Our Image As Bird Photographers

^{Note: This tip comes from Tobie Schalkwyk’s free eBook - Bird Photography: Etiquette}

Pro Bird Photographer Tobie Schalkwyk strongly believes that we bird photographers must be perceived as a polite and knowledgeable breed of people.

We must not be spoiled sports but act in a manner that other people look up to and respect, not only among our fellow photographers but also among other non-photographers.

How do we achieve this?

BE FRIENDLY

I know. I don’t need to remind you of this. But sometimes, in the excitement of seeing or chasing a special bird, it’s easy to forget the ‘be friendly’ rule!

BE PATIENT

If someone walks into your viewfinder area at the exact moment when something interesting is happening, just ask them to move away in a friendly manner or, if feasible, wait for them to move away.

I remember photographing a kingfisher with fish in its mouth – the result of patiently waiting for about 30 minutes. I knew it would dive into the water at some stage, so I waited and waited.

Just as the kingfisher (with a captured fish) perched on a rock right in front of me about ten steps away, just then, an older woman lazily passed by in front of my camera, unaware of the scene playing so close to her.

The kingfisher got spooked by her presence, and by the time she had moved out of my field of view, it had flown away with its prey, swallowing it down about 100 steps away.

My blood was boiling!

To make it worse, this was a Collared Kingfisher – a rarely-seen bird in my area!

But what could I do? I simply gulped down my frustration and walked off, looking for my next photo opportunity.

BE APPROACHABLE

I make a point of being approachable to others.

It’s so easy to achieve this gesture just by being friendly and showing an interest in what others see or discuss.

If they see a bird and do not know what it is, why not tell them? Then, tell them one or two interesting facts about it while you’re at it. Being approachable goes a long way toward a bird photographer’s ultimate success.

BE HELPFUL

I know. It’s easy to answer a question quickly and stiffly when asked by an ignorant person.

But how about going the extra mile? If they seem keen for knowledge and you have a bird guide (or a pair of binoculars) with you, why not hand it to them so they can learn more about this bird?

A favorite thing of mine is to tell people where they can see bird parents feeding some chicks or any other exciting event.

But be cautious. Some activities have prerequisites and limitations that must be observed for the sake of the adult bird and or its fledglings.

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!)