| One of the most popular aspects of animal | | | | that for predators. The best setting for your bird |
| photography is bird photography. Taking perfect | | | | photography will be a high shutter speed, so use |
| pictures of birds in the wild can be very | | | | Sports mode or set your shutter speed to at |
| challenging, but you can create many wonderful | | | | least 1/250. |
| photo opportunities in your own backyard. | | | | If you have an optical zoom on your compact |
| | | | digital or a telephoto lens on an SLR, this will make |
| Setting up your Backyard Photo Shoots | | | | taking pictures a whole lot easier. An optical zoom |
| The biggest challenge isn't actually attracting birds | | | | of 6x, depending on the camera, can give you |
| to your yard. Once feeders are out and | | | | about the same magnification as a 200mm lens, |
| discovered, word will get around fast! The biggest | | | | meaning a photograph taken from about 10 feet |
| challenge is getting the birds to perch where you | | | | away could look like a close up. |
| want them. So before setting up your feeding | | | | Some of the so called "bridge cameras" offer |
| stations and birdbaths, consider the locations | | | | zooms from 10 to 20 feet, but not all produce |
| carefully. | | | | quality results so check around before purchasing. |
| Choose locations that won't make the birds easy | | | | You may also need a tripod or other camera |
| prey for cats and other predators, and at the | | | | stabilizer when using the high range zooms, and as |
| same time that will provide you with the | | | | always, opt for optical. |
| opportunity to photograph them with nice | | | | Given a long enough lens, you can get some |
| backgrounds and good angles. | | | | wonderful pictures of birds in flight or perched high |
| Do remember that if you set feeders out in the | | | | up in trees too. Professional nature photographers |
| winter to consistently provide quality seed so | | | | will often use a 600 lens to capture images with |
| your feathery subjects aren't filling up on | | | | good detail of birds in flight or far away. |
| something like bread that won't provide them with | | | | Telephoto lenses of this size are very expensive, |
| the energy needed to stay warm at night. | | | | but there is another way, brought to us from |
| Birdbaths also provide good photo ops, and | | | | birders. It's called digiscoping. With this method, |
| birdhouses will help encourage birds to hang out in | | | | you combine the birder's spotting scope with a |
| your yard. | | | | digital camera. Here is one of many good articles |
| If your goal is to attract certain species of birds, | | | | online introducing the digiscoping method to bird |
| check with The Audubon Society to see what | | | | photographers: Birdwatchers Digest: Photography. |
| types of seeds or plants (in the case of birds that | | | | Blue skies are best for pictures of birds in flight. |
| won't take their meals at feeders) are best. You | | | | And the bluest sky of the day is often that hour |
| can also find good tips at the National Wildlife | | | | after dawn. Also, look for patterns when you |
| Federation's "Gardening for Wildlife" pages. | | | | may have flocks of birds that fly over your yard |
| Don't limit your photographs to the bird feeders | | | | at certain times of day. Or, if you want to |
| and baths either. These will attract birds to your | | | | photograph birds of prey, such as osprey, go to a |
| yard that will perch on tree limbs and fences | | | | lake or river early in the evening when they fish. |
| nearby, so when you have your camera in hand, | | | | This is also a good time for soft, even and warm |
| scout out these areas too. | | | | lighting. |
| Camera Settings | | | | Hopefully by using these tips, you'll not only |
| Have you ever noticed that birds are in almost | | | | attract more birds to your yard for more bird |
| constant motion? When eating, their little heads | | | | photo opportunities but capture some fantastic |
| are bobbing up and down, and when they are on | | | | pictures that you'll be proud to display. |
| the ground they are always looking this way and | | | | |