Sunday, May 8, 2011

Photographing Birds in Flight

A few years back, I received a handsome tripod as a gift.  I’ve tried repeatedly to use it, but I always seem to point it in the wrong direction.  Bottom line, I don’t want to carry it when I’m out walking.  As it is, I look like a newbie journalist, my many-pocketed vest bulging with stuff I can never find and a camera and pair of binoculars criss-crossed like bullet holsters over the top.

I’ll acknowledge, though, that, one time, I got it sort of right.  I’d learned that, if you focus on a bird box where chicks are being fed, you have a chance at getting an interesting shot.  I got mine one year with bluebirds.  I was too far away (I don’t own a spotting scope for digiscoping or a photo blind), but, even so, I did get this:

Then something happened I’d never seen before:  the parent bluebirds stopped bringing food to the bird box and perched on nearby branches, in sight, but out of reach.  A bluebird chick stuck its head and a claw out, peered around, and retreated.  After repeating this ritual several times, the chick took off:

Right after, another chick followed suit.

Mostly, though, my tripod sits on a shelf.  So imagine my delight when I came across a story in Living Bird written by real-deal bird photographer, Marie Read, who wrote:
Until a few years ago, I had always used a tripod to support my equipment . . . . But then I got hooked on shooting birds in flight.  I soon discovered that when the action is fast and furious, I get less frustrated and have better luck by switching to a short hand-held lens . . .
Even better, she went on to recommend against hand-holding “supertelephoto” lenses.  “Instead, take my advice and carry a lightweight lens, such as a 400mm f/5.6, for flight photography.”  She told the story of finding herself “in the midst of a territorial battle” between two male Limpkins.
My lightweight gear gave me the mobility to keep focused on the fast action and quickly change my position whenever I needed to.  I would have missed a lot of shots if I’d been constrained by a tripod.
Emboldened by these statements, I set out once more to capture birds in flight.  I remain the impatient photographer I’ve always been, with my too-short lens and penchant for arriving at birding sites high noon, the time of day that's well known to be the worst.

The nice thing for the amateur is, it doesn’t matter.  You can do whatever you want.  And every now and then, you get a lucky shot.

Red-Tailed Hawk:

Great Blue Heron:

Tree Swallows:


Credits:  Caught in the Act:  Strategies for photographing birds in action, by Marie Read, Living Bird, Winter 2011, pp. 16-23.  Photograph of tree swallows at the head of the post and all photographs in the post are mine.

*** 
Postscript:  Speaking of birds in flight, the three writers of Raining Acorns are about to fly off in different directions.  In our next posts, we’ll each be writing about that and where we’re off to next.

19 comments:

  1. The back of the last tree swallow is extraordinary.

    Capturing movement in a still almost messes with your head a little bit- in a good way. Thank you for posting these.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Splendid photos! I'm a big fan of candid action shots of any species...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Raining Acorns,
    Some fantastic shots there of some lovely birds. I can never get any birds in flight with my digiscoping gear, it is more useful for things that are standing still!
    Just out of interest I saw a Red-tailed Hawk a few weeks back in Thetford Forest (Norfolk, Britain), it escaped a few years ago and is now living happily in the `wilds` of Britain!
    J
    Follow me at HEDGELAND TALES

    ReplyDelete
  4. I just point and snap, bird photos are beyond me unless the birds are stationary for a long time.

    Yours are excellent, whichever way you've taken them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. How do you pick a favorite from such excellent examples as these? If forced to do so, I would choose the Bluebird chick on its maiden flight.

    What else could portray such a feeling of satisfaction as learning to be on one's own?

    ReplyDelete
  6. These are stunning photos! Thank you for posting them.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dear Raining Acorns,
    the photographs are beautiful! You must be very quick to get these moments! And a certain kind of patience you must have too. Wild animals in action are not easy to "catch" - flowers seldom move and I can come so near... I almost always carry a little Lumix with me - before that I had "heavy stuff" from Minolta and enjoyed cockfights in equipment with male photographers :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. My monitor has crapped out on me, but the color will come back for a minute or two here and there. It came back just in time to see these great photos. The last one of the swallow is especially lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Crikey, photos to be proud of. But is that a heron or a stork (my unornothological eyes have been trained on storks in Morocco, and herons on the Thames, so I'm just asking)? Storks seem to be such gentle birds given their pterodactyllic appearance in flight...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your photos, as always, are stunning. I could not take half as good of bird statues! I can't pick a favorite - they are all great and different takes on birds. Keep up the good work!

    Here is a link to a friend of mine's blog - he photographs birds primarily. Thought you'd like to peruse it and I am certainly sending him a link to this post!


    http://www.vincentmistretta.com/blog/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Suze and Mark: It was quite amazing to get home and see I’d got a photo of the back. Because, to get a shot of a tree swallow at all, I have to focus on their take-off station and they’re high above me, I’m always shooting them from underneath.

    La Rose, so nice to see you again here at RA. I agree, candid action shots have a particular appeal.

    John, high praise, coming from the birdman! I keep thinking, what kind of shot might you have got of those bluebirds if you’d been trained on that box with your digiscoping set-up? Bet you would come up with a great shot.

