4 Advanced Wildlife Photography Tips

photo by drferry via iStock I’m sure many photographers would like to know how to take better wildlife photos or perhaps how to photograph wildlife in general. You’ve found the right place! Photographing wildlife can be an exceptionally rewarding endeavor, and with these advanced wildlife photography tips,...
5 Incredible Birding Photos to Fire Up Your Creative Muse

Of all the wildlife on our planet, birds may be the most varied and colorful, which makes them extremely fun to photograph. They're also one of the most challenging subjects, so when you capture one just right, it's an unforgettable experience. With that in mind, here are 5 awesome birding shots to help spark your...
6 Amazing Examples of Bird Photography That Will Get You Inspired

Bird photography has by far one of the highest failure rates among all the other genres. That's probably because so little of what's happening in front of your camera depends on you. A lot of beginner and experienced bird photographers get frustrated when they return home empty handed after investing a lot of hope in a...
6 Great Images of Birds Interacting

One of the best experiences for a bird photographer is capturing the moments that make your images more than just pretty pictures of avian wildlife. Shots that show how these amazing creatures interact with one another in their circles of life have a life of their own. Getting those shots is a matter of patience, timing...
6 More Amazing Birding Shots to Motivate You

They're everywhere. They're amazing to watch. They're one of the most challenging and rewarding photography subjects you can choose. Bird photography is much more than a hobby for most who excel in it; it takes passion and dedication to develop the skills required to create beautiful bird photos. Here are some more great...
6 More Photos that Demonstrate Why Photographers Love Birds

They're colorful. They're graceful. They're challenging. There are a thousand reasons that photographers all over the world set out every day to get birds in front of their lenses. Fortunately, they're everywhere, from your back yard, to the local zoo, to almost anywhere on Earth you'd like to travel. From...
7 Photos that Show Why we Love Bird Photography

Maybe it's the wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Perhaps it's the challenge. Could be it's the fact that, unlike us, they have the freedom of unrestricted flight. Whatever the reason, birds have always held a special fascination for photographers the world over. Of all the wildlife subjects in the world, they're...
7 Tips For Better Bird Portraits

Editor's Note: This is a guest post by our friend Tim Boyer, a master bird photographer. While bird portraits are easier then birds-in-flight images, there are ways to make the portraits better. The goal with any bird portrait should be to create an image that shows the bird off in all its glory, beauty, and...
7 Ways to Get a Sharper Bird Image

Bird Pictures Not satisfied with the sharpness of your bird photography? Fortunately, there's a number of tricks you can use to avoid blurry photos. And the best part? Each of these tricks is super easy! In this article, our friend Tim Boyer, a master bird photographer, offers a few of his best bird photography tips...
A Beginner's Guide on How to Photograph Birds

If you ask me, bird photography is one of the toughest types of photography to master. After all, your subject could move at any time - and move very quickly at that. It takes a lot of time, practice, and patience to take beautiful photographs of birds, but with these tips, you'll learn the basics how to...
A Beginner's Guide to Photographing Birds in Flight

Photographying Flying Bird Birds are fascinating creatures to photograph, but it can be very difficult to get high-quality images of birds in flight. If you've ever struck out on your own and tried your hand at photographing flying birds, you've probably encountered some problems with motion blur, incorrect focus,...
Advanced Bird Photography: Birds in Flight (Part 1)

Most wildlife photographers, amateur and pro alike, contend that one of the most difficult shots is a photo of a bird on the wing. While anything in motion is challenging, the aerobatic maneuvers of birds are hard to predict and follow and the speed at which the birds themselves and their wings move will test your skills...
Advanced Bird Photography: Birds in Flight (Part 2)

In the last lesson, we discussed exposure settings, panning and focusing when photographing birds in flight. While mastering those skills is imperative to success, there are other considerations that play a large part in getting those incredible images. This lesson will describe those considerations and how to deal with...
Advanced Bird Photography: Getting the Close Shot

There's no question about the fact that the greatest bird photos are often those that feature the subjects “up close and personal”. That's the reason we invest in those awesome super-telephoto lenses. For any photographer that's willing to take the time and apply a little strategy, a good medium telephoto or in some...
Advanced Bird Photography: Working the Angles

When you're in pursuit of bird photos, it's often easy to simply grab the shots you can, especially after a long stalk or wait. Putting out just a bit more effort to look for an interesting camera angle, however can reward you with unforgettable shots. Let's look at a few possibilities: Go Low for Waterfowl One of the...
Are You an Environmentally Friendly Photographer?

