Don’t make the same mistake as Stanley Tucci

Most photographers, even beginners, know that capturing images of birds in flight (BIF) requires high shutter speeds and frame rates. But these settings are just the basics, and if you want to shoot truly amazing photos the video below from The Bird Photography Show is just what you need.

Jan Wegener is a professional wildlife photographer based in Germany. In this tutorial he’s joined by like-minded pro Glenn Bartley to demonstrate what it truly takes to capture amazing BIF images. They’re illuminating conversation covers everything from gear and camera settings to composition, exposure tricks and more.

In addition to high shutter speeds to freeze action, and fast frame rates to maintain these shutter speeds, choosing the right autofocus mode is critically important. Bartley notes that continuous AF tracking is part of the equation and explains why your camera’s Eye Detect mode will also make a big difference.

Bartley also places an asterisk on the rule of using the highest frame rate available. That’s because depending on the camera you use unacceptable amounts of rolling shutter effects may occur. Wegener concurs and describes the frame rates he recommends when photographing different species of birds. The idea is to capture a variety of wing movements without suffering the consequences of rolling shutter distortion.

Another important consideration when using long lenses with a focus-range limiter, is to choose the setting that’s most appropriate for the camera-to-subject distance in your scene. Doing this vastly improves your odds of fast and precise focus acquisition.

All this notwithstanding, correct camera settings don’t guarantee great BIF photos. As Bartley says, “There’s the settings, and then there’s the setting, i.e. the location from which you shoot. First you have to be at a reliable spot with plenty of birds flying back and forth. It’s also important to find a vantage point with a clean background that doesn’t force you shoot directly into the sun.

Wegener discusses why it’s important to understand the behavior patterns of birds you anticipate capturing at different times of day. He notes, for example, that most birds typically take off and land into the wind. Hence, “You want to make sure that your light angle and the wind direction come from the proper direction.”

The foregoing is just a smattering of what you’ll learn in this informative lesson, and by apply all the very helpful suggestions your BIF photos are guaranteed to improve. There’s much more to see on Wegener’s YouTube channel, including more videos from The Bird Photography Show. So check to see what’s available when you have time.

And don’t miss the earlier tutorial we posted from another pro, with four in-camera techniques that deliver epic nature & wildlife photographs with soft, blurry backgrounds.

If you’re a regular visitor to the Shutterbug website, you know how we feel about the so-called rules of photography; namely, they’re often meant to be ignored. This is especially true when it comes to composition, as you’ll see in the eye-opening video below.

Most photographers are familiar with the Rule of Thirds, Symmetry, and the Golden Ratio, and these common guidelines are certainly a start. But breaking free of conventional “wisdom” that can stifle creativity often enables you to capture photos that are more personal and authentic. An added benefit is that by doing things differently you can create a style all your own.

Instructor Ian Worth is a professional landscape photographer based in Wales who frequently behind-the-scenes videos of his exploits while revealing powerful and often unconventional techniques. In this episode you’ll learn how he composes landscape photos for maximum impact—following unfamiliar rules of his own.

Worth is shooting an incredible sunset from an advantageous hilltop location, while disregarding rules you likely use all the time. He begins by presenting several photos he shot in the past and discusses the framing decisions he made for each. Later in the video he returns to his hilltop locations and puts these practices to work.

Keep in mind that the way you compose a scene is a very subjective matter, and your vision may differ from Worth’s. But his approach to the task is well worth watching and trying out. Worth’s approach involves first looking for an object of interest before thinking about a photo and how it should be composed. As he says, “I find that most of my favorite images have at least one clearly defined subject.”

Once Worth identifies a compelling subject he then works on the relationship between this focal point and surrounding objects within close proximity. This step involves determining whether these secondary subjects should be included or excluded from the shot. Here he notes that “quite often it’s what you exclude that can make a great image.” He then illustrates this point with images that were successful, and others that missed the mark.

This portion of the video is really important because it illustrates several uncommon tips on composition used by Worth to create dramatic images. And you can do the same by following his advice.

Then watch how he applies these powerful techniques when photographing the sunset from atop his high vantage point atop a hill. There’s much more to learn on Worth’s instructional YouTube channel, so be sure to take a look.

On a related note we encourage you to watch an earlier tutorial we posted, with another pro’s take on breaking the Rule of Thirds and using the unfamiliar Rule of Odds instead.

Wildlife photography has taken me to many places around the world, both exotic and familiar. In the realm of the familiar, I have one vivid memory from last year, from back in my home town Ottawa. I remember lying in the snow and holding my D500, just waiting for a Common Goldeneye to be in exactly the right position. Usually, it doesn’t happen.