Bird / Nature Photography - Want to Know How?

03/24/2010 07:45:00 PM · #152

Originally posted by hihosilver:

I want you to know that I really tried to stay on topic with this one as it appears to me part of composition.

I have read every one of your posts though...excellent stuff. Thank you!!!

LOL! You are correct that it is part of composition but my outline put it under those other pesky items of approaching birds and action shots. Now I'm a slave to it!

Message edited by author 2010-03-25 14:08:32.

03/24/2010 10:02:05 PM · #153

Originally posted by hihosilver:

J.B...I'm wondering if you have any specific technique(s) of approaching your birds and how you think about which one you will photograph? I guess that sounds like a rather obvious question, but I know it take me a while to pick out a bird and I'm just wondering how others do it.

The answer is in the description.

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

03/24/2010 10:21:49 PM · #154

Originally posted by Sevlow:

I find this helps....

How to get closer to birds

Hmm... this seems to be what we in the States call British humor.

hihosilver

Nikon D200

03/25/2010 11:54:07 AM · #155

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

Originally posted by hihosilver:
J.B...I'm wondering if you have any specific technique(s) of approaching your birds and how you think about which one you will photograph? I guess that sounds like a rather obvious question, but I know it take me a while to pick out a bird and I'm just wondering how others do it.

The answer is in the description.

;-P...nevermind. I'm sorry I asked the question.

Drake

Nikon D850

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED

03/25/2010 12:30:09 PM · #156

A couple of tricks I have found usefull for taking bird shots (reference my portofolio for some examples):

- For the more domesticated birds (Cardinals, Bluejays, etc), I attach tree limbs to one of my bird feeders. As the birds come into get the food, they most often land on one of the limbs. This bird feeder is about 6ft. from a window in my house. So I set up the tri-pod, drop cloth around me and the camera, press the lens very close to the glass and wait for them to come in.

- For birds like Blue Herrons, since they are generally around water, I have a small boat that I use to slowly approach them. It helps if they are distracted by food they are preparing to eat.

- For eagles - the challenge is firt to find where they are. Look for a nest, and they will usually be there every year. In the winter months, when the Mississippi river is frozen, except near the locks and dams, I go there (usually mid-end of January). This year there were fewer than usual, but last year there were several hundred in one location. Some of my best eagle shots have been thru my car window. They seem to be more forgiving to a car driving up to the tree they are pirched in vs. me walking up to them. I am still working on getting the "text book" shot of an eagle soaring down and capturing a fish... maybe next winter.

As far as equipment goes - for the non-bird feeder shots - I use my longest reach lens which is a 120-400 Nikon 5.6. It is usually enough reach most of the time. I do plan on either getting a prime 400mm or maybe 500mm (2.8) - when my ship comes in :).

hihosilver

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

03/25/2010 12:37:33 PM · #157

Originally posted by Drake:

Drake...You are my hero today...thank you! This information is exactly what I meant!

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

03/25/2010 02:11:01 PM · #158

Thanks

Drake, it is nice to have others share their ideas and methods. I keep telling Mae that I'll get to her question, it's coming, later ... I think she is getting frustrated with me. ; )

hihosilver

Nikon D200

03/25/2010 05:16:51 PM · #159

Originally posted by jbsmithana:

Thanks Drake, it is nice to have others share their ideas and methods. I keep telling Mae that I'll get to her question, it's coming, later ... I think she is getting frustrated with me. ; )

Not at all...I have promised to behave myself for the rest of this week...;-)

03/26/2010 08:10:56 PM · #160

Next installment will be a bit delayed, maybe I can get it posted on three or four days.

But the good news is this gives those lagging behind a chance to catch up!

03/27/2010 12:07:31 AM · #161

The branches on the bird feeder is an excellent idea for getting natural surroundings looking shots. Thanks for that one. I will pass it on to my son in Tn.
I have also noticed that many birds will not fly off if you approach them slowly while in a car. I also have noticed that if you pull up to where a big bird is, you usually have about three to five seconds from the time the bird begins to get nervous until they fly. If you don't have everything ready when you stop the vehicle, the shot will be gone. I seem to shoot a lot of my birding photos from my vehicle. Usually it's my work truck. If the birds are where they see a good bit of traffic, they will be a bit more bold too.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

03/29/2010 10:17:41 PM · #162

I'm back and should be around for awhile so I hope to get a new lesson posted this week sometime.

Time for you all to get caught up!

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

03/31/2010 06:39:59 PM · #163

I seem to have fallen behind, but I'm more aware, and looking around more now. This isn't the greatest, but I was shooting out the car window, towards the sun, BRIGHT light, and I have *never* before gotten a hawk in flight or taking off.

I is thu-rilled! LOL!!!

