Three Techniques for Great Bird Photos
by Brian E. Small
As you learn more about bird photography, you will soon discover
there are many different and exciting ways to photograph birds. I
encourage you to always strive for improving your photography
today so that tomorrow you will be taking better bird
photographs. I have learned to apply a number of simple
techniques to photographing a variety of bird species and I want
to share 3 of them with you.
As your skill level improves, you will find that you need to use
different photographic methods because birds have unique and
varying behaviors. They also live in a wide diversity of
habitats and come in many shapes and sizes. Let's take a closer
look at some of the best ways to photograph Bushtits and Bald
Eagles and everything in between.
Flight Photography
There is nothing quite as thrilling in nature photography as
taking great photos of flying birds. A beautifully composed,
well-lighted photograph of a bird in flight expresses so much of
what fascinates us about birds. Not only is it a tremendous
photographic challenge, but also it offers you the chance to
truly communicate in your photographs the essence of what birds
are all about.....flight!
Generally speaking, your best chances for flight photography will
be of larger and slower moving subjects. I would suggest you
start with herons, egrets, cranes, geese, hawks, eagles, seabirds
and gulls. Also, remember the number one rule of flight
photography; use the fastest shutter speed you can to stop the
motion of a flying bird.
For single bird flight portraits, you will most likely need at
least a 400mm telephoto lens. A lightweight 400mm f5.6 telephoto
or a 300mm telephoto with a matched 1.4X teleconverter is a great
way to start. These lenses will give you a reasonably large image
size and allow you to handhold your camera equipment as you track
a flying bird.
The speed and mobility you gain with a lightweight set-up like
this will go a long way towards helping you take exciting
photographs. For flight and action photography, you want to
always stay alert and try to anticipate when a great photo is
about to appear in front of you. Expect things to happen and then
be ready to react when they do.
You can also take dramatic flight photos of large flocks of birds
with a medium magnification zoom lens. An 80-200mm or 75-300mm
zoom are perfect for massive flocks of Sandhill Cranes or Snow
Geese at refuges like Bosque del Apache, New Mexico or the
Klamath basin of California.
If you own autofocus camera equipment, now is the time to put it
to work. The ability of an autofocus lens to track and maintain
focus on a flying bird will far surpass what you can do using
manual equipment. With autofocus equipment used properly, you can
expect 75 to 80% of your flight photos to be in sharp focus!
To get started, I would suggest that you practice using your
equipment without film. Just follow and focus on flying birds
with the lens. You need to learn how to pan the camera with the
subject while trying to hold the autofocus sensor on it at the
same time. This is definitely a skill that takes practice and
you are better off not wasting a lot of film until you are ready.
Once you feel comfortable with your ability to hold focus with
either manual or autofocus equipment you are ready for the
challenges of flight photography.
Getting Closer
Birds are creatures of habit, and by knowing that, bird
photographers have an advantage. How many times have you seen a
flycatcher return to the same perch time and time again or a
group of shorebirds return to the same small feeding area every
time after they take flight? We can often get close to birds that
have favorite feeding areas, perches, roost sites or territories.
By patiently observing how individual birds behave and what their
preferences are, you can learn how to get close to them. In fact,
with some patience and a little luck, some birds may actually
come to you.
A great way to get close to birds is to visit public places where
birds are already used to people. Small parks, beaches, lakes,
wildlife refuges and national parks are some of the best places
to photograph because many of the birds are already accustomed to
people, cars, dogs and other photographers.
Chances are that you were a birder long before you ever picked up
a camera. Well, to get closer to birds I also suggest that you
return to the days of being a birder and just watch what birds
are doing. Look for birds that are preoccupied with feeding,
preening, courting, bathing, singing or sleeping. You can often
get very close to birds if they are more interested in what they
are doing than they are in you. The rule here is go slow.
As you slowly approach your subject, try to walk a zigzag path
and try not to look the bird in the eye. Also, be sure to stop
at intervals during your approach and take a few photos each
time. This will allow the bird to become accustomed to your
presence and also get used to the sounds of your camera. Another
advantage is that as you move closer, you will be taking pictures
that depict the bird in its' habitat before you get to frame
filling range. If the bird leaves before you get as close as you
would like, at least you have already gotten some photos in the
bank.
When you are moving closer and closer to a subject you want to
always be alert to what the bird is doing. Is it watching you or
has it begun to call? Does it look alarmed or has it stopped
feeding or singing? Give the bird a chance to settle down and
resume its' normal activities before you proceed closer. Most
importantly, remember that the welfare of your subjects should
always be your number one priority.
Lastly, don't give up because persistence will pay off. I have
tried approaching a hundred individuals of the same species and
never gotten close enough. However, it seems there is always that
one bird that will tolerate you and let you get as close as you
want when all the others wouldn't.
Blinds
Using a blind is perhaps the most effective way to take
photographs of some birds. Notoriously shy birds like raptors,
ibis, rails, kingfishers, ducks and others will rarely tolerate
you walking right up to them. If you research your subjects and
plan ahead, you may be able to use a blind to your advantage and
get close enough to take those spectacular bird photos you dream
about.
A photographic blind can be as simple or complex as you want, and
it can be used in many different situations. I prefer a simple
lightweight and portable blind that I have made out of camouflage
material and PVC pipe. I have used it to photograph migrant
songbirds at a water-drip, woodpeckers at nests, raptors on
preferred perches and for the birds in my yard.
If you ever want to attempt photography at a nest, using a blind
is a necessity. Not only will it help you get the photos you are
after, but it will allow you to photograph the birds without
causing undue stress or harm during this sensitive period.
The beauty of using a blind is that birds will often become
accustomed to it very quickly. As long as you and your equipment
are hidden, most birds are not bothered by the presence of a
blind. However, you may have a situation where you need to leave
a blind in place a few days until your subjects get used to it.
This is where an inexpensive homemade blind may come in handy. If
your blind got stolen or destroyed by weather you would not be
out much money.
Another important consideration is where to position your blind.
Be sure to account for lighting and background when you put your
blind in place. Once you are in it, you really don't want to get
out until you are done photographing so try to place your blind
so that the sun is behind you most of the day and you have a
background you are happy with.
You can make a blind out of a variety of materials yourself or
you can purchase one from a number of commercial suppliers. If
you want to buy a ready-made blind you can call Nature's
Reflections at (916) 989-4765, DB Design at (707) 887-2605 or
L.L. Rue at (800) 734-2568. These manufacturers carry a diverse
selection of blinds and can aid you in picking one that is right
for your needs.
These are just a few of the methods you can use to take great
bird photos. If you are innovative, creative and motivated, you
too can find many different ways to photograph birds. The thrill
you get from trying new techniques for bird photography and
seeing them work, can really be a lot of fun. My advice is to get
out in the field as often as possible and learn as much as you
can about your subjects. Once you are familiar with how birds
behave and how they will react to you, you are ready to meet the
challenge of taking great bird photos.
Brian E. Small
Phone: 310/440-9443
Mobile: 310/849-0306
E-mail: BSmallFoto@aol.com
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