Four Requirements for The New Bird Photographer

^{Note: This tip comes from page 6 in Tobie Schalkwyk’s free eBook - Getting Started in Bird Photography}

A love for birds and photography

An interest in, and love for, these magnificent creatures and photography, in general, will certainly motivate you to spend a few bucks on the equipment needed to photograph birds in such a way that the images provoke praise from family, friends, and strangers on social media.

That’s mainly one of the reasons we do this, right? Not to mention hopefully winning a photo competition or two!

Patience

This is one of the most valuable traits of a successful and productive bird photographer.

If you have a lack thereof, don’t fret – it’s a trait that you can develop and master, just like any of the other skills applied in bird photography. All it takes is determination.

You’ll soon discover that some of your best shots were missed because you’ve packed up to move on!

Some of your best shots will prove the value of waiting a few minutes longer!

Knowledge of your subjects

The more you know about the birds and bird behavior, the more successful you will be. That’s a given fact.

For example, most birds advertise their intention to take off in flight by taking “a poop”; this knowledge will motivate your decision to immediately zoom out a little so that you do not cut off some of its body parts when you capture its take-off.

Of course, you would only pick up some of this knowledge in discussions with other birders or bird photographers, but Google will be a lot of help here as well.

A place to photograph birds

A place to hone your skills will be a major advantage to getting started, preferably near your residence. 

Some of us have gardens with ample opportunities, but it won’t do any harm to do some research and find facilities such as parks and botanical gardens nearby.

Some of these locations may even offer a bird hide free of charge. Bird hides are generally set up to provide a nice view of a wide variety of aquatic and other types of birds that are used to the limited movement of people. And, of course, where silence is enforced.

A bird blind can also offer shelter in the event of a quick thunderstorm or a sun that treats you like a piece of bacon on a hot plate!

Consider these valuable tips as you start your bird photography adventure!

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!)