Help Needed!

[jamiewade94]

Can anybody give me some tips and advice on how to take good wildlife photographs; especially birds. This is my I have put the thread in this category.
My equipment includes: A Pentax MZ-50 SLR with a 28mm, 35-70mm and 70-210mm lens, a tripod, and a Fuji Finepix S6500fd Digital camera with a 28-300mm lens.
Thanks!

[The Black Rabbit]

I'd go ask the same question in the photography forum!
More chance of a good answer there I'd expect!
Doug

[Blackbrook Eye]

The best advise I can offer is, practice and be patient, followed by lots more practice and even more patience. Wildlife, particularly bird, photography is arguably the most demanding of all photographic skills to master, be prepared for lots of dissapointment and above all, keep a good sense of humour.
Start by visiting places where birds are used to humans, i.e. feeding stations and nature reserves etc. put up feeders in your own garden if possible, and dont try to run before you can walk. I wish you all the best of luck with your endeavors and look forward to seeing the results. Keith

[LoveT]

Exactly as said above - and getting lucky!

[baggy2508]

Hi.
All I would say is put in plenty of practice and get to know your camera and all of its functions.
Regards John B

[Tursiops2]

Get to know your subjects; their needs, habits, and eccentricities. Always remember: the bird's welfare comes first.

Good luck
T2

[Stomperone]

Originally Posted by jamiewade94

Can anybody give me some tips and advice on how to take good wildlife photographs; especially birds. This is my I have put the thread in this category.
My equipment includes: A Pentax MZ-50 SLR with a 28mm, 35-70mm and 70-210mm lens, a tripod, and a Fuji Finepix S6500fd Digital camera with a 28-300mm lens.
Thanks!

Hi Jamie,

I suggest you start with the easier birds first, don't go out trying to get photos of peregrines as you will get disheartened.
If there is woodland nearby which has a car park start there..
The ideal place would be where the birds are fed by visitors to the car park.. Several of the bird pictures on my site were taken while i was sat in my car in the car park near a tree with some bait on the floor.. The birds are used to cars and people being around in fact so much so that I have even had coal tits taking food from my hand..

You will be very suprised how many photos of different species you will take without leaving the car park, just be patient, quiet, move slowly and let the nature come to you.. Then once you have become more confident using your camera start to go for the less "tame" birds...

The other option is a hide but to get successful pictures from a hide needs a bit of experience or someone who knows a good place to set up I think.

If you have any specific question that I may be able to help you with message me through WAB or contact me through my site.. I'll do what i can to help..

Regards

Peter

[big bill]

Hello Jamie all good points raised so far,put your camera into Aperture Priority mode where you select the aperture and select an aperture of around f5.6 and the camera will select the shutter speed,zoom into the subject focus on the eyes of the bird/animal that you intend to photograph as this will ensure the main image is more likey to be in focus .If you end up with a slow shtter speed use a tripod or monopod to avoid camera shake.
As to an area to photograph in I started taking pics of the birds at my feeding station as they get used to you in the garden,best of luck any other questions dont be affraid to ask we all have to learn and prctice all the time until you know your cameras inside out