Finches of Australia new book

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barra
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Location: perth

I'm pleased to advise of the publishment of my new 448 page coffee table book titled 'Finches of Australia'. With over 2500 hours in the field (often in oppressive conditions) it covers all Australian finches AND subspecies - a first in photographic terms. Every image was taken in the wild. It is primarily a photography book with limited text - other than my own bird behavioural observations or what I was trying to achieve in taking a particular image. I want the images to do the talking. Never been seen before images including interesting behaviour, mating, nesting, action and flock shots - to name but a few. There's also a whole chapter on Photographic Notes where I provide tips to help budding photographers improve their images.
If anyone is passing through Kununurra on Fri 30th Nov there is an official launch and book signing being held at Artopia Gallery at 5.30pm.
The book is available in good bookstores or through Australian Birdkeeper magazine or Booktopia. It is distributed by AFN (Australian Fishing Network) in Melbourne.
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Shane Gowland
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Sounds like a monumental effort. Congratulations!
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Craig52
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Congratulations Barra, there are not many books that take in our fabulous finches in the wild. A few of us have bucket lists to see/photograph all our Native finches including sub species in the wild so well done. Cheers Craig :thumbup:
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finchbreeder
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Sounds like just the thing for the next "Block" contestants to put on coffee tables, not to mention your fellow forumites. Congratualtions.
LML
LML
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barra
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Joined: 06 Jan 2015, 08:22
Location: perth

Thanks for the kind comments guys.

I like the one about The Block! It's a heavy production - weighing in at over 2.6kg!

I'm sure you will be very pleased with the beautiful photos in the book.
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Halfinch
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Location: South Australia

A huge effort, well done
Halfinch
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Strop
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Joined: 30 Nov 2010, 22:23
Location: Kununurra WA

What a bummer, would have loved to have caught up Barra as I live in Kununurra but have only just seen the post. Will look forward to the viewing.

Cheers Strop.
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barra
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Joined: 06 Jan 2015, 08:22
Location: perth

Hi Strop,

You can see (and buy if you like) the books at Artopia Gallery or Walkabout Souveniers in Kununurra. If you ask Cally at Artopia I can even sign a copy for you (please tell her I said I would come in to sign it).

If anyone wants a digital e-version of the book it is for sale at only $49 and can only be downloaded from my website www.colrobertsphotography.com.au but of course you don't get the hard copy. This option mainly suits overseas people who have to wait a long time for delivery and have to endure astronomical international postage rates. Hard copies are for sale at a rec retail of $99 but Booktopia are selling them at only $69 (I don't know how they do it)?

Watch out for a review of the book some time this week in the Western Australian newspaper by former Premier Peter Dowding. He loves it!

Cheers

Col
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BrettB
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I got this book for Xmas, it is beautifully done.
Having spent some time at Gouldian counts in the Kimberley, I am familiar with the landscape and it has been authentically captured in many of Col's photos.
There is not a huge amount of text, but I really enjoyed what there was. The insights into the birds and photographing them was an education.
Also, being a very bad photographer, I liked that the camera equipment and setting for each photo was included. A nice touch
If you love beautiful photographs of finches and the landscapes they live in, this is a worthwhile edition
I also read Peter Dowding's positive review, unfortunately I am not as eloquent as Peter

Great work Col
"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are ." Anais Nin
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barra
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Joined: 06 Jan 2015, 08:22
Location: perth

Thanks for the kind words Brett. I haven't visited this site recently and only came upon your comments today.
Glad you found the camera settings useful.
You should see the images that I have recorded since the book was published in October. Found 18 Gouldian nesting sites over the wet season and have beautiful photos of birds coming and going to feed young.
Even this morning I was fortunate enough to photograph hundreds of Pictorellas and Gouldians down at my favourite waterhole before heading off to work.
It's been one of the worst wet seasons on record. Waterholes that would normally have water in them through to October and November are already dry or about to dry - 2-4 months ahead of normal. I hope the birds will make it through the tough times at the end of the year before rains replenish the food supply.
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