- How
to Photograph Birds
Birds may be fun to watch, but
they are notoriously difficult to capture on film.
In response to the challenges
faced by amateur bird photographers, the New York Institute of
Photography is currently offering the first installment of a
two-part how-to article on taking photos of our feathered friends,
which will run on our site for the next several months.
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One of the biggest challenges
faced by the bird photographer is getting close enough to the
subject to be able to produce a good image.
The easiest (though also the
most expensive) solution to this problem is to work with a telephoto
lens. Most professional bird photographers, in fact, often use
a 500mm or 600mm telephoto lens, sometimes coupled with a teleconverter
(a device that extends the lens' focal length).
But for amateur photographers
who want to photograph birds without buying a lot of expensive
equipment, there are always other methods and options.
"If you're going after the
Andean Condor, you're going to need a telephoto lens to get the
shot," said Chuck DeLaney, Dean of NYI, America's oldest
and largest photography school. "But if you're mainly interested
in photographing birds in your region, maybe just in your backyard,
there are still plenty of options, like using a blind, for getting
good photos." |
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One strategy, employed quite
cleverly by an NYI graduate, is particularly well-suited for
the backyard bird photographer. To capture songbirds (who are
notorious for their quick, erratic movements and thus difficult
to photograph) she positions her Canon SLR near a feeder, sets
the focus, aperture, and shutter speed, then retreats to the
porch. She waits there until a bird comes to the feeder, then,
when the moment is right, she uses her infrared control to trigger
her camera's shutter. Birds approach her feeders and backyard
perches because she is out of sight, and, as a result, she is
able to get closer shots without using a telephoto lens. |
