Robert Thompson FRPS FIPF
Natural History Photographer, Author & Conservationist

Welcome to the website of professional natural history and conservation photographer Robert Thompson. Robert is the author of many publications on natural history and photography and is widely acknowledged as a specialist in close-up and macro photography in Ireland and the UK. As an active conservationist, he has worked on several high-profile conservation projects in Ireland and further afield.

His work is widely published in the UK and internationally, and he has had several solo exhibitions. He is also a frequent writer and contributor to the photographic press and other natural history and scientific publications. His images are managed through several agencies, and he has his own library in Ireland. He runs workshops in alpine regions across Europe and at iconic landscape locations in Ireland.

WHAT'S NEW

MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH A LAOWA LENS

I recently published an eBook on Laowa and their superb lenses, which I currently use in my work. I have been a long-time user of many of their unique macro lenses. This book is available for free download from my publications tab on my website. I would like to express my thanks to Laowa for their support and assistance during the writing of this eBook.

LAOWA 180MM F/4.5 1.5X po ultra macro

For a long time, I had hoped, like many Nikon users, that there would be a replacement for my 200mm AF-D macro, now over thirty years old and showing its age on my Z 9. That didn't happen, nor is it likely to now, but this did: the announcement of the Laowa 180mm f/4.5 APO ultra macro. I was lucky enough to have this lens a couple of months ago, before it launched and what a lens. Here is a brief introduction to the lens and some of its features. I am currently producing an eBook on my experience of using Laowa lenses in the course of my work. When completed, it will be free to those who want to know more about these amazing macro lenses. Click the image below to view the PDF.

MAKING MEMORIES WITH THE NIKON Z 9

I have been asked several times now about putting together a series of images taken with the Nikon Z 9. I have finally got around to doing it in the form of an eBook, which is free to download. This book is not about the ultimate series of images; it’s about the photos that hold personal meaning for me and some of the places I have shared with other like-minded photographers during my workshops. I hope you enjoy it and it helps inspire you to create your own memories. Click the image below to access the PDF.

NEW LAOWA 15mm f/4.5 0.5X WIDE ANGLE MACRO

I've been testing the new Laowa 15mm f/4.5 wide angle macro, which I have had for a while. The lens has recently been released by Venus Optics. There are several major changes incorporated into the new lens from the original f/4 version released back in 2016. I consider this focal length macro to be an important part of my kit and carry it with me at all times. I will be writing a more detailed review in due course. Click on the image below to read the PDF. My thanks to Venus Optics for sending me the sample lens to test. 

LAOWA 180mm SWORD LENS

I have been using this excellent long focal length lens for a while. I thought I would post a few more images. It has become my default macro for all of my routine macro photography. Although this lens is part of the Sword Series designed for cine, I can assure you it works equally well as a stills macro giving you the advantage of 1.5x which no other macro does in its class. The lens is superbly sharp and the colour rendering is excellent. Click on the link below to view the PDF. IF you are looking for a longer focal length macro then this, in my opinion, is the lens to choose.

ARE TRIPODS BECOMING OBSOLETE?

In this article, I discuss the merits of using a tripod and why I feel it's important not only in my work but the benefits it can bring to your photography. Click on the image below to read the article.

LAOWA SWORD 180MM MACRO LENS 

I have been fortunate enough to have the Laowa Sword 180mm 1.5X macro and what a lens. It arrived on Christmas Eve. I have long harped on about the need for a modern longer focal length macro and Laowa has hit the spotlight yet again with the launch of their highly acclaimed Sword macro cine series. There are 6 macros in the set ranging in focal length from 15mm, 25mm, 35mm, 60mm, 100mm, and 180mm with a magnification range from 1X to 2X depending on the lens. Although the series is primarily aimed at cinema, video and content creators, the lens can also be used successfully for stills photography as well. Click on the image below to read the full article on my blog page or go to the bottom of the page and click the image..

Here is my latest field-based review on the KOPF ² the state-of-the-art Geared Head from Novoflex. I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to test the prototype of this amazing head for several weeks before its return. It's a superb piece of engineering and will be eagerly sought after by many photographers across the photographic community. The head is the ideal choice for photographers engaged in landscape. panorama, architecture astrophotography and of course macro. Pre-ordering it ensured that I would have it once it was released. Like all Novoflex products, the build quality is superb and it comes in three different kits depending on what your requirements are. For those photographers who use geared heads routinely in their work, most would concur that it becomes difficult to go back to using conventional tripod heads and that is certainly the case in my experience. Since its release, I have been using it extensively in my workflow for all of my macro, landscape and panorama photography. Having precision framing at your fingertips makes composing so much easier especially when you need repeatable results and when shooting at higher magnifications. Click on the image below to read the review, or click the Novoflex tab on my website, or visit Novoflex.de for further information.