I'm sure that most photographers are the kind of people that want to protect our planet and all the species living on it. After all, without all the flora, fauna and other natural wonders (including us) around, there wouldn't be much to photograph. On the other hand, there are ways to help protect the planet that many of...
Basic Bird Photography Composition Tips

photo by lavin photography via iStock Birds are a wonderful photographic subject for anyone who enjoys wildlife photography. We can find these subjects in all sorts of easy to access places, including local parks and our own backyards or balconies. For anyone wondering how to frame a shot of a bird in their...
Bird Photography Basics for Beginners

In my last article, I provided a few tips for beginning wildlife photographers. In this one, I'm going to discuss a sub-genre of wildlife photography that presents enough challenges to be considered separately: photographing birds. Capturing great images of birds, especially in the wild, comes with all the difficulties...
Bird Photography Basics: Learning to Expose to the Right

Wildlife photography is considered by many to be the most difficult genre to master and bird photography adds its own set of challenges. This series of lessons is intended to help aspiring bird photographers learn the skills necessary to raise their images to the next level as quickly as possible. We've covered the...
Bird Photography Basics: Using a Flash

In the last lesson, we discussed exposure modes for bird photography and mentioned that using supplemental lighting may be an option in some shooting situations. Arguably the most practical type of supplemental lighting comes in the form of a flash, although to some, it may not seem applicable to bird photography. Flash...
Bird Photography Tip: How to Get Sharp Photos With a Big Lens

If you've ever tried photographing birds, especially birds in flight, you know that it can be a difficult process. Add to that a big, heavy lens, and you have a recipe for a frustrating outing! But these aren't obstacles that cannot be overcome, and overcome easily, actually... In the video...
Birds of Bosque and How to Photograph Them

If you've never heard of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, you're missing out... With more than 57,000 beautiful acres, this place is home to incredible bird life thanks to the strict management of the wetland water levels that simulate seasonal water flow before the Rio Grande was dammed. Furthermore,...
Composition Tips for Beginner Bird Photographers

Just like with any subject, when you compose a photograph of a bird, you can enhance its visual appeal by adhering to a set of photography composition rules of thumb. But sometimes the most difficult part of the process is actually figuring out what those essential rules of thumb might be. In the...
Enjoy Bird Photography? You Won't Want to Miss This Event

We know there are a lot of bird and wildlife photographers out there, so that's why we want to share this amazing opportunity with them. People who love observing and photographing animals also love to share their experiences, learn from each other and show their impressive images. What better way to do so than a...
Getting Started in Bird Photography

So you have an age old love for birds and every time you see or hear a less common one your heart skips a beat. Bird photography is definitely going to be your next favorite thing. It usually starts with watching a lot of documentaries, reading or seeing a lot of bird photos before you realize "hey, I could do that!"...
Grand Teton National Park Photography and Travel Guide

Photo by Kevin Vandivier Though Wyoming is perhaps best known for the geothermal features of Yellowstone National Park, it’s neighbor to the south, Grand Teton National Park, offers unmatched beauty as well. With soaring mountain peaks, pristine alpine lakes, and an abundance of wildlife, there is no lack of...
How to Photograph Birds in Flight

There's no question about it: the most difficult part of bird photography is capturing the birds in flight. The amazing visual impact of a graceful bird in flight is undeniable, and although static portraits can be just as powerful, there's just something special about a dynamic shot of a bird flapping its wings. But as...
How to Photograph Birds in Flight

One of the toughest tasks that a photographer can undertake is trying to capture a clear, sharp photo of a bird in flight. But that doesn't mean that it's impossible to take a high-quality shot of a flying bird...you just have to be prepared (and practice, of course!). In the video above, our...
How to Photograph Birds: Additional Gear

We've discussed cameras and lenses for bird photography and hopefully those previous lessons have helped you decide which ones will work best for you. Now, before we jump into the lessons on shooting, there's one more area we need to cover. To get the most out of your efforts in bird photography, there are a few other...
How to Photograph Birds: Cameras

While it's true that it's the photographer and not the gear that creates a great image, there are some genres in which the right equipment can make a tremendous difference in the success or failure of your shots. Bird photography is one of those genres. That isn't to say that there's no point in trying to take bird...
How to Photograph Birds: Lenses

Although the camera you use for bird photography is important, almost any serious photographer will tell you that it's the glass that makes the real difference. Besides the obvious fact that focal length is a factor, there are some other unique challenges in photographing birds in the wild. Poor lighting conditions,...
King of the Skies: 8 Powerful Photographs of Eagles

I've tried photographing eagles and other birds before, and let's just say that the results I got were not worthy of sharing... Bird photography is a tough exercise; much tougher than setting up my gear to photograph landscapes, that's for sure! But PhotographyTalk member Rob Daugherty has mastered the art of...
Lightroom Post Processing Techniques for Bird Photography

