Michael Gillam's photostream  

http://bighugelabs.com/map.php

I've been shooting birds since about mid 2007 - how time (like a bird) flies. I don't shoot captive birds in any way or, birds in a zoo/aviary/bird park/etc.

I have three cameras but my weapon of choice is the Canon EOS 1Ds Mk III, I also have a 1Ds Mk II. I tend to use a Canon f:4 500mm lens for most of my wildlife - I have 1.4x and 2x converters but don't use them much as I prefer to get up-close and personal and I find they degrade the optics a little. I normally use a tripod but I hand-hold some of the bird shots however, the gear is heavy.

Here's a complete list of my lenses (all Canon) -
EF 500 mm f:4 L IS USM
EF 85 mm f:1.2 L II USM
MACRO 100mm EF f:2.8 USM
ZOOM EF 24-70 mm f:2.8 L USM
ZOOM EF 17-40 mm f:4 L USM
ZOOM EF 70-200 mm f:2.8 L IS USM

I also have a load of filters but don't use them much - I only use the polarizer if the light's really good since they can cost a couple of stops and it's usually dark enough already in the jungle.

I fire from a remote (cable release) whenever possible.

My default ISO is 200.

I have decided to restrict my photography to Thai birds but if I see anything interesting, I'll always shoot it. There are about 900 Thai birds and that's enough to keep me busy without looking in other parts of the world. My mission is to get the best shots that I can of as many birds as I can - the rarer the better but, it's the shot that's paramount.

I make a birding trip about one week in six, depending on the time of year. My wish-list includes Kingfishers, more Broadbills, Raptors, more Hornbills and as many "Bonus-birds" that come my way.

I've kept the Creative Commons access to my work pretty loose but please respect my pictures and ask my permission before using anything I've taken - I'll invariably say "yes". I've uploaded low-res shots to Flickr, if you require higher res shots or Tiffs, please let me know.