How to Photograph Birds?

Point and shoot cameras are efficient for capturing your Kodak moments of family events and vacations, but for birding photography you’ll want a good camera that’s sturdier and has greater capabilities for shooting birds over long distances. A 35-millimeter camera with basic autofocus capability is recommended because it will quickly focus and meter for you, saving you the time and trouble you may experience if you are new to the hobby.

The photo of the pelican shown here was shot using a 28-210 zoom lens set at 200.

The yellow-crowned night heron and junco were shot using a 400-lens from approximately the same distance (although obviously in different places!).

In some cases, 500-, 600-, 800- and even 1000-millimeter lenses may be desired, but these lenses are expensive and can be priced in the 5-figure category. If you feel you need a more powerful lens but can’t afford it, do what we economically challenged individuals do and use an extender or teleconverter. A 1.4X teleconverter turns a 400-millimeter lens into a 540-millimeter lens. A 2X extender on a 400-millimeter doubles it to 800.

The type of film you use is just as important as your camera and lenses. Professional photographers generally use slow-speed slide film (50 or 100 ASA) because they can produce prints that are clear and not grainy. However, because the speed is slow, they must often use a flash and/or tripod when shooting in order to properly light the subject, or to keep the camera steady if shooting at slower speeds without a flash.

If you don’t plan to exhibit or sell your photos for publication, 200-speed film is a good, generic film speed because you can generally shoot through a telephoto lens without losing so much light that you need a flash. Higher-speed films (400, 800, 1600) are also excellent for capturing birds in motion but are prone to some graininess.

How do you know what lens and distance are appropriate? Simple. Look through the lens. If the subject in question looks like a pinhead, forget it. Increase your lens size or get closer to the subject. If your subject is sitting in the middle of a lake, and you don’t have a boat or can’t walk on water, you’re going to need a bigger lens. If you don’t have a bigger lens, my suggestion would be not to shoot the picture. Save your film for a better subject.

Where Should You Photograph the Backyard Birds?

Backyard photography is a great way to familiarize yourself with your equipment and your technique. A good way to start shooting is to take photographs of birds either at a birdbath or at a feeder. Some photographers set up feeders close to their windows so they can shoot from the comfort of inside. If you opt for this method, shoot as close to the window glass as possible and try to avoid using the flash to avoid reflection. If you decide to use a flash, then tape a blank piece of cardboard to the window to avoid any flash reflection.

While some, like myself, prefer to set up a camera with a 400mm lens on a tripod and shoot from outdoors at a comfortable distance from the birds, others build makeshift blinds so they can get up close and personal with their subjects. Blinds can be homemade, like a large, cardboard box cut for a camera lens, or they can be the commercial kind hunters use. I’ve also heard of a photographer who constructed a kind of wood-colored body sheath; to close in on his subject, he’d half-crouch and shuffle forward, something like a human larva. Whichever blind you prefer, I suggest you keep it out in the yard a few days so the birds grow accustomed to its presence before you use it.

Keep lighting in mind when you’re shooting. Early morning and late afternoon/early evening light make for more interesting photos. Also try to shoot when the sun is behind you, not in front of you, to avoid silhouetting your subject.

How to Photograph Birds on Your Bird Watching Trips?

When you decide to photograph birds away from your home, you must decide what to take with you. Unlike backyard photography, you can’t just run into the house if you need another roll of film or batteries.

Make a list of what you need to take with you, even for a day trip. Take the camera (of course), the lens or lenses you may shoot with, several rolls of film, a spare battery, and tripod and flash (should you decide to use these). Also bring a cloth to clean your camera lens.

If I’m just running over to the local arboretum to shoot for an hour or two, I may just shove some extra rolls of film in my pockets, and throw the camera into the car with the tripod. If I’m taking a half-day or day-trip to the local refuge, I’ll take a daypack with extra lenses, batteries and camera body in addition to extra film.

My carry list grows when I take a week’s car trip somewhere. For example, if I’m going to shoot in Cape May, New Jersey, a three-hour drive from where I live, then I take a backpack designed to hold camera equipment. My pack can hold 2 camera bodies, a 400-mm lens, 2 shorter lenses, 2 teleconverters, a motor drive, flash unit, spare batteries, and lens filters. Depending on my length of stay and agenda, I bring from 20 to 40 rolls of film. The tripod gets tossed in the car trunk along with my binoculars and spotting scope, and I’m outta here.

For longer trips, like a 10-day trip to Florida, I take only the camera bodies and lenses I need, usually a 28 – 200mm zoom lens, a 100-300 zoom, and two teleconverters. Again, depending on the length and purpose of my stay, I take between 20 to 60 rolls of film with me. These are again stowed in the backpack, which I carry on board along with my tripod.

International travel is trickier. I take only what I need, but double up on batteries and film because these can be difficult to get. Which brings me to another issue. On any air travel, domestic or international, do not – read this twice – DO NOT pack film in any baggage you will check in. This is because the x-ray equipment used to examine checked-in baggage is far stronger than those used for carry-on luggage and can ruin your film, especially high-speed film rated 800 ASA or higher.

Call me anal, paranoid or suspicious, but I still won’t trust any film to x-ray, not even my 50-rated film. The best way to get your film through security is to put it in a plastic bag and hand it off to the security personnel. You can also put your film in shield bags, film bags lined with lead, and carry it on board with you.

Another thing to remember is to waterproof your equipment if you’re doing any water travel. There are excellent hardcover cases guaranteed to keep your equipment water-proofed should it take an unexpected plunge into the drink!