How to Photograph Birds That Don’t Want to be Seen

^{Note: This tip comes from Photzy’s 10 Bird Photography Cheat Sheet Snap Cards.}

Like virtually all wildlife, birds are often camouflaged and don’t necessarily want to be seen- by you or any predator.

You will need to learn where to look for the bird that you want to photograph. 

You will also need to hone your skills in spotting them within their environment using your stealth. Developing your bird identification skills is crucial.

Here are some Camera Settings Suggestions for Capturing Birds in Their Environment:

File format: Raw (recommended)

ISO setting: 200 (adjust as necessary)

Metering Mode: 

• Spot - Best

• Center-weighted - Optional

• Matrix/evaluative - Not recommended

Drive Mode:

• Single Shot – Best

• Continuous slow – OK (if quiet)

Shooting Mode:

• Manual Mode – Best

• Aperture Priority – Good (If the light is constantly changing)

• Shutter Priority – Optional (suitable for low light when camera shake management is a concern)

Focus Mode:  

• Manual Focus – Best for camouflaged bird

• Single Shot - Optional

White Balance: – Auto or Shade setting (if the bird is in heavy shade - don’t use AWB)

Image Stabilization: – On (unless on a tripod)

Focus Points: Small central cluster (some cameras will allow you to change the location of the cluster within the frame.

Back Button Focus: Recommended when using autofocus (Check your camera model for this option.

Shutter Speed: No slower than 125th; 1/180th or faster recommended

Aperture: f/2.8 – f/8

Recommended Technique: Use a telephoto lens. 

A significant advantage to capturing a bird in its environment is the use of a telephoto lens. The addition of a teleconverter is also helpful for extending the lens focal length when you have plenty of light. (a teleconverter (TC) can create a loss of light from reaching your camera – up to 2 stops)

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!)