Bird Photography: A Complete Guide from the Field
Gear, places, fieldcraft and settings — how I photograph birds, from the common ducks on a city lake to the rare moment on a branch.
Most of the photographs in my gallery are birds. This guide is everything I've learned photographing them — the gear I carry, where I look, how I get close, the settings I use, and the mistakes I made so you don't have to.
1. The gear I use
My kit is an OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II with the OM SYSTEM 100-400mm f/5-6.3 IS II, on an Innorel RT80C tripod with a Weyllan carbon gimbal head. I wear camouflage or earthy colours, and I drape a camouflage net over the camera so the lens doesn't stand out. You don't need all of this to start — but a long lens, a steady support and clothing that blends in make everything easier. I wrote more about the camera in my OM-1 Mark II review.
2. Where to find birds
I look for natural areas inside the city or close to it — they're the easiest to visit often — and for deltas, meadows, protected and natural areas. Then there are the fully wild places: forests, old lakes, former coal mines. Anywhere with a little water will have ducks, coots, gulls and cormorants.
Don't skip the common birds. They are everywhere, and they are where you build the skills — so that when a rarer bird appears, you're ready.
3. Getting close: arrive before the birds wake up
The secret to getting close is arriving early, before the birds start their day. Check the sunrise time and be at your spot at least 20 minutes before it. Walk slowly to where you'll set up the tripod, sit down without sudden movements, and become part of the background. The goal is to be part of the environment, not a visitor in it. More on this in Getting Close Without Disturbing Wildlife.
4. Scout the place in daylight
Go during the day on a reconnaissance trip, with the camera, and test different frames. Pay attention to the background and to the direction of the light at sunrise and sunset. I use ShadowMap to see where the light will fall before I go.
5. Settings for birds in flight
Settings change with the time of day. For birds in flight, shutter speed comes first — I use 1/2000 sec as the minimum and work at 1/2000–1/2500 sec when the light allows. Aperture wide open, and ISO set to whatever gives a correct exposure. The full approach is in Photographing Birds at Sunset.
6. Settings for small birds
Small birds move fast, so use a fairly fast shutter speed to keep up with them, aperture wide open, and ISO high enough for a correct exposure. On the OM-1 Mark II, when I want the exact moment a bird takes off from a branch, I use Pro Capture SH2 — it records the frames from just before I fully press the shutter, so the reaction delay doesn't cost me the shot.
7. Anticipate where the bird will land
Anticipating where a bird will land is one of the most important skills. Watch which perches it returns to and frame them before it arrives — you'll be focused and composed when it lands, instead of chasing it.
8. Come back to the same place, again and again
The most important thing is to return to the same place many times. That's when you start to see patterns, understand behaviour, and learn the spots the species you want to photograph uses.
Mistakes to avoid
- A shutter speed that's too slow for small birds.
- Being noisy and walking from one side to the other — it scares the birds away.
- Moving too often because you think your spot isn't good enough. Trust the place you chose.
- Not researching the place and the area before you go.
Keep reading
Questions about the photos, the settings or the gear?
Write to me below — I read every message and reply when I'm back from the field. You can also email me directly at nick.usor.peter@gmail.com.
Wild By Nick — Field Notes. Photographs and words by Nick Ungureanu.