Birding Photography Rules of Thumb

largelylivin

Today, with nearly a year of capturing birds under my wings, I was quitely standing in a good spot waiting for something to happen by when I began thinking about some of the things that I have learned about capturing birds. I thought that a good set of rules, insight and truths about birding would be useful for generations to come. If we all contributed to this I am sure that a comprehensive list could be developed.

In no particular order of importance.

1. Most often, a bird will tend to land on the wrong side of a tree.
2. Most often, a bird will tend to land too high in the tree.
3. Birds that land within 10 feet of you tend to be robins.
4. Once you spot a bird, moving your feet is usually a bad idea.
5. You cannot find a warbler with a 500mm lens.
6. An Egret will only pose for you long enough for you to set-up your tripod and camera.
7. Beginners tend to have lots of photos of Turkey Vultures.
8. If you feel like you've been in one spot too long, you haven't. Corollary: When you move to a better location you won't see anything for an hour.
9. When bored, do not photograph squirels and other rodents. Its bad form.
10. There is no lens that's long enough that you can afford.
11. If you had a big enough lens you could not carry it.
12. Given the chance, take 20 or more pictures of the same bird. Maybe one will be in-focus.
13. Birds think your camera is a gun and you are Colonel Sanders.

Feel free to restate any of the above in a more cleaver or witty fashion.

dlplumer

Good post.

jrnylst

I love Rule #13. Good job! You've learned your lessons well.

Hikin' Mike

!!!

#14 When capturing BIF, a bird will usually fly AWAY from the camera...not towards.

Jim T

15. Birds are evil, but woodpeckers are down right twisted.

See...

Maestro

#16 When using Automatic Focus, the AF will always focus on the nearest leaf, piece of bark, stem or rump of the subject instead of the face.

Harryb

#17 As soon as you set up your camera with the 500mm lens on a tripod a bird will land 12 feet away from you. :bash

Ric Grupe

#18 When using a long lens...when a bird lands in perfect position for a near full frame shot, your focus limiter switch will be set to far and by the time you change it the shot will be gone.

bfjr

largelylivin wrote:

Today, with nearly a year of capturing birds under my wings, I was quitely standing in a good spot waiting for something to happen by when I began thinking about some of the things that I have learned about capturing birds. I thought that a good set of rules, insight and truths about birding would be useful for generations to come. If we all contributed to this I am sure that a comprehensive list could be developed.

In no particular order of importance.

1. Beginners tend to have lots of photos of Turkey Vultures.
2. When bored, do not photograph squirels and other rodents. Its bad form.

Feel free to restate any of the above in a more cleaver or witty fashion.

You've learned well in just a year

the above two need a different interpetation:

1. Beginners tend to get GREAT BUTT SHOTS !!
Like this:


2. When bored, do not photograph the "Spawn of SATAN", it makes Harry's skin crawl !! :poke

shoepick

"When bored, do not photograph squirels and other rodents. Its bad form."

Now he tells me..:D

raptorcaptor

It is also not necessary to keep the photos of twigs that previously held small birds! It's just not the same!

Jim T

raptorcaptor wrote:

It is also not necessary to keep the photos of twigs that previously held small birds! It's just not the same!

I have a couple of those with very sharp focus and great backgrounds.

Maestro

Jim T wrote:

I have a couple of those with very sharp focus and great backgrounds.

Me three!

Maestro

#19 When using manual mode and finally getting the proper exposure for a great shot, the sun will either come out from behind a cloud causing an overexposed image or it will duck behind a cloud causing an underexposed shot.

largelylivin

Harryb wrote:

#17 As soon as you set up your camera with the 500mm lens on a tripod a bird will land 12 feet away from you. :bash

True story. Sunday I had a 500mm with 2x TC mounted on a tripod and A hummingbird buzzes me like a mosquito. Maybe he was drawn to the insect repelent?

bhowdy

# 7 Beginners tend to have lots of photos of Turkey Vultures

Guilty as charged here! And not really even a good shot of one to show for it!

#20 When you finally find that spot that is full of action - You have enough lens to get nice images - You have a great sky to shoot against - And some of them turn out to actually be in focus! - You know why you love this expensive hobby! :ivar

Addendum to this comment -- It was a great day when you realize on the ride home that your neck is sore from looking up all day!

Hikin' Mike

bhowdy wrote:

Guilty as charged here! And not really even a good shot of one to show for it!

#20 When you finally find that spot that is full of action - You have enough lens to get nice images - You have a great sky to shoot against - And some of them turn out to actually be in focus! - You know why you love this expensive hobby! :ivar

Addendum to this comment -- It was a great day when you realize on the ride home that your neck is sore from looking up all day!

+1!!

NorthernFocus

#21 Birds have finely tuned senses to detect when a photographer is answering the call of nature and will present themselves in plain view at the precise distance for a full frame image at that exact moment.

Allen

#22 Bugs tend to bite just as you're pressing the shutter or an instant before focus lock.