Better birds: Tips for great bird photos
Birds are fabulous subjects to photograph, and something I have been enjoying immensely for the past 25+ years of my photography.
But rather than just capturing standard portrait shots of well-focused birds sitting on a stick in nice light, there are other ways you can photograph birds which can be quite pleasing. Done correctly, these techniques will really elevate your bird photography.
Close ups
Photographing an area of a bird is one way to achieve interesting shots. People usually don’t get to see, at close range, the feather detail of a bird or a close-up of its eye.
This method can accentuate a bird’s feathers or it can show the intricate detail of its eyes.
I suggest using a lens with a long focal distance (such as 400mm or 500mm) to hone in on one area, concentrating on that detail. Alternatively, if you have a camera with decent megapixels, take the shot as close as you can, then crop the image during post processing to create the image you want.
Birds in the environment
Photographing birds as part of a landscape is becoming more and more popular and you don’t need to use a lens with a long focal length. Many bird photography competitions such as the Birdlife Australia Photography Awards and Bird Photographer of the Year (UK based) both include the category ‘Birds in the Environment’, where the bird is a small part of the image.
Basically, the idea is to find a beautiful landscape and photograph a bird (or birds) in that landscape. Using a wide-angle lens such as a 16-35mm or even a 24-70mm enables you to capture the whole landscape and using an aperture such as f16 allows greater depth of field so that the whole landscape is in focus.
When a bird enters the landscape you choose, it is important to focus on the bird as this will be the first object the viewer of the image normally looks at.
Birds as silhouettes
Rather than seeing the colours of a bird and the texture of its feathers, a silhouette of a bird, when photographed correctly, allows you to identify it simply by its shape or outline. If the silhouette is taken during an amazing sunrise or sunset, it also creates a stunning background for your image.
To be able to create great silhouettes, you need to use certain settings for the shots to work. Firstly, compose your shot by placing the bird in front of beautiful light. This can be a sunrise, a sunset or a bright or overcast sky.
The settings on your camera are similar to taking standard bird images but the important thing is to use the correct metering setting. This is Matrix metering for Nikon cameras, Evaluative for Canon, Multi Pattern for Sony, ESP for OM Systems (Olympus), Multi for Fuji and Multi Zone for Panasonic.
By exposing for the background, your subject ends up being black. Basically, you have just created a beautiful silhouette!
Capturing action
One of my favourite types of bird photography is capturing ‘action’. To me, it’s the ‘thrill of the chase’ that makes this type of photography so exciting. Capturing that split-second moment in time, frozen forever in-camera, is very rewarding.
I suggest picking a bird species you would like to photograph, then do some research as to the best locations to photograph them.
Doing a reccy beforehand, if you can, is something I recommend. This allows you to see where the birds are as well as observing their behaviour.
Once you have done this, it’s time to start shooting. I suggest using shutter priority, setting the camera’s shutter speed to 1/2000th of a second. That way if the bird is flying, fighting or any other behaviour where it is moving rapidly, the action sequence can be ‘freeze-framed’.
You will also need to set your camera to burst mode, where the camera takes multiple shots while you press down the shutter button. That way you are capturing the full sequence of action.
Different camera brand sand models have different types of focusing modes, so there isn’t one straight answer as to which one to use to capture split second moments in time.
If you own a mirrorless camera, especially some of the more recent models, many have bird-tracking focus modes which when used correctly can achieve incredible results.
Some models have 3D tracking, which helps you to follow moving subjects and with others you need to use a single focus point based in the centre of your screen and try and track the bird that way.
Yes, it can be tricky to ‘nail’ that shot with a single focus point but practice certainly will help you achieve sharp action shots.
Black and White or Monochrome
You can photograph birds in colour with the aim of editing them later as black and white images. Alternatively, most cameras have a black and white mode as a setting.
By shooting or editing an image in black and white, it isn’t the colour of the bird that wows the viewer of your images. It ends up being the mood of the landscape the bird is situated in or the behaviour you have captured.
I always shoot using RAW and in colour, then when I’m editing my images I can choose the type of image I want as the end result.
There are different black and white settings available in Lightroom, for example, where all you need to do is click on the style of black and white and see which one works best for you. Easy!
Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)
If you like to experiment with your bird photography and prefer the more artistic approach, then Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) is well worth trying. This is where you intentionally capture slowed-down movement of birds in action, especially in flight. The best results are achieved by photographing flying birds on an overcast day.
My favourite settings for ICM are anything between 1/10th to 1/30th of a second shutter speed, especially on a cloudy or overcast day. I either pan with the bird as its flying past or let the bird fly past without my moving the camera.
If conditions are bright, you can also use a neutral density filter to lower the camera’s shutter speed.
Whatever method of bird photography you choose, the best way to get great shots is by experimenting and practising. Above all, enjoy the process!
Michael Snedic has been photographing birds across Australia and the world for more than 28 years. He articles and images are widely published, is a Nikon School tutor and an in-demand speaker at Camera Clubs and Photography Conventions across Australia. Michael is the founder of WildNature Photo Expeditions, specialising in nature photography workshops and tours. You can view details by visiting: www.wildnaturephotoexpeditions.com