Disappointment in Bird Photography

NickCantle · #1 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 01:45 PM

Hello!

I'm having a lot of trouble with my bird photography lately. It'll be nothing to do with my equipment, it must be my bad techniques- at least that's what I think. i've had a few nice shots over the past year, but my success rate isn't really increasing at all.

I know that bird photography isn't just about the photography, it's about learning birds feeding patterns and habitats, and then knowing how to approach them for the shot. I have got my new camouflage jacket and trousers on order and should be arriving soon

so that should reduce the chance of spooking birds a little bit. Some people are fortunate enough that they have a place where they can go to photograph birds in their natural habitats. My garden is one of those places and it's great to practice, trouble is, it's only ever photographs of Blue Tits and Great Tits that I'm ever going to get!

The other half of the problem is the light and my lens. I've been out today and luckily there was a good showing of light. Well, I say a good showing but at 400 ISO, my average shutter speed was 100/sec, which is okay, but not amazing. When the sun went in, it was going from 60 to 80/sec, which is quite terrible for bird photography- you can almost hear the slower speed (which makes me cringe). I put the light factor down to the season- there's generally not much light in the air at this time of year and with a max aperture of f/6.3 at 500mm, it's really not good. Other people are having success in this season with their 50-500mm's, so what am I doing wrong, or differently?

The best shot I got today was of a Stonechat. My first ever image of a Stonechat though so I was 'sort of' pleased that I had a recollection of it. At least it's not out of focus I suppose.

So how do you take photographs of birds in this light? Is is simply not possible or do you need a 300mm f/2.8 or something?

A very frustrated,

Nick

yezzer · #2 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 02:15 PM

Sounds similar to my problem. I've got to start doing what you describe - learning feeding patterns and habitats, and get some camo gear.

You're lucky enough to have a garden though

I live in a tiny flat in the center of a city. The only thing I see is cars and drunk people!

What camera equipment do you have?

NickCantle · #3 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yezzer

Sounds similar to my problem. I've got to start doing what you describe - learning feeding patterns and habitats, and get some camo gear.

You're lucky enough to have a garden though

I live in a tiny flat in the center of a city. The only thing I see is cars and drunk people!

What camera equipment do you have?

Seems we reply in similar ways

I use a Canon 40D and Sigma 50-500mm.

Vectisbirder · #4 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 02:39 PM

You're not on your own, Nick. I am having much the same problem at the moment, I can't seem to take a decent pic to save my life! I can't blame my equipment as I'm using a Canon 40D with a 400mm f5.6 Canon lens and a 70-200mm f4 Canon zoom, so I put it down to both terrible light (we seem to be buried under a permanent blanket of cloud down here on England's 'south island') and - just as likely - dodgy technique on my part, although I am okay on bird feeding habits and behaviour, etc.

With the weather as it is, it's hard to use anything but wide apertures (which give a narrow depth of field, fine for individual birds, but useless for more than one bird if they're not all in the same plane of focus) and high ISOs which result in my pet hate, noisy images! Using a tripod isn't always possible.

A fast lens would solve a lot of the light-related problems, but they aren't half costly.

NickCantle · #5 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vectisbirder

A fast lens would solve a lot of the light-related problems, but they aren't half costly.

Tell me about it. It must have something to do with the light then. I do hope Spring brings bright days! I used to remember pressing the shutter button and seeing something above 1/500th and being really chuffed. I went back outside and tested something that Yezzer said- I put the camera on the tripod, aimed at an averagely lit object and checked shutter speed predicted for ISO400, 400mm @ f/8... ...One sixth of a second

The other thing is sacrificing mm's for aperture and just getting to know the subject so well that you really can get close. The Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L is a nice piece of kit, and I'd love to test it out, but I'm afraid that unless it's going to be Blue tits all the way, it's useless for Bird photography (unless you've got years of experience)

DavyG · #6 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 03:11 PM

You're not alone in this Nick.

On most of the days I've been free to get out with the camera, the light has been poor, I haven't tried any bird photography so far this winter.

The Bigma is still an excellent lens despite the fact that you really need to be at F8+ for sharp pics, you do need better light than we've had of late though.

The pic below was taken at F8 with a speed of 1/200, so the light just needs to improve a wee bit.

Keep practicing mate, spring isn't too far away.

Dave

NickCantle · #7 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 03:18 PM

Lovely shot Dave, and don't worry, I'll not be giving up any time soon

I was thinking earlier, luck must play a large part in it, (though I'm not trying to detract any technique and experience from anyone who takes good photographs

). For example, I was watching Stonechats from about 40 yards away, then they flew towards me, over me and sat on a tree behind me (sat together, good light, the works), but I knew that if I turned around they'd fly off- so I tried doing it slowly any just as I was about to snap, they flew off. Things like that seem to happen to me a lot

As long as I know I don't have to change my lens! I honestly never knew about f/8 being the 50-500mm's sharpest aperture. If I took my photographs at f/8 though, all of the twigs in the background would be in focus and the picture would be messy and cluttered. How do I get around that? Luck! I need to make 'Sit on this branch!!!' signs for the tree

dmbuild66 · #8 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 03:19 PM

It really is a bad time of year for photography, but see it as a challenge and not a reason for leaving your camera in its case. You really need lots of patience and knowledge of the subject matter. At this time of year the birds are already sussing out nesting sites, so knowing the habitat that they prefer will give you a head start. I have sat for hours freezing the proverbials and come away with if I'm lucky one good shot. A friend of mine has a mobile hide complete with stool, coffee etc. and I'm amazed at the results he has recorded with only a 75-200mm lens. Please don't expect to go for a ramble and get text book shots, patience and frustration goes hand in hand with photography as I've found out. Good luck Dave

willing to learn · #9 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 03:19 PM

The light here is almost a constant grey, yesterday was no exception I tend to shot an high ISO 800 or more just to get decent shutter speed a must for small birds, plus the DOF has to at least 6.0 more some times as otherwise focus is only achieved on part of the subject. I enabled the noise reduction for ISO in the cameras menu. I also find noise is better with a greater distance between the subject and backdrop. You can also draw birds and mammals into a suitable area in its habitat by feeding calling or getting on flight paths and runs as said in ealier in the thread understand habits routines of the intended subject.
Regards
Colin

40D + 300mm 800 ISO @ F8 freehand

NickCantle · #10 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmbuild66

It really is a bad time of year for photography, but see it as a challenge and not a reason for leaving your camera in its case. You really need lots of patience and knowledge of the subject matter. At this time of year the birds are already sussing out nesting sites, so knowing the habitat that they prefer will give you a head start. I have sat for hours freezing the proverbials and come away with if I'm lucky one good shot. A friend of mine has a mobile hide complete with stool, coffee etc. and I'm amazed at the results he has recorded with only a 75-200mm lens. Please don't expect to go for a ramble and get text book shots, patience and frustration goes hand in hand with photography as I've found out. Good luck Dave

That's excellent advice- most of which I know but I'm struggling to accept (if that makes sense). I do see it as a challenge- if I want to be a photographer, I can't just 'take Winter off' so I want to learn how to make the most of the low light! I think it's a time of year where you take the camera off of AV and get it on full manual.