Don’t Spoil Bird Photos with These Fixable Mistakes (VIDEO)
Birds are a unique subset of wildlife subjects because you don’t have to travel far to capture compelling images. This accessible genre can be pursued at a nearby park, local nature reserve, or even in the comfort of your own backyard. And interesting species change throughout the year.
Despite these conveniences, some photographers compromise their results by making a handful of mistakes that are super easy to fix. In today’s tutorial an accomplished pro shares “everything I know to bring you closer to the wonderful world of birds, and help you capture better and artistic photos while having fun and respecting our feathered friends.
Instructor Chiara Talia is a longtime wildlife photographer and educator who says she narrowed her focus and discovered her true calling after a chance encounter several years ago with a beautiful European robin. The beginner primer identifies five mistakes that kept her stuck when first pursuing her new passion.
Chiara’s straightforward solutions will enable you to begin making spectacular bird photos as soon as today. Mistake #1 is a lack of sufficient planning before heading out in the field. Her point is that you can greatly increase your odds of success with a bit of simple pre-shoot research.
This means identifying the species you’re likely to encounter and understanding the basic behavior of these particular birds so that you can anticipate their next move and capture a fleeting moment in time. Location scouting is also a big plus, as is checking weather conditions and the best time of day for your outing. As she says, “you don’t to be at the wrong place at the wrong time because “10 minutes of planning saves hours in the field.”
Mistake #2 is all about a failure to select the most appropriate camera setting for the specific task at hand, and Chiara provides time-tested recommendations for various situations. She also demonstrates the necessity of thoughtful composition, the disadvantages of over-zealous editing, and a mistake referred to as “the comparison trap.”
Chiara’s instructional YouTube channel is a great resource for beginners and experienced shooter alike who are eager in elevate their bird photography skills.
We also recommend watching a related tutorial we shared earlier from another notable expert who demonstrates his secrets for shooting and processing wildlife, landscape, and nature photographs for maximum impact.