Message edited by author 2010-03-31 18:40:18.

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

03/31/2010 07:15:42 PM · #164

Well, the weather over here in the UK is rubbish, rain, rain and more rain so no chance of any birdy photos :-(

Looking at the forecast right now and it's not good for the next 3 or 4 days....and I dont expect that Hawk that sat on my fence is coming back for a repeat performance (no I did not get a photo!)

04/01/2010 01:37:17 AM · #165

Sorry all but I'm still delayed. Short version is a friend crashed his airplane, made it out alive but pretty banged up, he has have no family, been busy helping out getting ready to bring him home. Will be back to this soon but I'm sure you all understand.

04/01/2010 02:11:55 AM · #166

Not good about the airplane.. PM me with details if you would. My son is a private pilot, and we are both interested in this sort of stuff.
I hope that your friend will make a complete recovery soon.

Marja

Pentax K7

04/03/2010 12:41:14 PM · #167

Hi everone,

I'm a newbie and would LOVE to join this thread. I've seen a lot of beautiful photos in this thread and am sure I can learn a lot by hanging out here.
I have been taking pictures for a long time and love bird and portrait photography. I own several cameras and shoot primarily with my Pentax K-7 and Pentax lenses.
(Love my primes).

04/03/2010 02:13:25 PM · #168

Marja, You are in. See the first post in the thread.

jbsmithana, who started the thread is sidetracked temporarily, see her most recent post.
I also have a fondness for prime lenses, esp the older ones. I am happy that my Fuji cam can use the older Nikon glass. My current fav birding lens is a manual Sigma 400 5.6 APO for Nikon.

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

04/06/2010 02:48:41 PM · #169

Manged to get out yesterday to a local Wildlife Park, here are a few. All taken with my 20D and Canon 70-200f4L

Message edited by author 2010-04-06 14:49:02.

cdn1

Canon EOS-7D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

04/06/2010 03:06:59 PM · #170

Wow, very nice shots, really sharp, I had the same combo, and just loved it. That 70-200 lens is fantastic!

04/06/2010 10:14:25 PM · #171

I'm back! Had a bit of time and was able to get our last big lesson (the rest will be more discussion) completed. For those interested my friend is doing better, is home and recovering but has a long ways to go. But now that he does not need 24 / 7 care those of us who were helping have some time back. So let's get back to it!

How to Get Closer

To get closer to animals and birds you must first learn as much as you can about your subject and its behavior. There is no substitute for this knowledge and it will help you get as close as 20-30 feet from; important if you want to get more than a small figure in the frame when shooting little subjects. Some people use blinds and sit in them for hours but one of the things that got me into bird photography was that I love to get out in the bush and wander. Iâ��m still learning everyday I go out, trying to get closer without blinds or fancy camouflage outfits.

Approach your subject slowly, a step or two and then pause, stay low and repeat this as you observe the subject. You will likely be able to tell when they get skittish or are about to fly or run off. You should have your camera and tripod / monopod in position to fire before making your approach as large movements to get these set up once close will scare the subject away. The closer you get the slower you should be moving. Again, you will know if they become nervous, stop and wait them out as they will probably calm down and get used to you being there.

As Iâ��m approaching I take a shot or two at each pause. This not only assures I get a shot but lets the subject get used to the small sounds my camera gear will make when shooting. Be assured that even when you are quiet and approach slowly the subject will eventually run or fly, some will always fly / run as soon as you begin your approach. Be patient. Here the Snowy Owl flew off right after this shot, I never did get into the position I wanted.

For many birds, especially birds on the ground, you can get much closer by staying very low. Get on your knees or even your belly, maybe sit. Sometimes you can sit on the beach or in a wetland and birds will come close to you. You wonâ��t have to do anything but move your camera slowly. Obviously this means thinking ahead and wearing the right clothing.

I never use blinds, well almost never as some birding spots you may go to have them and Iâ��ll spend a bit of time checking them out. In these locations they are permanent structures that the wildlife are used to and offer pretty good opportunities to get good shots of shy birds or animals. I have no experience with portable blinds or even drop clothes but Iâ��m told they work well if youâ��re willing to sit for awhile. Of course you will need to also carry some sort of portable stool or chair, which I sometimes do anyway because I do not tolerate being on my knees for very long. What I do do is use natural surroundings as a blind, tree trunks, bushes, rocks, etc. You can use these by keeping them between you and the subject as you approach. It helps break up your body shape and seems to work.

I also use a car as a blind on occasion. There are a number of famous birding areas around the country that provide driving loops where cars as blinds work well. Birds and animals seem less concerned about you in your car than they do if you get out. You only need to figure out how to steady your camera lens. I have found that my monopod does not work and a tripod is just a pain. Beanbags or even a folded towel work best, just hang them over a partially open window and rest your lens barrel on them. You could also invest in a window mount which would enable you to use a ball head.

