subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 6 July 2019 31
When it comes to photographing waterfowl, one of the
best things you can do is spend as much time as possible
at your local site. You are more likely to dedicate time and
energy into a site that’s nearby and which will be easier to
swing by if you only have a bit of time on your hands.
Once there, try and shoot at the level of the birds. That
either means getting into the water, using an articulated
screen, or using a right-angle viewfinder. Of course there
will be opportunities to shoot from different angles and
perspectives, but images often draw your attention in
better if shot from water level.
I shoot in manual mode but aperture priority is also a
good option if you want to control your depth of field and
minimise distractions. As I shoot with a 2x crop sensor,
I prefer to shoot with my aperture wide open 90% of the
time, but if shooting fast movement it’s advisable to have
a wider depth of field so that you don’t miss the action.
When it comes to focusing, ensure that you focus on
the eye of the bird whenever possible. Owing to the shape
of these birds, focusing on the body sometimes results in
the head or eye being out of focus. There’s also the risk of
focusing on the bill. Use a single AF point or a wider depth
of field to compensate for this.
Shooting advice
wildlife watch technique
Waterfowl can be found
extensively across the UK,
but your local lake, pond
or country park is usually
a good place to start.
l Locations Lakes, ponds,
rivers, wetlands and
coastal stretches
l Bird size Ranging from
55cm to 2.4m wingspan.
Up to 12kg
l Nest Usually near water, in
dense vegetation, hollows
in trees and small islands
or refuges
l Diet Wide – ranging from
fish to vegetation
l UK population Healthy.
One million plusAbout
waterfowl
Two mute swans on
an urban reservoir
Olympus E-M1 Mark II, 7mm,
1/1600sec at f/5.6, ISO 800A dark background
helped to isolate this
hen mallard from
her surroundings
Olympus E-M1X,
210mm, 1/1000sec
at f/5, ISO 400