nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

I'm trying to shoot (figuratively) birds, as I am surrounded by them at home and at the Cornell University Ornithology Lab/bird sanctuary. I see all the gorgeous stationary bird shots on UHH and elsewhere and I wonder:.

How do you get sharply-focused shots that look like the bird had to be posing? Do you train the camera (on a tripod) on a spot and hope a bird appears and holds still long enough?
Swing the camera around and hope to frame the subject wherever it lands? And get it in focus?
Do you autofocus with a single focus spot, or multiple spots? Or manual focus? Focus on the prospective perch, or focus on a bird that shows up (really quickly)?

I could go on, but to sum up......how do you all do it? I'm super-envious.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Well, it is a LONG story with many approaches ........but YOUTUBE is your friend ......

..

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

All of the above. If you are shooting birds in flight, a tripod may get in the way if they are small and quick birds like wrens and finches. Typically, you need to set up a blind that will be big enough to handle a tripod. If it is possible, bait the area you intend to shoot with bird seed to attract the birds. You do not need a bird feeder, just pile the seed on the ground near where you are set up. The blind does not need to be exotic, I have seen people set up a lean to with a couple of poles and a sheet. As for focusing, use about 9 focus points in most cases. Set your aperture around 8 and your shutter speed around 1/750 and adjust from there. Lots of practice, but practice puts you out in nature having fun, what could be better than that. Have fun.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Lots of practice and patience. Read available articles, there are many you can google, and watch a lot of videos. There are way too many variables to answer your questions here.

Jerrin1 Loc: Wolverhampton, England

If you do not have access to a hide/blind you will realistically require a lens of at least 300mm. I use autofocus, single AF point, single shot, at least 1/500th (though my cameras has IBIS, so I can use 1/250th handheld with my 400mm at a pinch), f4 - f8 and auto ISO. Though it is obviously possible to use longer duration shutter speeds with a tripod, you have to remember that birds often move about: so the shutter speed needs to be fast enough to freeze the movement. You will need a lot of patience, a little knowledge of the subjects habits and the ability to move quietly and slowly. If your subject is close, make sure you bring your camera up to your eye slowly and smoothly. Tuck your elbows in and make sure you have your feet well planted to minimise camera shake. Alternatively, use a gate or a post etc., to brace your camera/lens. Check for unsightly background: you can always take a couple of shots then carefully change position for the money shot. Check out YouTube for top bird photographers such as Steve Perry and Mark Smith.

SonyBug

I start off by training the birds to sit still. Then progress up to posing when the sun is just right. Where am I in the process? Still trying to catch my first bird of course. Just my opinion...

starlifter Loc: Towson, MD

All of the above and practice , practice , and then practice some more.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Jerry Green Loc: Huntsville, AL

I have an outside studio at my house and shoot through an open window or my deck. The feeders have posing sticks attached to the feeder poles or just stuck in the ground and at different heights.

NormanTheGr8 Loc: Racine, Wisconsin

Better glass also helps

Sherwood Lincoln Whistletown Wilds Loc: southeastern Ct.

This helped me a lot!! http://www.digitalbirdphotography.com/contents.html

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Learn to get close to birds without frightening them away. This will require practice and patience.

Bill_de Loc: US

I read years ago in a book by Moose Peterson that if you put a perch next to a feeder a bird will often land on it coming or going. In a workshop with the same person he stressed over and over again that backgrounds matter almost as much as the subject. Putting those two thoughts together I made a portable feeder with an easy way to change perches. I move it in and out of shadows, to set different backgrounds, and to where I can sit comfortably if I choose. I only have one feeder, so I know where the birds will be. I only use sunflower seeds, a sometimes a little chunky peanut butter for the woodpeckers.

Take a look.

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-367004-1.html

---

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Pictures are worth a whole lotta words. Fantastic thread you posted, Bill!

To the OP, I think someone already mentioned the importance of learning their habits. When you go to that sanctuary, be aware of favorite perches: fence posts, rocks, branches will have the poo as evidence

And learn what time of day your favorite species will be active.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Taking bird pictures takes a lot of practice and skill. First, yes, use a single focus point if the bird has things such as branches of a tree near it. Use a fast shutter speed. I don't use shutter priority, I use aperture priority, a good fast lens usually wide open unless it's a huge bird with large wingspan, and adjust the ISO according the available light. I use evaluative metering or matrix metering for those Nikon shooters, and if the bird is in the shadows I use a +1 or so EC (exposure compensation). If the bird is in the sky, I do use multiple focus points in a somewhat clear sky so that the bird stays focused more. Learning to hand hold and keep the camera steady is key too. You can use a tripod for stationary birds, but it really takes a lot of skill to get a BIF with tripod. Most of the really good photographers use a video tripod and fluid head for this but it still takes a long time to develop the kind of skill to get a sharp centered in frame image of a BIF. I always hand hold and use 9 or so focal points. Even then I sometimes can't even find the bird in my viewfinder.


If you are using a point and shoot camera, then yes, you'll have to do whatever you can to get close and get the shot. You won't get the best detail with a point and shoot if you are far away from the bird.