Question on taking photos of birds

13 years 4 months ago #6161 by Mike Ayrouth
I've just spent the afternoon trying to photograph birds in flight. How are you focusing on them during flight? Are you using all the focus points in the camera or are you just using the center focus?

Getting BETTER one photo at a time!
Photo Comments
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13 years 4 months ago #6234 by flyingv
From what I understand it is the center of the AF point. I have also heard that you turn your camera to auto focus.


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13 years 4 months ago #6272 by effron
What camera are you using?

Why so serious?
Photo Comments
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13 years 4 months ago #6275 by Screamin Scott
Also, what lens are you using?...Most birding lenses are 400-500mm long. It's kinda hard to track birds with a long tele...

Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/

Photo Comments
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13 years 4 months ago #6276 by JD Salmon
B) its not an easy thing to do it takes practice . need to practice panning. if you are close you can use all focusing points if far you are going to use center point. the biggest thing is that you need a good lens that auto focus fast. In my opinion a bird flying in distance you need some back ground not just the sky to make it interesting. A little blurring is also good to show movement.


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13 years 4 months ago #6285 by bhowdy
With a little more information we can give you a better answer. Camera body / lens?

Here's a good link
Birds In Flight

Bob Howdeshell

"If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera" ~ Lewis Hine

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13 years 4 months ago #6297 by flyingv

bhowdy wrote: With a little more information we can give you a better answer. Camera body / lens?

Here's a good link
Birds In Flight


Great link, thanks for sharing.


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13 years 4 months ago - 13 years 4 months ago #6315 by bhowdy
Here are some things that I do when photographing BIF's ....
* Camera in manual mode so that I can control shutter speed, iso and aperture
* Focus mode is A1 Servo (Canon camera)
* Single focus point .... don't want multiple points picking something unusual or another bird that happens to pass by as the focus point
* Allow the lens to autofocus ... work hard to get the focus point on the bird's eye
* Camera on a tripod .... While I do photograph a lot of birds in flight hand held it is easier from a tripod with a good ball head or gimbal (I use a gimbal head)

* Practice practice practice ..... Some birds are easier than others .... swallows will / can cause much stress! LOL. Try seagulls for starters .... they are just about everywhere, even your local landfill.

Camera / lens settings for this image ..... Bonaparte's Gull
Focal length = 500mm
ISO = 320
Shutter speed = 1/1250
Aperture = f/8.0

Bob Howdeshell

"If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera" ~ Lewis Hine

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