Use your widest aperture to let as much light as possible into the lens and try to keep your shutter speed to a minimum of 1/1000 sec.ĭepending on the light levels you may need to raise your ISO setting, or switch to auto ISO if your camera allows. Small birds move incredibly quickly so you will need to pay careful attention to your shutter speed. Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, 500mm, 1/1000 sec at f/8, ISO 2500 Camera settings for photographing birds Look for a tent that has a relatively high roof so that you can shoot from a comfortable level, preferably the same height as your perches.Ĭhaffinch (Fringilla celebs) in flight. Simply cut an opening into the tent for your lens, and another to look through and you have a hide which can be moved around to take advantage of different backgrounds or lighting situations. If you don’t have the luxury of shooting from a house window or outbuilding, a cheap children’s tent can be easily converted into an effective hide. You will still be able to observe the birds easily through the netting, but it will disguise your movements enough for all but the most sensitive of garden birds. Scrim netting from an army surplus store is inexpensive and works well. To disguise your movements, you will need to drape some material over the window. When shooting from a window, a beanbag will be the most effective form of camera and lens support and could even be hand- made with relative ease. Rather than spend money on a purpose-built hide, you may find it convenient, and certainly more cost-effective, to shoot from the open window of your house or shed. Canon EOS-1D Mark II, 500mm, 1/500sec at f/5.6, ISO 250 Shoot from an existing building Redwing (Turns iliacus) amongst rowan berries. Most garden birds will soon become used to the sound of a camera shutter, even from a close distance. Instead, simply move yourself or your feeding station within range, and manipulate your surroundings. For this reason, I would not recommend using a teleconverter if you are struggling for reach. One of the main benefits of garden bird photography is the control that you have. The Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM for example can be bought second-hand for around £500 and, if used correctly, can produce great results. Lenses made by third-party manufacturers can also be more cost-effective, such as Sigma or Tamron. Consumer lenses such as tele-zooms in the range of 75-300mm can be bought for well under £500, and whilst not being particularly fast, many are capable of producing sharp images, provided your camera settings are optimal. Ebay is the obvious place to search but buying second-hand equipment from a shop with a warranty and return policy will be safer and afford you more peace of mind. It is perfectly possible to take stunning images with more-affordable lenses and cameras, and if you are prepared to buy used and shop around, there are bargains to be found both online and in stores. Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, 500mm, 1/2000sec at f/8, ISO 3200 Buy used camera gearįast lenses that open up to f/4 or even f/2.8 are of course more suited to bird photography, but they are expensive, and by no means essential. Choose photogenic perches that are in keeping with the natural habitat and swap them for variety.īullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) and chaffinch (Fringilla celebs) in flight. Perches can be clamped to the pole using a spring clamp. Backlighting can work wonderfully for birds, but the sun will need to be close to the horizon to ensure relatively low contrast levels. Think carefully about the available light and the direction of the sun. This should be coloured to mimic the natural habitat of the birds such as muted browns and greens but experimenting with bolder colours can yield interesting results. If you are struggling for room, a large sheet of material can be used to create a false background. If possible, place your feeders at least ten metres away from the background to ensure that blurred backgrounds are possible when using large apertures. The first point to consider is the proximity of the feeders to the background. Some thought will need to go into the positioning to ensure optimal background and light. A garden feeding station does not need to be a complicated set-up – a simple pole with a variety of feeders attached is enough to attract the birds. The simplest and most effective way of photographing garden birds is to attract them into position using some carefully situated feeders and natural perches. Canon EOS-1D X, 500mm, 1/2000sec at f/5, ISO 1250 Creating a feeding station for birds Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) perched on moss-covered branch backlit.
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