| A shot of a bird in flight has always been a | | | | lens is not a guarantee of sharp results. There is |
| challenge to photographers. Seeing a perfect print | | | | no substitute for good technique. However, auto |
| image only serves to make them eager to create | | | | focus does yield a higher percentage of |
| the same result. Photographing a bird in flight | | | | acceptable images when you're shooting birds in |
| presents one problem, but capturing that one | | | | flight, especially if you have a camera body that |
| special bird-in-flight shot that's in focus and has | | | | can shoot upwards of eight frames a second or |
| good composition plus good light can represent a | | | | more. |
| whole set of problems. Everyone has his share of | | | | ISO |
| good flight shots where the bird may be just a | | | | Because digital cameras keep improving the |
| tiny bit soft. Those are easy. But, how do you | | | | quality of images you get at higher ISO settings, |
| get a great flight shot? | | | | it's now alright to push the setting to 200 or even |
| The camera technology of the last several years | | | | 400 to get good flight shots, depending on the |
| has made flight photography easier than it was | | | | available light. The caution to keep in mind is that |
| before, but there are still lots of variables that | | | | a shutter speed of at least 1/500 is |
| need to be added to the equation to make good | | | | needed--preferably even 1/1000 or more, if |
| bird-in-flight photography a common part of your | | | | possible. Doing a little bit of testing with shutter |
| repertoire. Here are some fundamentals to help | | | | speed and f-stop will help you determine what the |
| you increase your supply of flight shots: | | | | ISO needs to be for you to obtain the desired |
| Camera Body Features | | | | shutter speed. |
| The camera body equipment out today has made | | | | Lighting |
| action photography much easier than it was when | | | | As with any other subject, lighting is critical with |
| manual focus was the rule rather than the | | | | flight photography. The best light condition for |
| exception. The first handy feature to set is the | | | | flight photography is front lighting, with the sun at |
| continuous focus mode called AI Servo on Canon | | | | your back and the birds coming towards you or |
| and Continuous Servo on Nikon. This setting allows | | | | across in front. The best light is still those two |
| the lens to keep changing the focus as long as | | | | golden times of day when the sun is low on the |
| the shutter button is depressed halfway and the | | | | horizon, but because the subject is high in the |
| subject is in the set auto focus point. | | | | sky, you can extend your shooting time as the |
| Second, Canon has a custom function that | | | | higher sun can still bounce nice light off the bird. |
| expands the auto focus point activation area to | | | | Composition |
| either 7 or 13 points. This is a great function, as it | | | | A key detail to keep in mind when you're |
| allows for the subject movement to remain in | | | | composing flight shots is which auto focus point is |
| focus even if you don't keep up with the | | | | set. You need to become adept at changing the |
| movement of the bird in your primary AF point. | | | | auto focus point on the fly for you to get good |
| Drive mode is the third camera function to set. | | | | flight shots. As multiple birds are flying around |
| Here, the best setting is "high-speed continuous" | | | | your location, you have to be aware of which |
| where you get the most frames per second that | | | | point you've selected for the best composition. |
| your camera body will allow. While you'll burn quite | | | | The best compositions have space in front of the |
| a few shots with this setting, it will allow more | | | | bird in the direction the bird is flying. Having its |
| shots to choose from for the wing position and | | | | beak/ bill crowded against the leading edge of the |
| lighting you like best. | | | | shot makes for a potential throwaway image, |
| Lens Selection | | | | even if everything else is right with the shot. Your |
| Lens selection is a very subjective topic with | | | | subject needs room to breathe, and continually |
| plenty of correct answers. Being a Canon shooter, | | | | changing the AF point for better composition will |
| I'll refer to Canon lenses, but many other brands | | | | provide the space you need to maintain in front |
| have some comparable lenses. If you want to do | | | | of the bird. |
| flight photography handholding your camera and | | | | Starting out, keep the AF point on the center |
| lens, the best choices are the 400 f/5.6 and the | | | | point and try to get the bird's eye focused there. |
| 100-400 IS. These are, by far, the best lenses on | | | | This will ensure there is room in front of the bird |
| the market for flight photography. (Canon | | | | for it to fly into the frame. While the eye will be in |
| shooters have the advantage here, as the | | | | the middle of the frame, the majority of the bird |
| comparable Nikon lens, the 80-400 VR, is very | | | | will be behind it, so you'll be keeping the full bird |
| slow to focus. People in my workshops have | | | | from being centered in the frame. |
| wanted to throw their Nikon lenses as far as they | | | | Technique |
| could when they couldn't force them to focus | | | | The farther away you can get the subject into |
| fast enough.) | | | | your viewfinder, the better. If you try to focus |
