I've been playing around seeing how to get the best bird pictures... So far using a monopod, a lens with stabilization, a fast shutter speed and wide open aperteure is what is working for me, but I have much to learn. To really get good I'll have to wait for Q to write his book on bird photography!Took this little fellows picture at 400mm. The above picture is a crop of about 1/6th of the original picture.
Good Work! According what I have seen your birds picture, they are awesome, and you don't need to learn from me. If you want to learn more, you probably need to buy a book from Amazon. Due to my limited skills from the birds photography, I will not publishing any books soon. LOL.
ReplyDeleteWell, I will tell you what I do when I shoot birds. Please be aware that what I did is not come from any books or any photography schooling.
Equipment:
1. You will need a tripod or a monopod. I preferred a tripod.
2. Nikkor Telephoto lenses from 200-400mm or 600mm. I normally go rent one from a local store.
3. one ND filter with 3 stops for sunny day.
3. 1 pro camera that should have >9 fps.
Preparations:
1. Need a lot of free time in your hand.
2. For practice, go to a lake or a pond that have birds comfortable with human around for feeding.
3. Don't wear colorful clothing, such as Hawaiian shirt.
4. Stay in one place as possible, and don't move around too much.
5. Pick one bird, and follow that bird with focus lock. You probably have to this constantly.
6. Sometime you have to cheat to get bird in flight, throw something at the bird to make them gets airborne from where they at. But before you do that make sure have a focus lock on them.
7. Don't crop your picture more 50%, otherwise the pixles grain will showup on the high ratio cropping.
The End.
That's a really nice shot, very clear and sharp.
ReplyDeleteQ, no Hawaiian shirt??? I'll have to change my whole wardrobe!! LOL
I think the real trick to getting the good bird photos is learning how to cheat! and maybe using a tripod. :~)
Thank you Q for sharing more of your expertise! I and I'm sure I speak for the others on this blog have learned a great deal from you about photography. (And BBQ Ribs too!)
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