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Photo Tips & Techniques

Bird Portraits by Russ Burden Knowing a bit about birds really pays off when photographing them. Article rating: 8.83

As with good photography of any subject, it begins with learning about what you want to shoot. Knowing the behavior of the particular species is important. What it eats, where and when it feeds, its flight pattern, in what direction it will take off, to where it migrates, and what are its agitation signals are all facts you should know as they allow you to increase the potential of obtaining great shots.

With regards to bird portraiture, filling the frame should be a primary goal. This means getting the entire bird in the frame or better yet, being able to get in so close that you get the elusive head shot. To accomplish this with small birds, it’s essential you have a powerful telephoto. The drawback is they are very heavy and cost thousands of dollars. This is why beginning bird photographers start with larger species that are more tolerant of people. A local duck pond is a good place to find cooperative birds. Subjects will allow you to approach them so shorter and slower telephotos allow you to obtain powerful images. If you’re restricted by the equipment you have and don’t intend to lay out big bucks for a super telephoto, also try working in your local zoo. Head to the aviary and watch where the birds perch. Another option is to set up a feeder outside a window to attract local song birds. Hang a cloth with a whole cut into it through which you can place the front element of your longest lens. This will act as a blind. Monitor what time the birds like to feed and fire away.

As with most birds, the males are more colorful than the females. For this reason, the males are sought after as they yield more vividly colored images. Get to learn the differences of the males and females of each species to be able to identify your subjects. There are many guide books that help with identification. Most are filled with good information regarding where and when specific species inhabit various regions of the US. One of my favorite times to photograph birds is in the late winter and early spring as their plumage is peak.

As with many subjects, factors that contribute to the success of a good bird portrait are composition, lighting, and how the background is handled. Depending where the bird perches or decides to stand can make or break the potential portrait. Branches or other natural elements can act as major distractions especially if they’re across the front or growing out of the subject’s head. Waiting for the bird to move to a cleaner location or perch on a branch that’s free of distractions is often necessary. Sunrise and sunset are the best times of day to produce your images as the color, direction and quality of light net the best images.

To learn more about this topic, join me on one of my Photographic Nature Tours. Visit www.russburdenphotography.com and click on the NATURE TOURS button for more information. Also, pick up a copy of my new book, Amphoto’s Complete Book of Photography. You can purchase a signed copy directly from me or visit your local book store or Amazon. Contact me at rburden@ecentral.com to order your signed copy.

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