All my life I’ve loved being outside and being in nature. I enjoy observing wildlife and learning about the natural world. I think this is what led to my ventures in wildlife photography, particularly bird photography. I’ve taken many photos on a phone but I got my first real camera about 3 years ago. I have been avidly photographing birds and other natural scenes ever since.
I often go with my dad to nature preserves on weekends. We enjoy hiking and walking and I always keep my eyes open in hopes of spotting birds to photograph. The process of finding birds is definitely an endeavor that requires you to slow down and take it all in. When you slow down, you start to notice things you wouldn’t normally see.
There are multiple strategies involved when it comes to actually finding birds to photograph. When I am out hiking I always have open ears. Sometimes the best way to “spot” a bird is to hear it first. When you hear a bird sound it can help you pinpoint where that bird is to hopefully get some pictures of it. While I did not necessarily set out to learn the sounds associated with various birds I have started to pick up on many of them. Now, whenever I am walking in the woods I can often hear a bird chirp and say “oh that’s a Northern Cardinal” or whatever bird it is. It is amazing the things you learn by simply listening.
In addition to open ears, open eyes are obviously important. I think being on the lookout for birds to photograph has led me to be more aware of everything around me. When my dad and I are out hiking, we notice giant trees, moss on logs, different grasses, streams, and little creatures. When you look around you can really see how the different elements of an ecosystem fit together.
Different birds move in different ways and turn up in different places. Bird photography requires a lot of patience for finding birds and quick action once you do find one. Sometimes you go out looking for a specific bird, in which case you can adjust your settings in accordance with how you expect that bird to move. For me though, when I am out hiking I’m not always sure precisely what I will find. While I can often predict what settings I will need, sometimes I have to adjust my camera settings on the “fly” (no pun intended). For example, chickadees are little birds and they flit around quickly. If I encounter a chickadee, I need a faster shutter speed to “freeze” the action. Bigger birds like blue jays, robins or even waterfowl move slower and do not need as fast of a shutter speed.
When I see a bird I usually have to think fast, but sometimes I will see a bird on a branch and it will stick around a little while. If the bird sticks around I can take many different shots, adjust angles and try to capture different types of behaviors of that bird. Oftentimes though, when I see a bird, it is moving quickly or about to be moving quickly. One thing I have learned about the smaller song birds is that they do not stay in one place for very long. After either me or my dad spot a bird I quickly extend my lens, change my shutter speed if needed (and if there is time) and snap a burst of photos. If all goes to plan I will have gotten some good shots.
Though many times I get great pictures, photography in general, especially wildlife photography often results in some missed shots. Sometimes, the bird just moves too quickly. I have had many a time where a bird will appear right in front of me. I’ll look through my camera’s viewfinder to line up the shot, but the bird will be gone by the time I extend my lens. These times can be frustrating, however I still find joy in the fact that even though I didn’t get a picture It was still another bird I got to see, and a piece of nature I was able to share my time with.
Of course there is more than just finding a bird involved in bird photography. When hiking I have to think about where the sunlight is, where to get the best angles, where the shadows are and how much I can increase my camera’s ISO (a setting that allows you to adjust your exposure to brighten or darken an image).
Overall, bird photography has helped me increase my patience and my understanding that good things often take time. I have a greater appreciation and love for the natural world. My photography journeys have helped me spend more time in the moment and think about things that I may never have stopped to ponder otherwise. I think that it is extremely important to pay attention to the world around you. When you take time to be outside and be in the moment you can learn and discover incredible things.
