Pro Tips on Photographing Your Bird Feeder Professionally

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

Proper bird feeder placement is one of the easiest ways to get started in bird photography. 

Here, we will go over some quick tips on where to place your bird feeder and how to use your camera gear for the maximum photo opportunity.

Tip #1 – Start with the lens that you will be using. If the feeder is too far away to fill the frame, so will your bird subjects. Check your focal length and secure a spot close enough to fill the frame with your feeder and birds.

Tip #2 – Next, choose your camera position and check the background. You don’t want anything in the background (trashcans, cars, buildings, etc.) that will detract from your bird subjects. In choosing your camera position, consider whether you will be at the camera or in a separate location. You can shoot through a window, but then you must deal with reflections. If you aren’t adding additional lighting, consider the sun's position, especially as it moves throughout the day. You don’t want backlighting. Side lighting or front lighting is best to show the textures and colors of the feathers.

Tip #3 If you’re having trouble finding a clean background, consider shooting down, or possibly up, onto the feeder, depending upon its design. You will likely need to place your camera onto a tripod or some other permanent mount and remotely fire the shutter if the camera is out of reach. Remember, stealth is also important here. Your birds won’t be comfortable if they can see you standing near the feeder.

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!)