Secrets of bird photography - Cover Story

Why birds? For the wildlife photographer they are the ideal subject. Birds are highly visible and are active throughout the day. They are more colorful and less secretive than mammals. People relate to birds more than any other form of wildlife. As with any specialized area of photography, the techniques must be mastered to get those truly spectacular shots. A little luck doesn't hurt either--but if you're not on location and prepared, all the luck in the world won't help.

To photograph birds you must get as close as possible by stalking, use of a blind or attracting them into camera range with food or water. You want a frame-filling subject but must keep your distance or the bird will be gone. Thus, bird photographs can be considered close-ups with telephoto lenses. Today most serious wildlife photographers use the big "fast" lenses from 300 f2.8 to 600mm f4. For birds 300mm would be the minimum length. With today's through-the-lens metering flash units, slower lenses with f5.6 apertures can also be used successfully. Telextenders (1.4 or 2x) will give increased image sizes yet hold the same focusing distance. Extension tubes will increase image size and bring the focusing range closer. Zoom lenses in the 200-500 mm range are excellent; they focus down to about eight feet which allows a chickadee to fill the frame at 500mm. Other equipment needs include a sturdy tripod with a ball head, car window bracket and/or bean bag, blinds, commercial or homemade, binoculars to spot and identify the birds and a library of field guides.

Exposure. Most cameras today use through-the-lens metering which takes a "reflected" reading. They read the light reflected off the subject and try to make the subject neutral or 18 percent gray. Since most birds will not dominate the metered area, the reading will usually be influenced by other elements in the frame. When faced with this situation, a reading should be taken from a neutral area of the scene--deep blue sky, green grasses, or from a gray card.

Perhaps the best exposure method in all light conditions is an "incident" reading using a hand held exposure meter. An incident reading reads the light falling on the subject. It is not affected by the different elements of the scene.

Whatever method is used, the "Sunny 16" rule should always be kept in mind. In bright sun at f16 the speed is equal to 1/ASA.

In Bright Sun

ASA 50 f16 s= 1/60

ASA 100 f16 s=1/125

ASA 200 f16 s=1/200

Knowing this, one can mentally check the reading of the meter. If it varies significantly, check to see what's wrong. If you're using a 2x telextender you lose two stops of light, therefore, think of the rule as "Sunny f8." Compensation should be made to keep a white bird from burning out or to keep a black bird from losing detail. For white, close down 1/2 stop and for black open up 1/2 stop.

Birds don't stay still long or often. With most bird photography you'll need as much speed as possible; therefore, you'll be shooting close to wide open. The aperture mode of today's automated cameras should be used most of the time. With the aperture set wide open the fastest shutter speed will automatically be chosen which will minimize camera shake and stop action. One advantage with today's automated cameras is that exactly the proper speed will be selected. For example, if the lighting calls for 1/700 of a second the shutter will close at that speed not 1/500 or 1/1000, the normal manual settings.

Backgrounds. Blue sky always compliments a bird--after all, the sky is its principal environment. When perched, watch for highlights or other elements which may detract from the bird as the main subject. As circumstances permit, shoot wide open to soften or "blow out" the background.

Stalking. To approach within shooting distance, most birds must be stalked. Never approach directly--it's a threat. Zigzag and find objects to screen you. Avoid eye contact except when shooting. The standing human form is also a threat. Sitting, lying down and/or crawling reduce that threat. Move slowly. Quick movements will surely spook your subject. Watch for agitation. When a bird becomes nervous, it's ready to fly. Shoot frequently as you approach. You never know which shot will be your last. Always try to focus on the bird's eye and wait for it to turn its head to catch an eye highlight if possible. A great place to practice stalking is at a local pond where the ducks and geese are habituated to people.

Blinds. The best blind possible is available to everyone--the automobile. If it's four wheel drive so much the better. Birds are acclimated to automobiles and the human form is screened. A piece of burlap over the window from which you are shooting provides further screening. A window bracket is very effective in steadying your long telephoto; even a simple bean bag can provide good support.

Many wildlife sanctuaries have strategically placed blinds which can get you close to the birds without being seen. These are usually permanent structures near a place that the birds frequent. You can't control the arrangement but they do provide an opportunity to photograph not otherwise available.

There are numerous commercially manufactured portable blinds available. Homemade blinds such as a beach umbrella draped with burlap, an old refrigerator carton, etc. can be equally effective. The blind keeps your movements hidden and allows you to photograph at a specific spot, keeping in mind that the birds must come to you. As you approach your blind you will be seen by any wildlife in the vicinity. A "go away" person should accompany you into the blind. When they leave the birds will perceive that the danger has also left (birds can't count) and will resume their normal activities much sooner. Nest photography is too complex to cover in this article. Before setting up at a nest site research the proper techniques to assure that you are not placing the nest or its occupants in danger.