    Friko, what you come up with of the Shropshire countryside with your point and shoot method is gorgeous. You capture so beautifully the atmosphere and quality of light.

    cybersr, yes, I liked the one of the fledgling, too. It does seem to capture the enormous effort of first flight.

    Elaine, thank you so much for dropping by RA. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the birds!

    Britta, oh, I love learning this about you! I like to think of you out there with your Minolta, “cockfighting” with other photographers.

    David, good question about the great blue. I wasn’t entirely sure, though I think a great blue is most likely. I don’t think storks are found in our area. Part of the problem, I think, is that the sun really blanched out the color of the neck. As you say about storks, I’ve been struck observing herons at closer range, at their “pterodactyllic” appearance, as well.

    WOS, thank you for the link to Mistretta’s blog. Very appealing. Another site with incredible images of birds in flight is Austin Thomas's blog. Don’t miss the flying puffin.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wonderful moments captured . I think the blue heron is my favourite but admire them all and your talent and patience waiting for those moments.
    Enjoy your break, thank you for all your lovely comments. Eileenx

    ReplyDelete
  13. These photos, together with the gorgeous daffodils, are a feast for the eyes. I particularly like the wide open mouth of the chick - so symbolic of offspring before they take flight.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dear Raining Acorns,
    just read your PS.
    Hope to hear from you further on! Here is my e-mail-address: vivian.pink@gmx.de (Hope that doesn't vanish in the sky as the birds and my last post :-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. With blogger's technical difficulties of the last few days, it seems a few of the comments we received disappeared. We've been able to retrieve them, and here they are:

    Wide Open Spaces said...
    Your photos, as always, are stunning. I could not take half as good of bird statues! I can't pick a favorite - they are all great and different takes on birds. Keep up the good work!

    Here is a link to a friend of mine's blog - he photographs birds primarily. Thought you'd like to peruse it and I am certainly sending him a link to this post!


    http://www.vincentmistretta.com/blog/
    May 11, 2011 7:13 PM

    Raining Acorns said...
    Suze and Mark: It was quite amazing to get home and see I’d got a photo of the back. Because, to get a shot of a tree swallow at all, I have to focus on their take-off station and they’re high above me, I’m always shooting them from underneath.

    La Rose, so nice to see you again here at RA. I agree, candid action shots have a particular appeal.

    John, high praise, coming from the birdman! I keep thinking, what kind of shot might you have got of those bluebirds if you’d been trained on that box with your digiscoping set-up? Bet you would come up with a great shot.

    Friko, what you come up with of the Shropshire countryside with your point and shoot method is gorgeous. You capture so beautifully the atmosphere and quality of light.

    cybersr, yes, I liked the one of the fledgling, too. It does seem to capture the enormous effort of first flight.

    Elaine, thank you so much for dropping by RA. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the birds!

    Britta, oh, I love learning this about you! I like to think of you out there with your Minolta, “cockfighting” with other photographers.

    David, good question about the great blue. I wasn’t entirely sure, though I think a great blue is most likely. I don’t think storks are found in our area. Part of the problem, I think, is that the sun really blanched out the color of the neck. As you say about storks, I’ve been struck observing herons at closer range, at their “pterodactyllic” appearance, as well.

    WOS, thank you for the link to Mistretta’s blog. Very appealing. Another site with incredible images of birds in flight is Austin Thomas's blog. Don’t miss the flying puffin.
    May 11, 2011 10:40 PM

    MILLY said...
    Wonderful moments captured . I think the blue heron is my favourite but admire them all and your talent and patience waiting for those moments.
    Enjoy your break, thank you for all your lovely comments. Eileenx
    May 12, 2011 3:25 AM

    cawarr said...
    These photos, together with the gorgeous daffodils, are a feast for the eyes. I particularly like the wide open mouth of the chick - so symbolic of offspring before they take flight.
    May 12, 2011 9:32 AM

    Also, since I wrote my comment, I see three more comments have appeared: Thanks to you all for writing!

    ReplyDelete
  16. What inspirational images of nature!

    I'm pleased to make your acquaintance (I found you through Hilary - and I LOVE the Royal Family :0 )

    Look forward to following your posts and writing

    warm wishes
    Debbie
    x

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Raining Acorns .. loved the red-tailed hawk .. but the others too - aren't they wonderful and lovely to see afterwards.

    Thanks for showing us and for giving us an insight into a birder's life, as well as the bluebird's foray into the world of flight and independence.

    Lovely - I'm sort of catching up with posts! Cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  18. Bluestocking Mum and
    Hilary: Thanks for writing. So glad you enjoyed the post!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you so much for commenting on my blog and apologies for the very brief nature of the comment I left earlier, I was in a tearing hurry! I actually read this post and was fascinated by it. I have a long lens but never take it out with me as I find it just too heavy. The lens I use most is a Canon 50-250mm which is lightweight but of course I have to crop heavily which isn't ideal. I do wish there was a longer lightweight lens on the market.

    Anyway you have some great flight shots here, never easy to achieve I find!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.