Learn to anticipate action for shots that engage
capture behaviour
With bird photography, a key aim is to
capture action or behaviour – something
dynamic in the shot that creates interest and
makes it more engaging to a viewer. Living
subjects tend to appear more dramatic
when they’re in motion, when they’re ‘doing
something’, but you really need to predict the
behaviour of your feathered friends in order
to fire the shutter at the right moment.
By spending time observing your chosen
bird species, you’ll find it much easier to
capture their little habits and tricks, spotting
patterns in their behaviour and anticipating
what they’ll do next. For example, some birds
might stretch out their wings just before
taking off into flight.
Sean Weekly says there are patterns of
behaviour to learn in every species. “Knowing
your subject can make the difference between
being getting that epic shot or missing it.
Don’t just hang around for a few minutes and
seek out the next subject if the one you are
observing isn’t delivering the goods. Sit with
them. Watch them. Wait and learn.”In terms of settings, switch your camera’s
burst mode to a high-speed continuous
setting to increase your chances of getting the
right focus and composition. This way, when
they start their displays, you’ll be ready to fire
off a round of high-speed frames. If you’re able
to anticipate where a bird is likely to swoop or
land (such as for on a perch or diving for fish
in a pond), try composing and pre-focusing
on that spot, then shoot continuously as they
enter the frame.
As mentioned, capturing birds in flight is
perhaps the most challenging technique to
master, requiring precise focusing and high
shutter speeds should you want ultra-sharp
images. You might find it easier to use Shutter
Priority mode, setting a shutter speed of at
least 1/2000sec for smaller species.
Photographing birds at the nest can also
throw up exciting opportunities, although most
species will require you to set up a hide to
allow you to get close enough. Introduce this
over a longer period, and only after any eggs
have hatched.Many nature reserves are
adorned with specialist
wooden hides, which make
it easy to shoot inaccessible
birds such as waders. You
can create your own hide,
too, using a pop-up dome
or tent that blends into the
environment. if you’re able,
leave hides in position for
several days before shooting,
so that birds have become
accustomed to its presence.use a hide Be concealed to reveal a wealth of hard-to-see species
Viewing windows
be quiet when you arrive
at any hide, so you don’t
disturb the bird life beyondRight
Secret owl garden
This eurasian eagle owl was
captured mid-flight with a
1/1600sec shutter speed.
at f/2.8, the focus point
is over the bird’s eyesRight middle
View to a kill
a common buzzard with
prey is captured low to the
ground, which immerses
the viewer in the sceneFar right
Tapping beaks
sean Weekly captures
two puffins busily
reaffirming their pair
bonds after a long winterrIgHT pLAcE, rIgHT TIME
Sean Weekly took this at gigrin red
Kite Feeding centre. Specialist bird
centres are a good way to practice
skills and capture rare species© Lauren ScottTechniques