Backlighting Is A Major Concern For Bird Photographers

^{Note: This tip comes from printable cheat sheet #4 inside Photzy’s - 10 Bird Photography Cheat Sheets}

Backlighting can be a concern for virtually any bird photography scenario. It will require you to pay special attention to your camera settings and exposure values.

If you aren’t correctly set up, the bulk of the bird may not get enough exposure, resulting in low detail and color in the feathers, legs, and beak.

Follow these guidelines:

• If the camera is within range of an electronic flash, set the unit to low power. This will place a catchlight in your subject’s eyes.

• When facing a backlighting situation, try not to include any unnecessary background, as that can throw the camera meter off for proper exposure.

• Set the camera metering pattern to spot or center-weighted.

• Use the camera raw file format for maximum quality and options in post-production.This advice also includes the ability to focus manually, which can take some practice.

Want more? If you want to learn more about bird photography, and capture beautiful shots of your own, we recommend downloading and printing out Photzy’s 10 Bird Photography Cheat Sheets (Special bonus available now!)