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A. Macarthur

About Digital Artist/Photographer, Author Articles: 516 Seeds: 0 Comments: 15923 Since: Oct 2008

Photographing Birds? Yup ... Still at it!

Current Status: Blessed (1)
By A. Macarthur
Sun Jan 2, 2011 1:14 PM
Discuss:
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1) For starters, here's one of those Woodpeckers that eluded me for the previous article ... this is a Downy.

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2) I'm ignoring you.

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3) Let's pretend we don't see her.

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4) Defiant one ... male House Sparrow

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5) My set-up for bird photos; a feeder is hung on fallen limbs I pick up from my backyard. A steel plant-hanger supports the largest propped-up limbs and smaller branches are configured around those. I reconfigure this set-up periodically in order to get variation in my shots ... birds will perch on the branches and wait to get at the feeder ... I try and use the most interesting branch/limb textures and forms in my set-up.

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6) Notice that my set-ups are at the edge of a patio ... this is because I'm taking the pictures from inside my house ... a consideration based on the lenses I use; one is a 300mm zoom, the other, a 200mm ... not particularly big lenses, so, the closer to the subject-birds, the better. Also notice that behind my set-up are all natural objects ... shrubs, etc. When taking any photo, it's wise to look corner-to-corner in your viewfinder to make sure there's nothing in your composition that you don't want. Here, the all natural background maximizes my chances for a "lucky" shot.

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7) Here is where luck plays a big part in my bird photography; although I live in a major city, Philadelphia ... not in a suburb of Philly ... right in Philly, my back yard is at the edge of a natural, wooded area, one that the city has preserved as a huge park system. These trees are roughly 100 feet tall (Yellow Poplars, Beech, Maples) ... great for branch "props" and of course, a natural habitat for birds (Red Fox, White-tailed Deer and other species of wildlife). I am lucky to have such a back yard.

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8) Here's MY perch ... camera on tripod, open window and clear shot to the feeders, branches and birds. I hope this is helpful ... I know everyone's circumstances will be different, so, ask questions and we'll see how it goes.

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9) I have gradually moved my feeders and natural "props" closer to my window/camera, etc. which allows me to fill more of any given frame with the bird subject. Among other advantages, this allows me to use fill-in flash when the sun is behind the bird and I'm photographing the shaded side.

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10) Sparrow at Dusk

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11) Downy Woodpecker at suet feeder


Here is yet another flighty exercise on my part ... more birds. In case you haven't seen my previous bird photo-essay, go now ... we'll wait for you. It's right here ...

http://immaginedigitalimag.newsvine.com/_news/2010/12/26/5716717-what-another-snow-photo-article-this-ones-for-the-birds-literally

O.K. let's get into this one.

Like anything else worthwhile, photographing birds takes some patience, knowledge, planning ahead and luck ... all things you can control to some extent ... even the luck part! Of course, your camera equipment will be of significance, but all things being equal, your objective should be to get the best images you can with what you have.

Somewhere in this article, I will post an image of how I set up my bird feeders and some natural "props" to maximize my "luck." And even if you don't have a back yard and a good window position (as I am lucky enough to have), if it's birds you want to photograph, there are various strategies (the subject of future articles).

I think about birds as a photo subject in two ways ... first, as individual portraits ... showing the species characteristics and second, as "animal behavioral" shots. You might be surprised at the nuances even a perched bird or grouping will display. I hope to post some example of both concepts. Think of it as "flight-of-ideas ... " uhhhh, no, don't do that ... changed my mind.

A. Mac

© All images and article ... A. Macarthur

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