Better Birding Photos
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with Larry Ditto TPWD magazine
Bird photographers need great patience. Birds don’t perform on demand, but they will perform. Develop patience by working in a photography blind with a group. Each photographer must quietly wait for the subjects to arrive. You can’t walk out after 10 minutes.
an appropriate shutter speed Laurie Oliver and f-stop that are likely to work best at that time of day and that location. Learn how to quickly focus and compose your shot. When photographing wildlife, anything can happen, so photographers have the best chance for success if Study the work of successful they’re always ready to shoot. photographers. Try to evaluate the entire image (lighting, acInvest in good equiption, focus, interaction of subjects, ment, including a cametc.). What about this photograph era that shoots several Keep your shadow pointing toevokes emotion? frames per second and a large teleward the bird (but not visible photo lens capable of good magnifiin the shot), so the light comes Study birds, their habits and cation. over your shoulder. This helps create a their body language. The best well-lighted scene devoid of contrastbird photographers are excellent Keep the depth of focus (depth ing shadows. naturalists and ornithologists. Many of field) shallow. That sets the great bird photos were captured bebird apart from the background Birds are always blinking cause the person behind the camera and draws the viewer’s eye to the suband turning their heads just anticipated the bird’s next action. ject. Big telephoto lenses help because as I take the shot, but a short Learn when they are likely to flush, they have a limited depth of field at burst of shots will ensure that the secfight, peck, stretch, etc. most f-stops; otherwise, look for op- ond or third frame is the one with the
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portunities where the background eye open and the head turned in a Practice focusing on moving is distant from the subject. Look for good direction. birds. Keep the camera and lens clean, smooth backgrounds that apready for action and set with If possible, shoot at a high pear as an area of uncluttered color shutter speed (1/ 2500th of behind the bird. Avoid photographa second is my favorite) to ing subjects amid distracting busy stop a bird’s incredibly fast wing molimbs and stems. tion, head turns and in-flight movement. Hold the camera’s ISO at a relaCreate your own natural-looktively low number (400-800) to avoid ing setup and attract birds to it undesirable noise (grain) in photos. with suitable feed and water. Use slender green limbs with fresh green Don’t just shoot a “bird on a leaves, berries and/or flowers. stick.” Wait for a turn of the
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Cassie Hoffman
JUNCTIONTEXAS.COM
Photograph in the warm, soft light of early morning and late evening, when birds are active. Midday light is harsh; the bird’s colors and feather detail will be hidden by the midday glare.
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head or lifting of a foot. Go for the action; viewers will love your lifelike shots. When birds are on the wing (my favorite type of shooting), I prefer photos with the wings pointing up or down. They can be artistic and offer the best display of the bird’s feathers and color. 45