How to Photograph Birds
If you're like many photographers, knowing how to photograph birds sounds like it should be easy. I am mostly a portrait photographer and have made my share of photography mistakes when it comes to taking pictures of birds. If you read these photography tips on taking bird photos before you begin shooting, you won't waste as much time as I did by using a trial and error approach. Equipment This is the most important consideration for 90% of taking bird photos. Lens choice is the most critical of all. This photo of a baby robin is an exception. It had fallen or jumped from it's nest higher up in the willow tree. It was still too young to fly, so it sat there nervously perched on a branch for me, too frightened to jump or move. I used my standard 24-105 Canon lens from a distance of about 5 feet. If you are shooting with a compact point and shoot camera, you will need it to have a 10x zoom or better. Serious bird photographers need to shoot with a DSLR and interchangeable lenses. I recommend a zoom lens of at least 300 mm or a tele-converter to get that extra power. You will also need a tripod to prevent motion blur, unless you are taking pictures of birds in flight while using a very high shutter speed to freeze the action. Along with the tripod, use a shutter release cord to prevent camera shake. Even with a tripod, you can lose small amounts of sharpness when pushing the shutter release on your camera. Optional equipment: A remote shutter trigger or a motion activated camera for photographing birds at pre-determined spots like a distant bird feeder or bird nest. Timing Both the time of day and the time of the year need to be considered when you photograph birds. Bird's behavior and their physical appearance are different at different times of the year. Bird activity and lighting conditions change dramatically during different times of the day as well. Knowing or observing a little bird behavior will save you countless hours of boredom, waiting for activity at the wrong time. This applies to many other types of wildlife and nature photography as well. A little advanced planning and thought will increase the likelihood of taking a great photo.
Location, location, location. The kind of birds you wish to photograph dictate your location where you may have to travel. The photo of the yellow-breasted bird at the very top of this page was photographed inside a walk-in bird cage exhibit at our local zoo. This finch photo on the left was taken through a partially opened window in my television room. Both of these bird photographs were taken with a 70-200mm Canon lens. The next location to consider is the specific likely landing location of the birds within the area you have chosen. Determine or guess the spot where your subject is probably going to land. Finally, plan where to locate yourself. Determine what is the best hiding spot or best angle to take your photograph. Patience Make sure you enjoy the peace and tranquility while waiting for the right moment to squeeze the shutter. Birds are easily frightened and often move from one spot to another. You may spend 95% of your time waiting patiently and 5% of your time clicking away. Two final tip on how to photograph birds: 1. Always focus on their eyes. Just as it is with portrait photography it is the most important part to focus on with bird photos. 2.Try to find a vantage point that won't frighten away your subject. This may mean shooting through your open window from a parked car. It may be hiding in your garden shed with the door partially opened. It may be sitting quietly, hidden in some tall grass. Use a little ingenuity when attempting to take pictures of birds. And as always, above all, make sure you enjoy the process as you discover new tips on how to photograph birds! Pictures of Birds Are you looking to see some more sample pictures of birds? I've started an online photo gallery and you can view it here.
Nature Photography. You can see more of Ron Jone's amazing nature photography here. Happy Shooting, Go back from How to Photograph Birds to How to Photograph...
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Unless it's a unique situation like a bird feeder just outside your window, you really need a lot of zoom or telephoto power to get close to your subject.
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