On making and viewing pictures of wild birds

 

This page is under construction.

 

 

 

 

Making pictures of wild birds is challenging. Most wild birds are small, they flit around a lot, the few species that are more stationary rarely let you get too close, and none of them pose or follow instructions. TheyÕre frequently in locations that are especially demanding of the photographer—high in the canopy, on the open ocean, deep in the underbrush, high up on a cliff, etc. The light conditions are almost always challenging—the bright light of high noon, the sun behind the bird, a dark canopy with bright sun beyond, the dim light of dawn or dusk or a rain storm, etc. And the birdsÕ colors—one of the features of the birds that the photographer especially wants to capture—are usually tricky; e.g., black and white, deep purple that appears black in most light, etc. Further, it generally takes hundreds of shots until you get a single good one, and most shots come after a long hike, with heavy equipment, in the snow or rain or heat or cold. These challenges are, of course, one of the chief reasons that making pictures of wild birds is so rewarding.

 

As with paintings, knowing what to look for in a photograph of a wild bird can deepen your appreciation of both the bird and the photograph. And as with paintings, there are, of course, many different ÒtypesÓ of photographs of wild birds, each of which invites a different kind of response from the viewer, a different ÒmeasureÓ with which to judge the photograph. Here, then, are a few of the main types of photographs of wild birds, broadly conceived, as well as a few brief thoughts on each of them, and (roughly) arranged from least-to-most desirable.

 

(1) The close-up (usually also highlighting the photographerÕs expensive optics). This type of photograph is usually the preferred mode for birders who are new to photography and have recently purchased a good lens. Sometimes, this type of photograph can be quite useful (e.g., in field guides, especially to point out hard-to-see diagnostic features). Often times, though, a bird that takes up the entire frame, and is so sharply focused that you can see dust mites on its primaries is less-than-rewarding to the viewer. But for the serious birder who also makes photos of wild birds, itÕs difficult (in fact, nearly impossible) to resist the urge to make a tight close-up photograph on those rare opportunities when they present themselves. Here is an example of this type of photograph. I made this photograph on 29 December 2007 in Dublin on St. StephenÕs Green. It was a rainy day, and my family and I were waiting out the storm under a gazebo. This curious little European Robin was so bold with us that he almost seemed to be begging me to make a photo of him. So I did! This is my least favorite type of wild bird photo, but as with this Robin photo, sometimes the results are okay.

 

(2) The flight (or extended wing) shot. (Description of this forthcoming.) Here is an example of this type of photograph. Here is another example.

 

(3) The singing shot. (Description of this forthcoming.) Here is an example of this type of photograph.

 

(4) The shot that emphasizes the bird Òas it really looks in the fieldÓ (with a special emphasis on the ÒsettingÓ). (Description of this forthcoming.) Here is an example of this type of photograph.

 

(5) The artistic (or its lesser cousin, the mood) shot. (Description of this forthcoming.) Here is an example of this type of photograph.

 

(6) The documentation shot. In this type of shot, all artistic aspects are subordinate to visual documentation (usually, of a rare species). Here is an example of this type of photograph, a crude disgiscope shot I made (before I had my DSLR rig) of a White-winged Dove from my yard in Crawfordsville, Indiana, the stateÕs eighth accepted sighting of this species, and Montgomery CountyÕs first.

 

(7) The field guide shot. (Description of this forthcoming.) Here is an example of this type of photograph.

 

(8) The shot that combines both (3) and (4). does, but also with ÒartisticÓ merits, e.g., balance, composition, etc. (Description of this forthcoming.) Here is an example of this type of photograph. Here is another example. Is it a coincidence that both were taken in Prague?

 

 

My camera equipment: Originally, a Canon 20D, digital SLR camera, with 100–400 image-stabilizing zoom lens. Two years ago, my camera died, and I replaced it with a used Canon 30D. The 30D is adequate, but the images are not as sharp as those produced with my 20D. I still use the 100–400 image-stabilizing lens.