies, as well as birds fairly content to sit still and have their picture taken! Hopefully I can get out to this feeding station a few more times before the snow melts and the birds move on, as with patience I think I could get a nice clean background and do a better job on the whites. Still, for a smash-and-grab raid in the middle of the working day, I can't say I'm unhappy!

All images taken with the Canon 1D Mark IV body, with the tripod-mounted 800mm f5.6 lens.

A rotten weekend for photography, and when the opportunity to catch a good bird came this afternoon I found myself stuck indoors! Such is life, and I'm back to work tomorrow. I didn't really set out with photography in mind on Saturday, I was more interested in whether I could get any decent birds on the patch as a result of the hard weather. So when I came across this drake Shoveler I wished I had brought support along, as well as something a bit longer than 300mm. I managed a relatively stable platform by lying down in the snow with the lens on the ground in front of me, but of course got wet and a bit muddy in the process. I added the 2x converter to give me some much-needed magnification, at the cost of two stops of light - f2.8 became f5.6, and my shutter speed fell to 1/250th. Still, the joys of IS mean that a little bit of detail is retained, and this despite the converter. Hoping to get some Fieldfares tomorrow on the way to work.