Photographing great bird stock photos can be challenging at times, but with good preparation, the right equipment and a few simple techniques, it can also be quite fun and rewarding. What follows are our top seven tips for capturing better stock bird photos.
Know Your Venue
If you are looking to capture some great wild bird pictures, the first thing you have to do is begin to know your location. First up, do some research and discover what species you're likely to see. From there you can work out where and when you will find them
If you can find a map of some description, convert that to a sketch map so that you can mark your own details on it. Then when you first arrive, mark out the overhead trail of the sun so you can expect lighting conditions in different locations, mark in different foliage/habitat types, and where you will find good cover for yourself.
Then as you notice different species, mark the locations (and times) in as well and you'll soon have a particularly convenient reference guide for future shoots. When you return you'll know where you need to be and what time of day you have to be there, to capture the bird pictures you seek.
Most of the best bird photographers I know let me know they rarely get their best shots on the first visit the best wild bird photos sometimes happen after they know the location as well as their own backyard.
Know Your Subject
This should go without say for any sort of wildlife photography, but it is particularly significant for capturing great bird photos. Birds are incredibly fast and often appear totally unforeseeable, so the better you begin to know them, the better your chances of predicting their behavior and getting the shot you would like.
To start, invest in a good bird guide and learn all you can about the species you want to picture. Getting to know their feeding habits, breeding, nesting and migratory behaviors will help you make sure you are in the right place at the right time.
Understanding of their particular behaviour, from guides and observation, will help you expect what they are going to do once you have found them. The more time you spend observing the birds, the better you'll be able to envision their behavior, and it'll give them more time to become used to you.
There are some behaviours that are fairly universal though, so you can start with these.
Most birds will take off and land into the wind, so if there's a prevailing wind direction at your venue, be aware of it and position yourself facing towards the birds likely location with the sun behind you ie. So you get your stills with the bird flying toward you, lit from the front.
Most birds also 'tense ' their feathers just before they take off. When they are relaxed (and going no where) they'll look more 'fluffy'. When they're about to take flight, they virtually seem to shrink for a second or 2 before launching themselves. If you watch for this, it can be a great trigger to start shooting.
Buy the Longest Fastest Lens You Can Afford
This one features a proviso you don't need an exorbitantly expensive lens to get desirable bird photos but any additional length you can afford will help.
Some of the best bird photographers I know will use nothing more than a standard 100mm-400mm telephoto and they get superb results. Actually most will tell you it's more on the preparation &research, good positioning and using patient stalking systems.
So in an ideal world, all bird photographers would have a 600mm f4 car focus lens, but realistically, anything over 300mm is maybe ok if you hone your other birding abilities.
You tin of course use a teleconvertor a 1.4 teleconvertor on a 400mm lens will put you in the 600mm range, but be aware you'll lose a couple of stops in the process. In open well lit settings that may be OK, but in any kind of scrub it's probably going to make life tough.
A final option a lot of dedicated birders use 'digiscoping ' ... Attaching their camera to their spotting scope. A spotting scope with 25x magnification would be identical to a 1500mm lens, so even if you buy the adaptor as well , it can be a extremely affordable way to get close to your subjects.
Camera Settings
In most cases, you'll want to use the swiftest possible settings to cope with the rate and mobility of your subjects, and also with the long lens you will be using. When the birds are flying, you will often need at least a 1/500 second shutter speed to keep it crisp. Even when they are perched, many birds are fidgets and infrequently keep brilliantly still.
There'll be. Occasions when you would like to slow it down and convey the motion and this can be done purposively. Just remember there is a difference between a photograph deliberately caught to convey movement, and one that isn't sharpened. If you're going for 'movement ' my suggestion would be to use panning to make certain there's no question in the viewer's mind that it's deliberate!
Digital ISO settings permit you to speed things up significantly, just be aware of how snappy you can go before the picture definition suffers.
Always remember to consistently take a look at your exposures. White, bright skies will trick your camera's auto-exposure so for in flight shots you may generally need to dial in 1-2 stops or even more exposure compensation.
