I admit I had been letting some pages on my main website languish for far too long. I always upload new photos when I get them, and I’ve slowly been completing species account pages for every species seen in North America (over 820 done, “only” ~130 to go!). Some of my other content has been static for, well…too long. One of the sections that desperately needed an update was a page I had on Bird Photography. The page was meant to provide tips for taking photos of birds.
How long had it been since I updated that page? Well, one section of the Bird Photography tips page discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using film vs. using digital cameras! Yeah, it was time to update that section of the website. I’ve extensively modified the material that was on the old page, and have added a lot of new material as well. The new Bird Photography pages can be accessed here. The content is now broken into three sections:
- Equipment Advice – This section provides advice on the necessary equipment to shoot photos of birds, including camera bodies, lenses, flash, tripods, etc.
- Shooting Birds – This section provides advice on how to get close enough to birds in order to take photos, and also tips on camera settings that ensure you’ll be prepared to get the shot.
- Photo Stories – Experience is the best teacher. This section provides stories of how individual photos were achieved, including how I got close enough to the bird, and how I used my tools to get the shot.
I hope the vast improvement in this section is useful for those just starting out in bird photography! When I first started I was feeling my own way around and it took a while to become proficient. I hope this information shortens the learning cycle for new photographers!!!
Terry,
I really enjoy reading your blog and especially found your “Bird Photography Tips” very helpful.
I just got back from attending my first ever birding event, the South Dakota Birding Festival. I met some wonderful people, learned an enormous amount of birding information, and took 1000’s of pictures with my Canon T5.
I took your advice and birded first and took pictures second. I saw dozens of species that were firsts for me and it only got me more interested in birding. The other thing I found out is I can’t wait to get my own 400mm 5.6 lens. A few of the birders had that lens and the difference in quality of pics was stunning compared to my 75-300mm.
Thanks again for a great blog.
Bob
Hi Bob,
I’m so sorry! I checked my “spam” for some reason it put your comment in spam instead of asking me to approve for posting! Because of spam I have to approve a user’s first post before it automatically posts, but the overactive spam filter seems to have wrongly captured your comments.
The first longer lens I got was also the 75-300mm. I would heartily recommend getting the 400mm if you can someday. Especially when shooting that 75-300mm at the long end, the pictures get a little soft. You’ll be blown away by the sharpness and image quality you can get with the 400mm 5.6L as compared to that lens.
Glad you had fun at the Birding Festival!