Digital photography techniques for birds
Digital photography techniques for capturing images of birds are as much about timing and knowledge of a bird's habitat as it is about equipment and lighting. This article will explain a few tips and tricks you can use to master these varied photography techniques and get digital shots like you see in your favorite nature magazine.
The most crucial photography technique for photographing birds is timing. Morning is the most active time for a majority of birds and it is during this time you will have the best chance to capture high quality digital photos. Some photography tips to think about are the use of your local parks and any migration stopover points in your area. A great trick is to build a feeding station in your backyard. This way you can always be near to it and it allows for the possibility of nice close up shots of birds. A great technique when you photograph birds is to look for good props such as a log with good bark or even with old woodpecker holes in it. By placing such a prop in your yard and putting seed or suet near or in the prop, you can be sure to have birds visit.
Another good photography trick is to use a clamp on a suitable branch with a small tub of seeds to attract wild birds to come to a selected spot. The advantage of this technique is that the birds come to you, and you can be "camera ready" on a tripod, at an ideal distance for good image size and digital sharpness.
Additionally a good photography technique is to find a bird that is nesting. The more you follow birds and photograph them, the more you will develop an eye for finding bird nests. In the nature of conservation at no time should a photographer climb a tree or touch the nest. When the day comes that the young are big enough to photograph, a blind will allow you hide unseen from just a few feet away--and get off a few digital photos. The disadvantage, however, is that by working directly from a blind so close to a nest, the adult birds could be scared off and they could abandon their nest.
A much more successful photography technique is to use a motor-drive camera and flash on a tripod close to the nest. The trick is to fire the camera by remote control from the blind about 30 ft away. This method allows the bird to be less shy and less concerned and it will return quickly to the nest. There are times where birds are so relaxed that they will land on my camera.
The use of flash equipment is a crucial photography technique for when you are trying to capture birds in the wild. When photographing birds particularly at the nest, a flash is required for a variety of reasons including ensuring good crisp exposure and color, freezing often rapid movement, gaining extra depth of field by using a smaller aperture, and eliminating annoying shadows caused by the sun. These photographic techniques and tips will help you achieve a higher level of success when shooting birds in nature.
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