Other Equipment
Usually a tripod would be considered essential equipment when using a long lens, but frequently the circumstances you find yourself setting up in might make it difficult. By all means use one whenever you can, particularly if you're working from a hide or semi-permanent position, but if you're on the move, I mostly find a monopod lots more helpful. In wooded areas there's sometimes a tree to brace myself on,
A large amount of bird photographers will tell you their automobile makes a great hide and tripod all in one. Many birds are quite used to automobiles by now, so if you arrive on site and sit quietly for a few minutes, many birds will shortly forget the car is there. Keep a little bean bag handy for a camera rest and your in business.
Always carry extra battery power and extra storage, and in the field one or two plastic bags help for defending your gear from the elements. If you are truly roughing it, a lot of pros will advise you do not even change lenses if they really need a choice of lens, they will carry it already attached to an additional camera body, just to avoid any prospect of getting mud or water inside.
Compositions
There are a few essential rules that apply to most wildlife photography, and they are particularly pertaining to bird photographers as well.
- First and foremost is to focus on the eyes.
- If the eyes are sharp, the rest doesn't matter.
- And if the eyes aren't sharp, the rest doesn't matter!
Doubtless there will be exceptions, but if you keep that firmly under consideration when you are shooting and also when your editing, you'll finish up with a much stronger collection.
Another 'rule ' that is applicable to most wildlife photography is, shoot from the front. With few exceptions, there's rarely much call for a rear-end view of any creature.
The approaching view is much more natural, and usually your viewers will find it more straightforward to connect with. With bird it's even more significant as you usually find front on is the view they present to their partners, while the rear view is more certain to be plain or even camouflaged.
Finally, as much as possible, shoot from eye height. For ground or shore birds, this means getting down on your belly. For high nesting birds it means getting as high as you can yourself. Obviously you can not always get to their level, but the more you try, the better your results will be. Telephoto lenses do help give the impression you're more equal but do not rely on that alone.
If you're someone who photographs birds in flight you want to predict and pan, and be extra careful not to crop too tightly. Better to trim things later than find you repeatedly clipped off a tail or a wing. Always try and capture the birds flying into the frame, rather than out of it.
Always watch the wing position of the species you are photographing and also refer to your bird guide. Different species will present really distinct shapes, and the facility to capture those behaviours and characteristics that make a creature unique is what separates the great wildlife photographers.
Make sure you get good clear detail shots as well so that you can be completely assured in your identification of the bird. That means close up shots of the head & beak, breast and back, as well as wing and tail shapes. (If you are planning to sell the photographs, ever, correct identification is important, so don't ever rely totally on common-names consumers will sometimes desire scientific names solely to be 100 percent sure).
Patience & Practice
When you arrive on site, always give the local inhabitants time to get used to you being there, you'll get better photographs. Don't attempt to force the issue be going too near to fast at best they'll simply fly away, at worst they'll look noticeably stressed which never makes an excellent photo anyhow.
Instead , wait and watch and work out what the comfortable area is for the species, and stay just outside that. Most birds are naturally terrified of people, but if you sit and wait quietly, you will also find most are quite curious and plenty will basically come up to you if you give them the chance.
Beyond that, shoot. Regularly and shoot heaps. Do not expect your best shots on your first trip to an area, instead treat is as a scouting trip. Work out your lines of light, wind and where your cover is, and identify as many species as you can that you can research more absolutely before your next outing.
If you are only starting out in bird photography,you might even find it useful to set up a feeder at your house, so you can practice and observe the birds in relatively closed environment. Remember, the more time you spend getting to know your subjects, the better your photos are going got be.
Finally, spend plenty of time studying other people's wild bird photos. Dissect each shot and consider how it was formed in particulars of apparatus, settings, timing, positioning and the photographer's experience of the bird and it's behaviour.
The great wild bird photos don't occur accidentally. In reality pretty frequently you will find the best bird photographs aren't shot by a bird photographer but rather by an obsessed birder who also photographs birds. Something to keep in mind!