Finally, look for opportunities. Birds are especially habitual. They roost or perch in the same place often. A difficult to shoot Kingfisher has favorite fishing spots and will return again and again to the same branch. Same with Hummingbirds and many others so take advantage of this knowledge by putting yourself in the right position and wait or return to that location often for the right opportunity and lighting conditions. Birds may congregate at boat ramps where fishermen return and clean their fish. Search out single birds over flocks of birds. Flocks will act in unison so if one spooks they all may fly. If you shooting birds that always stay in a flock then pick one out on the periphery and stick with it instead of trying to view and keep up with the entire flock (assuming you are trying to get close and not take a wide angle of the entire mass).

Even after getting close you may find that the subject does not fill the frame the way you want. The next step could be to increase the focal length of your lens. A small increase in focal length gives you a large increase in image size. If you go from a 400mm to a 500mm lens you do not get a 25% increase in image size as you might expect. You would instead get over a 50% increase in image size. Without going into the math this result is because image size is a function of the square of the focal length. In addition, something I have not done as yet but want to eventually try is to use extension tubes. Even when using them to take photographs beyond your minimum focus distance extension tubes offer a significant increase in image size.

Before we leave this topic I should note that there are ethical considerations when approaching birds / animals. Never continually stalk a subject to the point of harassment. If they do not allow you to approach after a few attempts then give up and find another subject. Nesting birds will show stress much faster and should not be approached close as they may abandon their nest. In no circumstance should you remove vegetation in order to get a clear shot as this exposes the nest to predators and weather.

How to Catch Action

Action shots are where it is at. Still portraits can be beautiful but if you can catch your subject doing something other than sitting or standing you will have a shot with much more interest. This can be as little as singing, calling, flapping or preening, or as dynamic as flying or feeding, anything that adds interest. My highest scoring shot on DPC came from the same series as the one above and scored because it included action.

The best way to catch action is to be ready and anticipate what is going to happen. And donâ��t be afraid to fire off lots of shots in burst mode. It comes back to knowing your subjects behavior patterns. When focusing on a subject if something happens fire away and worry about it later. Here I was watching this Harrier through the lens on a windy day just waiting for her to do something other than cling to the log. When she lost her balance I just fired off about ten shots. It made for a better image than one of her just sitting there.

Any attempted changes to aperture or shutter speed at this point are wasted as the action will be over by time your set. Have you camera already set. We talked earlier about apertures and shutter speeds. A simple review for action shots is to shoot at an aperture that allows enough DOF to have the whole subject in focus, this may be as high as F8 or F11 for large birds or mammals. In this case you will need to increase your ISO to assure a fast shutter speed, I prefer something like 1/1,000 sec or higher. But you can get away with much slower shutter speeds if the action is minimal, like a bird yawning or singing. Iâ��ve been surprised at times getting sharp images at much slower speeds so shoot away even if it seems slow. Although not the slowest this shot was at 1/640 sec.

We talked earlier in this lesson about getting close. When shooting action it is best to keep some distance. I have lost great action shots by being too close or too zoomed in, cutting off a wing or a head or the feet. Here I lost part of a wing, not a complete loss but it does take away from the shot.

Leave space in the frame so that the subject has room to move. And remember to be patient and be ready. I have also lost great shots because I got bored waiting for action to occur and as soon as I took my eye off the viewfinder bang, off the bird would fly or some such missed opportunity. It seems to happen more times than not.

Action shots are fun when you can get them. Be patient and wait for it to occur. Know your subject and their habits, your equipment and have it set properly and you will be in the "right spot at the right time" more often to get that â��luckyâ�� shot.

Assignment

This one will be fun. Go out with the two goals in mind we talked about in this lesson.

First is to attempt to get close enough to get a full frame shot, or as close as you can. Donâ��t be afraid to get dirty. Likely this will be a more static shot.

Second, attempt to get an action shot. If youâ��re a beginner try gulls, they are almost everywhere and fairly easy to catch in action. If you are more experienced try getting something that you have not done before, maybe a bird in flight or a water bird running on the water surface. Some of the bigger birds are already building nests so maybe a shot of one carrying a branch or performing mating rituals.

[Next up â�� Our closing discussion which will include sharing hotspots for nature photography, especially birds.[/b]

04/06/2010 11:33:16 PM · #172

A roadside shot from about 60 ft, cropped off about 1/4 of the image, basic edit.
And, a couple of shots of another kind of bird, the last night shuttle launch, shot from about 100 miles away from the launch. it was beautiful to see.

And the smoke trail about 15 minutes after the launch.