| When handholding, try to keep your hand as far | | | | only on a bird that's close to your position, you'll |
| out on the barrel of the lens as possible to | | | | never get a good flight shot. As you see a bird |
| provide better balance while you're panning and | | | | coming in your direction, get it in the viewfinder, |
| moving around with the subject. Also, tuck your | | | | and track with it as it moves closer. Once it's in |
| elbows into your body as far as you can and | | | | the position you like (the preferred frame size |
| keep your legs about shoulder-width apart. This | | | | and in good light), you can fire away. |
| position helps you turn your body into a tripod. | | | | When you're panning a bird in flight, continue the |
| Your skill level also plays a part in proper lens | | | | panning motion even after you've taken the final |
| selection. When you're starting out in bird | | | | shot. Following through will keep that last shot in |
| photography, it's best to use the above lenses as | | | | focus better than if you abruptly stopped the |
| opposed to "big guns" such as the 400 f/2.8, 500 | | | | movement. It's the same idea as a golfer doing a |
| and 600mm lenses. The reason is that shorter | | | | follow-through on her shot or a baseball player |
| focal length lenses will provide easier tracking of | | | | continuing with his swing. A good way to do this is |
| the birds in the viewfinder. With the larger lenses, | | | | to continue shooting after the bird has passed |
| you have a very limited viewing range when the | | | | you by. The last couple shots will be throwaways, |
| birds are close. You have to get them in view | | | | but you'll have included the shot you really want. |
| when they're farther away and stay with them | | | | The eyes have it. As with any wildlife photo, you |
| until they move close enough for you to take | | | | need to have the eye in sharp focus. If the eye |
| your shot. After time and practice, you'll find it | | | | is out-of-focus, then the shot is not of a technical |
| easier to focus on them when they're close, but | | | | quality suitable for publication. If possible, try to |
| even then you'll miss some shots. Longer focal | | | | set your AF point on the eye. If you can't do this, |
| lengths also allow you to work at greater | | | | at least get the focus on the neck, as the neck |
| distances with less change in subject position. | | | | of a bird is on the same plane as the eye. |
| Birds going across the frame are easier to track, | | | | Location |
| particularly with a long focal length, than those | | | | The biggest factor to keep in mind when you're |
| coming directly into the camera, since they stay | | | | shooting flight photography is the relationship of |
| at roughly the same distance. | | | | the wind and the sun. Birds will always (well, |
| If you plan to shoot from a tripod instead of | | | | almost always) take off and land into whatever |
| wanting to hand hold the camera/lens | | | | wind or breeze there is. Getting the wind under |
| combination, a big lens will definitely do the trick. If | | | | their wings help them with lift and drag. Putting |
| you're setting up a big lens on a tripod, by far the | | | | yourself in the right position to get the best flight |
| best option for a tripod head is the Wimberley | | | | shots means having both the wind and the sun at |
| head. The gimbal action is designed for action | | | | your back, allowing the birds to come towards |
| photography and makes panning with the birds | | | | you. |
| easier than you could imagine if you've never | | | | As you see, there are plenty of factors to keep |
| used one of these heads. You can use a sturdy | | | | in mind when you're taking flight shots of birds. |
| ball head, but you have to be careful with how | | | | You have to think about how much you want the |
| loose you keep it. I primarily use my 400 f/2.8, | | | | bird to fill the frame, what the background is like, |
| sometimes with an extender, with the Wimberley | | | | and the direction of the subject in relation to the |
| head and then keep a second body close at hand | | | | sun. Since these variables change from picture to |
| with a 70-200 f/2.8 lens and either a 1.4 or 2X | | | | picture, you begin to understand that creating |
| extender attached. | | | | great flight shots requires more than just getting |
| The faster the f-stop of the lens, the better, as | | | | the subject sharp. You'll need to give yourself |
| quick shutter speeds are imperative in getting | | | | time and practice. In the meantime, you always |
| sharp flight shots. It's best to be able to stick with | | | | have the delete button on both the camera and |
| a f/2.8 lens but this isn't always an option, | | | | the computer. |
| depending on how much money you can spend. F | | | | My 600 f/4 sitting on a Wimberley head with my |
| 4 and f/5.6 are about as slow as you want for | | | | camera set to high-speed continuous and the sun |
| getting quick action shots, whether the subject is | | | | and wind at my back will keep me happy for a |
| birds-in-flight or any other fast-moving subject. | | | | good long time. I try to get caught up with what's |
| Advancing lens technology has made flight | | | | in front of me, fly with it, and become part of |
| photography much easier, but not foolproof. Auto | | | | the action. The next stop for me will be in front |
| focus is the major development that has helped | | | | of my computer, looking at lots of shots of birds |
| to capture action. Be aware that owning an AF | | | | in flight and, hopefully, lots of keepers. |