Know Your Venue
If you are looking to capture some great wild bird pictures, the first thing you have to do is begin to know your location. First up, do some research and discover what species you're likely to see. From there you can work out where and when you will find them
If you can find a map of some description, convert that to a sketch map so that you can mark your own details on it. Then when you first arrive, mark out the overhead trail of the sun so you can expect lighting conditions in different locations, mark in different foliage/habitat types, and where you will find good cover for yourself.
Then as you notice different species, mark the locations (and times) in as well and you'll soon have a particularly convenient reference guide for future shoots. When you return you'll know where you need to be and what time of day you have to be there, to capture the bird pictures you seek.
Most of the best bird photographers I know let me know they rarely get their best shots on the first visit the best wild bird photos sometimes happen after they know the location as well as their own backyard.
Know Your Subject
This should go without say for any sort of wildlife photography, but it is particularly significant for capturing great bird photos. Birds are incredibly fast and often appear totally unforeseeable, so the better you begin to know them, the better your chances of predicting their behavior and getting the shot you would like.
To start, invest in a good bird guide and learn all you can about the species you want to picture. Getting to know their feeding habits, breeding, nesting and migratory behaviors will help you make sure you are in the right place at the right time.
Understanding of their particular behaviour, from guides and observation, will help you expect what they are going to do once you have found them. The more time you spend observing the birds, the better you'll be able to envision their behavior, and it'll give them more time to become used to you.
There are some behaviours that are fairly universal though, so you can start with these.
Most birds will take off and land into the wind, so if there's a prevailing wind direction at your venue, be aware of it and position yourself facing towards the birds likely location with the sun behind you ie. So you get your stills with the bird flying toward you, lit from the front.
Most birds also 'tense ' their feathers just before they take off. When they are relaxed (and going no where) they'll look more 'fluffy'. When they're about to take flight, they virtually seem to shrink for a second or 2 before launching themselves. If you watch for this, it can be a great trigger to start shooting.
Buy the Longest Fastest Lens You Can Afford
This one features a proviso you don't need an exorbitantly expensive lens to get desirable bird photos but any additional length you can afford will help.
Some of the best bird photographers I know will use nothing more than a standard 100mm-400mm telephoto and they get superb results. Actually most will tell you it's more on the preparation &research, good positioning and using patient stalking systems.
So in an ideal world, all bird photographers would have a 600mm f4 car focus lens, but realistically, anything over 300mm is maybe ok if you hone your other birding abilities.
You tin of course use a teleconvertor a 1.4 teleconvertor on a 400mm lens will put you in the 600mm range, but be aware you'll lose a couple of stops in the process. In open well lit settings that may be OK, but in any kind of scrub it's probably going to make life tough.
A final option a lot of dedicated birders use 'digiscoping ' ... Attaching their camera to their spotting scope. A spotting scope with 25x magnification would be identical to a 1500mm lens, so even if you buy the adaptor as well , it can be a extremely affordable way to get close to your subjects.
Camera Settings
In most cases, you'll want to use the swiftest possible settings to cope with the rate and mobility of your subjects, and also with the long lens you will be using. When the birds are flying, you will often need at least a 1/500 second shutter speed to keep it crisp. Even when they are perched, many birds are fidgets and infrequently keep brilliantly still.
There'll be. Occasions when you would like to slow it down and convey the motion and this can be done purposively. Just remember there is a difference between a photograph deliberately caught to convey movement, and one that isn't sharpened. If you're going for 'movement ' my suggestion would be to use panning to make certain there's no question in the viewer's mind that it's deliberate!
Digital ISO settings permit you to speed things up significantly, just be aware of how snappy you can go before the picture definition suffers.
Always remember to consistently take a look at your exposures. White, bright skies will trick your camera's auto-exposure so for in flight shots you may generally need to dial in 1-2 stops or even more exposure compensation.
Other Equipment
Usually a tripod would be considered essential equipment when using a long lens, but frequently the circumstances you find yourself setting up in might make it difficult. By all means use one whenever you can, particularly if you're working from a hide or semi-permanent position, but if you're on the move, I mostly find a monopod lots more helpful. In wooded areas there's sometimes a tree to brace myself on,
A large amount of bird photographers will tell you their automobile makes a great hide and tripod all in one. Many birds are quite used to automobiles by now, so if you arrive on site and sit quietly for a few minutes, many birds will shortly forget the car is there. Keep a little bean bag handy for a camera rest and your in business.