At Home. Your home, too, makes an excellent blind. A bird feeder set up outside a window can get you great shots from the comfort of your home. (See diagram.) Food attracts the birds, especially in winter. Appropriate props provide for a natural setting. With a fixed focal length lens, a pulley arrangement allows the feeder and lights to be moved back for large birds and forward for small ones. The lens should be at least 300mm but 400mm is better and 500mm is best. Extension tubes will allow for close focusing as well as increasing the image size. With a long zoom lens such as a 200-500mm, the platform can be fixed and the image size adjusted by focal length. In either case, the background must be placed far enough away to assure that it is well beyond the lens's depth of field at f16 or f22 and will appear soft in the resulting pictures. If in the sun, this setup will work for natural light; however, even with a fast film speed, depth of field and the ability to stop action will be limited.

Lighting with flash can be done with four inexpensive A-C units. Arrange them for basic portrait lighting as shown in the diagram. (1) Main light at 45 degrees, (2) fill light at the opposite 45 degrees and at minus one stop, (3) rim light high from the back and pointing down also at minus one stop and (4) background light at the same exposure as the main light. When double wrapped in clear plastic bags, the lights can be left outdoors indefinitely. Setting up outside a north facing window will allow the house to shade the subject so that the sun doesn't compete with the flash units which could create "ghost" images. A-C flash units can be plugged into a house circuit, have no hum and use no batteries. They can be left on all day if need be. They don't need to be powerful as they will be mounted on the feeder board only a foot or two from the subject. The speed of the flash does no harm to the birds' eyes. They get so used to the flash that they rarely spook when it fires.

Because there is no reflected light in close-up flash you must open up one stop from the manufacturer's guide number as shown in Close-up Flash-1. Close-up Flash-2 shows how to calculate the locations of the flash units. The fill and rim lights can be adjusted to minus one stop by covering them with a plastic diffuser or with two layers of handkerchief. A little experimentation will allow you to find the most pleasing results. Because the main lights will not carry to the background it needs to be lit by its own flash unit--otherwise the background will go black. It should be placed at the same distance as the main light to provide balanced lighting.

A film speed of ASA 25 or 50 provides excellent detail and still allows for small apertures with great depth of field on the birds. A board in the window with appropriate holes for the lens, P-C cord and A-C extension will complete the "home blind." Foam to fill the cracks will keep out the draft in winter.

And now - the secrets!

1. Know your subject. Birds are living, moving beings. Like us, they have habits and follow regular routines. Study the field guides and references. There is no substitute for a thorough knowledge of an individual species and its characteristics. Anticipating the bird's next move gives you the edge.

2. Patience pays. Bird photography is a waiting game. You must wait for them to make their move and give you the right angle, view or action. Even in stalking, the rule should be "easy does it." On the other hand, you must always be alert and ready for when the shot does come. It's usually a fleeting moment.

3. Use a big wastebasket, and fill it. Edit fiercely. Because of the fast moving action, expect many "misses" and more "almosts." Into the wastebasket with them! An almost sharp picture won't get any sharper by putting it back in your files. Next year it will still be "almost sharp." What if the bird's nictitating membrane passed over its eye at the very moment you shot? You didn't see it because the camera's mirror was up. It's better to take many shots to get one good one than to take only a few and get none. The occasional winner is worth the effort.

4. And most important of all. No picture is worth putting the subject in harm's way. Never press wildlife too hard or too long at feeding grounds. Protect nests from predators and human intrusion. Don't leave a trail that puts your subject at risk. It gave you a picture, you, then, are responsible for its safety. It seems that every time I pass up an opportunity out of concern for my subject somehow an even better opportunity comes along as if to say "thank you."

RELATED ARTICLE: Sources

Morris mini-flash is available at photographic stores.

Blinds, car window bracket and accessories: Leonard Rue Enterprises 138 Millbrook Road Blairstown, NJ 07825-9534

Books covering photography of nesting birds: Beyond the Basics by George Lepp Lepp & Associates, Los Osos, CA

The Complete Book of Photographing Birds by Russ Kinne Amphoto, New York, NY

Field guides: Field Guide to Eastern Birds Field Guide to Western Birds by Roger Tory Peterson Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA

Behavioral Guides: Stokes Nature Guides A Guide to Bird Behavior I, II & III Little, Brown & Co., Boston, MA

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