Using flash in Bird Photography

[Ukwildlifeo]

I recently started using a flash in poor light with some local waxwings, basically copying a local photographer who was photographing them too. The waxwings wernt at all bothered by the flash and carried on feeding.


Today I used them on some siskins, snow buntings and turnstones (along with some other photographers who did the same and a again there was no reaction from any of them.
**borderline rant alert** - skip to next paragraph to avoid!
However at the end of day in the last session with the snow buntings a couple of people turned up and started muttering something about the arrogance/ignorance of some people loud enough for me to hear. Then they questioned my use of flash and I pointed out that there was no problem. All I got in reply was a rather condesening scowl and head shake so I pointed out we and others had used flash with no problems to which he arrogantly replied "I don't think its right," before giving another scowl for good measure!

So my question is are there any problems with using flash on birds that are tolerant and fairly tame anyway (such as the above examples) or was this bloke just being an idiot?

[glsammy]

This falls into the same category as people having to be quiet in bird hides. In my experience most birds around hides don't give a hoot about casual noises we make and from what I've seen they care even less about flash. Birds have this marvellous gift called flight and should they have been in any way frightened by your flash they would have simply flown away.
Same can be said about being quiet and still around other wildlife in public places. I remember well a couple of years ago we arrived at Carsington waters where some water voles were resident in their small pond. We met a photographer who had been waiting for some time and had just given up without the animals showing at all.
After he had gone we waited and a large group of young excited children arrived making all the usual children type of noise. What happened? The voles came out and started feeding whilst the children were there! I got loads of excellent shots, so thanks a lot kids.
Personally I think your accuser was trying to impress his mates more than anything else.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Thanks Graham. Your opinion is all the reassurance I need

[jerryh]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Thanks Graham. Your opinion is all the reassurance I need

Hi Neil,
I agree with Graham that birds will rarely, if ever, be disturbed.

However, you may disturb your fellow wildlife enthusiasts. Maybe not the photographers, but anyone simply enjoying the sight of the bird may well dislike having to watch it through bright flashes.

One rude person challenging you inappropriately may still have been expressing what others were too polite to say. Would have been so close to a rant if you had received a polite request to switch the flash off?

Jerry

[david156]

As you were in Norfolk today, i'm guessing you are talking about the Salthouse Snow Buntings. Having seen these over the last few years, I think it would take more than a camera flash to scare them off. Damn dogs off of leads are a bit of a pain though!

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by jerryh

Hi Neil,
I agree with Graham that birds will rarely, if ever, be disturbed.

However, you may disturb your fellow wildlife enthusiasts. Maybe not the photographers, but anyone simply enjoying the sight of the bird may well dislike having to watch it through bright flashes.

One rude person challenging you inappropriately may still have been expressing what others were too polite to say. Would have been so close to a rant if you had received a polite request to switch the flash off?

Jerry

A fair point Jerry. I wouldn't turn up to somewhere like this snow bunting locality and start firing away without considering those there already (which is exactly what I did when I arrived in this case by asking those there if it was ok).
We had been there all day with other people using flash and were the last 2 when they turned up and were moaning before they had even set up and were then lecturing us on not using flash. Which I guess is easy for him to say when he has a massive f2.8 telephoto and D3 and dont need too

[jerryh]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

A fair point Jerry. I wouldn't turn up to somewhere like this snow bunting locality and start firing away without considering those there already (which is exactly what I did when I arrived in this case by asking those there if it was ok).
We had been there all day with other people using flash and were the last 2 when they turned up and were moaning before they had even set up and were then lecturing us on not using flash. Which I guess is easy for him to say when he has a massive f2.8 telephoto and D3 and dont need too

He was a photographer! Apologies, Neil - not the scenario I imagined. He should have known better and understood your situation.

Jerry

[slimrbp]

I have also used flash for bird photography in the garden and around in the wild. In most cases the birds haven't seemed to be too bothered.
There is always the odd exception where it may have spooked them, but seeing as I have had the odd bird spoked by the the sound of the shutter it always difficult to say which caused then to jump.

I have also read an article on bird photgraphy in Outdoor Photography magazine where the use of flash was highlighted as a good way of adding a bit of life to an image taken in poor light.

Also high speed flash has been in use for many years as a technique for capturing birds in flight.

[Mark Burgess]

I remember reading ages ago that wildlife regard flash as lightning, that being the nearest thing in their experience, and so disregard it. It’s sudden noises, not sudden bursts of light that upsets things (me too).

Mark

[willing to learn]

I can remember my experience in a public hide at Carsington, A photographer was set in the middle of the hide, most birds seem to far off to photograph but he was shooting away and flash firing. The next thing I knew world war 3 had broken out, and it just stopped short of blows. The few times I have been in a hide, some bird spotters seem to resent photographers even had a few dirty looks when I have pressed my shutter. I like my own company and stay away from the crowds when out with my camera if possible
Regards
Colin