BIF - Bats in Flight

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CharlesMFrancis

CharlesMFrancis

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Recently spent some time photographing bats around Gomantong Caves in Sabah, Malaysia.

Here are a few highlights of bats flying back into the cave in the early morning, just before dawn.

For those who are keen on bats, a larger collection can be found here: https://charles-francis.smugmug.com/Sabah-Wildllife/Gomantong-Bats-2024

Creagh's Horseshoe Bat flying into the cave.
Rhinolophus creaghi-20240214-0527_CMF5705_Gomantong-Edit-2.jpg
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Another Creagh's Horseshoe Bat banking tightly as it came around the corner
Rhinolophus creaghi-20240214-0550_CMF8332_Gomantong-Edit.jpg
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Two coming in together -- amazingly both were in focus
Rhinolophus creaghi-20240214-0552_CMF8382_Gomantong-Edit.jpg
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A Philippine Horseshoe Bat with an amazing large noseleaf.
Rhinolophhus philippinensis-20240214-0542_CMF5773_Gomantong-Edit-2.jpg
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Another Philippjne Horseshoe Bat
Rhinolophhus philippinensis-20240214-0610_CMF6379_Gomantong-Edit-2.jpg
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Incredible series! This is not a species (bats in general) I’m familiar with from a photography perspective. But I can appreciate the skill and preparation that went into these fantastic images…. Thanks for bringing these to the forum!
 
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CharlesMFrancis said:
Recently spent some time photographing bats around Gomantong Caves in Sabah, Malaysia.

Here are a few highlights of bats flying back into the cave in the early morning, just before dawn.

For those who are keen on bats, a larger collection can be found here: https://charles-francis.smugmug.com/Sabah-Wildllife/Gomantong-Bats-2024

Creagh's Horseshoe Bat flying into the cave.
View attachment 84402
Another Creagh's Horseshoe Bat banking tightly as it came around the corner
View attachment 84403
Two coming in together -- amazingly both were in focus
View attachment 84404
A Philippine Horseshoe Bat with an amazing large noseleaf.
View attachment 84401

Another Philippjne Horseshoe BatView attachment 84412
Click to expand...
WOW! Incredible shots Charles👍👍👍
 
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Glad you like them. For the little Myotis horsfieldi with its head tucked into its tail, I'm not quite sure whether it had caught an insect, or scooped up some water to drink, though I'd guess an insect, as there is no water dripping off the tail.
 
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Fiat said:
Wonderful shots! I wonder how close to the bat you were when you took those shots with FL = 62mm?
Click to expand...
The system was set up with the flashes less than a metre from the trip beam where the bats were flying through the cave entrance. The cameras were varying distances from about 1.5 - 4 metres away (the R5 with the 100-400 lens). It is necessary to shoot wide and crop when shooting bats, because it is impossible to predict exactly how the bats will frame themselves. If the shots are framed too close, to try to get the bats full frame, most of the shots end up with parts of the wings cut-off out of frame.
 
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CharlesMFrancis said:
The system was set up with the flashes less than a metre from the trip beam where the bats were flying through the cave entrance. The cameras were varying distances from about 1.5 - 4 metres away (the R5 with the 100-400 lens). It is necessary to shoot wide and crop when shooting bats, because it is impossible to predict exactly how the bats will frame themselves. If the shots are framed too close, to try to get the bats full frame, most of the shots end up with parts of the wings cut-off out of frame.
Click to expand...
That's how I shoot bees, wide open frame when they're flying, or else you can't follow them because they move too fast and too often. Then crop.
 
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CharlesMFrancis said:
The system was set up with the flashes less than a metre from the trip beam where the bats were flying through the cave entrance. The cameras were varying distances from about 1.5 - 4 metres away (the R5 with the 100-400 lens). It is necessary to shoot wide and crop when shooting bats, because it is impossible to predict exactly how the bats will frame themselves. If the shots are framed too close, to try to get the bats full frame, most of the shots end up with parts of the wings cut-off out of frame.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your teaching and sharing.
 
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