Are you interested in taking a crack at bird photography but don’t know where to start? Or perhaps you’ve been at this for a while and the images you’ve made just don’t hit the mark. In either case, the basic tutorial below will set you on the path to success.

Instructor Gayle Boyer is an awarding winning pro, prolific author, and a graduate of the Seattle Audubon Master Bird program. In this six-minute primer you’ll learn five fundamental techniques for capturing attention-grabbing photos of our feathered friends.

Boyer kicks off the lesson with this: “These are the most important rules to follow, and if you do these five things you’ll be well on your way to having exceptional quality photos.” Once you’re mastered this handful of tips you can elevate you work further by reading Boyer’s book that’s mentioned in the video.

It’s unlikely that you’re familiar with Rule #1 which is to point your shadow at the bird. Boyer has been preaching this approach for years, and here’s why: “If you point your shadow at the bird you’ll have nice, even light on the subject with no dark shadows, and you’ll have a wonderful image without excessive contrast.”

Boyer’s second tip is one that experienced shooters use for all sorts of wildlife photos and human portraits as well; namely “focus on the eyes”—even if other parts of the bird aren’t critically sharp. That’s because “as humans we connect with a bird, or any animal, through the eyes.”

Rule #3 is all about vantage point and camera position as Boyer demonstrates the powerful effect that’s created when you get eye-level with a bird. You’ll see how the emotional impact of a photo changes as you experiment with perspective. Boyer puts it like this: “We want to show the intimacy of the bird’s world and position ourselves as equals—rather than looking up or down at it.”

Boyer’s last two tips are equally helpful and, despite their simplicity, will help capture much more impactful bird photos the next time you give this popular genre a try. So head out in the field, follow the rules, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you’re able to create.

Boyer’s instructional Tube channel is a great source of information as your skills continue to grow.

On a related topic, check out the earlier tutorial we posted with another accomplished pro who demonstrates a powerful in-camera technique for shooting great wildlife photographs when a scene includes a busy, cluttered background.

Here’s an outside-the-box Photoshop tutorial from an Australian photographer who specializes in post-processing techniques that add imagination and creativity to her whimsical imagery. The video begins with this simple question: “Why use a Grey Layer (we’ll stick with her Aussie spelling) in Photoshop?”

There are several reasons for giving the trick a try, whether you’re after special effects or aiming for a conventional look. Instructor Sandy D devotes this episode to one specific application; namely, using the Brush tool in combination with a Grey Layer for Dodging and Burning in Photoshop.

Sandra describes this uncommon technique that works so uncommonly well by explaining that a Grey Layer enables you to work non-destructively when processing an image. She says this about the task at hand: “When I Dodge to add light in certain areas or Burn to dull other areas I always work on a Grey Layer

In less than 11 minutes Sandra describes the steps required for this straightforward approach that’s been part of her workflow for several years. A Grey Layer can be added at point in the workflow, but Sandra prefers first finishing the basic adjustments before moving on to Dodging and Burning and introducing the layer.

Sandra demonstrates how to set up the Grey Layer by clicking on the Layer tab atop the screen, choosing New, and then selecting the Soft Light option from the Blend Mode dropdown menu that appears. Now your new Grey Layer appears in the panel on the right of the screen.

Once everything is properly configured Sandra walks you through the simple process of employing a Brush to add light to her subject’s eyes and the foliage in the foreground, while slightly brightening the background as well. Then she reveals a few important settings, like dialing back Opacity.

The next simple step is adjusting Brush size so that it’s neither too large nor too small for the specific area you intend to adjust. Then the painting process is quick, easy, and precise.

While most image-editing techniques are designed to direct the viewer’s eyes to a specific point in the frame, Sandra says the goal of this particular technique is quite the opposite: “It’s all about getting the viewer’s eye to bounce around the image.” When the last time you heard that?

Sandra’s inspirational YouTube channel is full of videos that will challenge your vision and creativity. So step outside your comfort zone and take a close look.

And don’t miss the tutorial we featured recently with another post-processing expert who demonstrates how to make beautiful b&w conversions, including those that give photographs a vintage look.