I’m in Wanaka at the moment, where it is windy and mostly warm. It’s great to get back into the photography groove after exams, and these Australasian Crested Grebes were very co-operative. Aren’t their chicks gorgeous? There are platforms for the parents to nest on all along the little marina on the lake, and many pairs are sitting on eggs, while a few have these little fluffy bundles on their back, where they carry them until they get to about this size.

With waterbirds, you want to get to their eye-level to photograph them. Looking down on them gives an awkward angle and makes them look small. At eye-level or water-level, you can make an eye-contact connection, as well as showing off their graceful lines (and in this case, regal hairstyle!). To achieve this, I lay down on a floating jetty that was rocking in the windy waters, and waited for them to swim past. After several passes, I was reasonably sure I had a nice composition with parent and chick, but stayed a bit longer and finally got this.

Tips from today?

-Get on level with your subject, even if it means getting a bit dirty.

-Stay longer. Always. It’s always worth it to get as much time as possible with your subject: you never know what might happen as you start to put your camera away.