Always carry extra battery power and extra storage, and in the field one or two plastic bags help for defending your gear from the elements. If you are truly roughing it, a lot of pros will advise you do not even change lenses if they really need a choice of lens, they will carry it already attached to an additional camera body, just to avoid any prospect of getting mud or water inside.
Compositions
There are a few essential rules that apply to most wildlife photography, and they are particularly pertaining to bird photographers as well.
- First and foremost is to focus on the eyes.
- If the eyes are sharp, the rest doesn't matter.
- And if the eyes aren't sharp, the rest doesn't matter!
Doubtless there will be exceptions, but if you keep that firmly under consideration when you are shooting and also when your editing, you'll finish up with a much stronger collection.
Another 'rule ' that is applicable to most wildlife photography is, shoot from the front. With few exceptions, there's rarely much call for a rear-end view of any creature.
The approaching view is much more natural, and usually your viewers will find it more straightforward to connect with. With bird it's even more significant as you usually find front on is the view they present to their partners, while the rear view is more certain to be plain or even camouflaged.
Finally, as much as possible, shoot from eye height. For ground or shore birds, this means getting down on your belly. For high nesting birds it means getting as high as you can yourself. Obviously you can not always get to their level, but the more you try, the better your results will be. Telephoto lenses do help give the impression you're more equal but do not rely on that alone.
If you're someone who photographs birds in flight you want to predict and pan, and be extra careful not to crop too tightly. Better to trim things later than find you repeatedly clipped off a tail or a wing. Always try and capture the birds flying into the frame, rather than out of it.
Always watch the wing position of the species you are photographing and also refer to your bird guide. Different species will present really distinct shapes, and the facility to capture those behaviours and characteristics that make a creature unique is what separates the great wildlife photographers.
Make sure you get good clear detail shots as well so that you can be completely assured in your identification of the bird. That means close up shots of the head & beak, breast and back, as well as wing and tail shapes. (If you are planning to sell the photographs, ever, correct identification is important, so don't ever rely totally on common-names consumers will sometimes desire scientific names solely to be 100 percent sure).
Patience & Practice
When you arrive on site, always give the local inhabitants time to get used to you being there, you'll get better photographs. Don't attempt to force the issue be going too near to fast at best they'll simply fly away, at worst they'll look noticeably stressed which never makes an excellent photo anyhow.
Instead , wait and watch and work out what the comfortable area is for the species, and stay just outside that. Most birds are naturally terrified of people, but if you sit and wait quietly, you will also find most are quite curious and plenty will basically come up to you if you give them the chance.
Beyond that, shoot. Regularly and shoot heaps. Do not expect your best shots on your first trip to an area, instead treat is as a scouting trip. Work out your lines of light, wind and where your cover is, and identify as many species as you can that you can research more absolutely before your next outing.
If you are only starting out in bird photography,you might even find it useful to set up a feeder at your house, so you can practice and observe the birds in relatively closed environment. Remember, the more time you spend getting to know your subjects, the better your photos are going got be.
Finally, spend plenty of time studying other people's wild bird photos. Dissect each shot and consider how it was formed in particulars of apparatus, settings, timing, positioning and the photographer's experience of the bird and it's behaviour.
The great wild bird photos don't occur accidentally. In reality pretty frequently you will find the best bird photographs aren't shot by a bird photographer but rather by an obsessed birder who also photographs birds. Something to keep in mind!
About the Author:
Matt Brading photographs birds from Far Noth Queensland through to Anarctica, and is a contributor to GlobalEye Photo Stock Agency, which represents many other bird photographers. You can view their best wild bird pictures here.
Talented photographers can find out more about selling photographs online with GlobalEye and download a free stock photography business kit on the website.
Talented photographers can find out more about selling photographs online with GlobalEye and download a free stock photography business kit on the website.
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