If you're like me, you love the thrill of being out with your camera, taking photos, and enjoying the beauty of nature. But, again, if you're like me, sitting at home processing photos in Lightroom isn't exactly the most exciting experience. That's why I was so excited when I came upon the quick...
Mastering the Learning Curve of Bird Photography

I don't think it's any big secret that mastering bird photography can be a difficult task. But just because something is difficult doesn't mean that it's not worthwhile. What's more, there are plenty of resources that you can utilize to make bird photography easier. I recently had a chance to get my hands on a copy...
Point of View for Bird Photographers

Editor's Note: This is a guest post by our friend and master bird photographer Tim Boyer. Point of view is different than perspective. The lens and the depth in an image determine perspective. Point of view is the relationship between the photographer and the bird (or subject). Point of view is important because...
Quiz: What do all these Birds have in Common?

We've got one more fun quiz for all your bird photographers out there. We've put together a list with fifteen beautiful birds that all have one thing in common. Test your skills and see if you can find that one common trait. 1. The Masked Booby This bird is a spectacular diver that often plunges into the water diagonally...
See the Beauty of Nature in These 20 Incredible Bird Photos

If you ask me, bird photography is one of the most difficult types of photography to master. It's right up there with weddings! Not only does it require intimate knowledge of the subject, but it also requires an incredible amount of patience to get high-quality shots. I'm not the world's most patient person, so I...
Seven Common Mistakes in Bird Photography

There are plenty of mistakes that photographers can make when they get behind the lens... Bird photography is certainly no different! Not only do you have your camera settings, composition, and lighting to think about, but you also have to take into account how your subject behaves and moves around so you can get the...
The Best Equipment to Have For Serious Bird Photography

I'm going to start this by saying that it's perfectly normal to take your first steps in the world of bird photography using less expensive gear. In fact, I strongly recommend low- medium budget solutions for beginners. A less advanced camera/lens combo will demand more from you, the photographer. It will sharpen your...
These 10 Exotic Bird Photos will Brighten Your Day and Inspire You

One of the greatest things about photographing birds is that they come in an almost endless variety of sizes, shapes and colors. From specialized body parts to ornate plumage and incredible colors, the exotic birds of the world are a true feast for the eyes and the lens. No wonder they're a favorite subject of pros and...
These 11 Beautiful Bird Photos Will Help You Learn the Fundamentals of Bird Photography

If you're like me, you're much more of a visual learner than one that can grasp concepts by just reading about them. Instead, I like to see examples of what I'm learning about, that way I can visualize exactly what I need to do. If you're looking for ways to improve your bird photography, then this article is for...
These Bird Photography Tips Will Take Your Photos to the Next Level

What makes a beautiful bird photo? Is it the composition? What about the lighting? Or is the perspective from which the shot is taken the first thing you notice? Well, regardless of what you notice first, all of these factors are important (among many others) in taking your bird photography to the next level. Here...
Top 20 Incredible Safari Moments Caught on Camera

photo by Stefonlinton I don't know about you, but when I think of a safari, I think of a safari, what comes first to mind is, of course, the big game that people so desperately want to see - elephants, tigers, giraffes, and so forth. And since I'm a photographer, the second thing I think of is people like me, with...
Top Photography Workshops to Attend in 2018

Contents Northern Warblers and More in Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula Strabo Photo Tour Collection Banff Photo Workshops National Photographic Adventures San Miguel Photo Workshops Jennifer King Photo Workshops Jess Lee Photography Workshops Momenta Workshops Eloquent Light Photography...
Types of Photography: 19 Popular Photography Genres You Can Try

Photo by Christian Holzinger on Unsplash When you're just starting out in photography, there can be many things that might overwhelm you. Learning to use your camera is certainly one of them. Developing your creative eye is another. But with practice, these things become second-nature. A different type of...
Use a Slower Shutter Speed for the Illusion of Motion in Bird Photography

Editor's Note: This is a guest post by our friend Tim Boyer, a master bird photographer. As bird photographers, we’re all obsessed with getting a sharp image. Most of the time, that means we focus on the eye and if the depth-of-field on the rest of the bird falls off, we don’t care. We don’t care because people...
Why Bird Photography is one of the most beautiful hobbies ever

For some strange reason, I used to think of bird watching as something pensioners do. I have no idea why that was, but it stuck with me for a while. That was until I met a local wildlife photographer who invited me to go photograph birds with him in some of the wildest places available after a two hour drive. Since it...
Wildlife Photography Tips for Bad Weather

photo by jonathan_steven via iStock When you look out the window and see overcast skies, rain, and wind, you probably don’t think, “Yes, these are ideal conditions for wildlife photography.” But, as you’ll learn below, taking steps to protect your gear and heading out into poor weather can give you...