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 of Tim Boyer's Learn the Art of Bird Photography: The Complete Field Guide for Beginning and Intermediate Photographers and Birders. I have to say, it's one of the most comprehensive resources on bird photography I've ever seen.
I mean, just take a look at some of the central topics of this book:
- How to setup your camera for bird photography
- Best settings for photographing birds in flight for beginners and intermediate photographers
- Practice sessions at the end of each chapter so you’ll master the concepts and techniques quickly
- The basics of light, composition, exposure, depth of field, getting the best point of view, and how to get sharp photos
- More field craft techniques than any other bird photography book
What struck me about the contents of this book is the sheer volume of topics that are discussed and the depth in which each topic is covered. It is truly a comprehensive, practical guide.
Even if you've never taken a photo of a bird before in your life, this book will set you on a course to taking stunningly beautiful photos of birds.
Not only do you have the step-by-step instruction you need as a novice bird photographer to get the exposure settings right, learn how to compose bird photos, and understand concepts like depth of field, but you also have the opportunity to practice what you learn at the end of each chapter.
And that's the key to great bird photography that this book reveals - you have to practice, a lot! And with the end-of-chapter practice sessions, you get the encouragement you need to put your learning to the test and do so frequently.
There are even chapters on field craft that teach you how to use a photo blind, how to photograph birds in flight, and how to anticipate bird behavior, as well as a chapter on a solid Lightroom workflow for editing the images you take.
In that regard, this is much more than just a book - instead, it's your own personal bird photography course!
In fact, that's the driving force behind this book. It's designed to encourage you to study bird photography, practice more, and shorten the learning curve so you can take beautiful images of birds sooner rather than later.
But what I appreciated most about Learn the Art of Bird Photography is the list of bird photography hot spots.
Broken down by geographic regions and timeframe, this list gives you the best places in North America to find and photograph birds.
Something else I appreciated about this book is the author's passion for bird photography.
Not only is Tim Boyer an expert in this field, but you also get a sense for how enthusiastic he is about this subject in the way that he writes - it's engaging and interesting, instructive yet easy to understand.
If you've tried bird photography in the past and simply found it too frustrating to continue, this is the book for you.
With chapters that cover every aspect of bird photography and a focus on practicing what's learned throughout the text, it will be the one and only bird photography book you need to learn how to improve the quality of your photos.
Get your copy of Learn the Art of Bird Photography.
About the Author
Tim Boyer is an award-winning nature photographer. His images have been published in many bird and nature magazines. He is a full-time photographer and a graduate of Seattle Audubon’s Master Birder Program. He enjoys sharing his knowledge of photography and birds through workshops and presentations. His bird photography workshops are offered in locations where there are lots of birds and thus ample opportunities to learn and practice the art of bird photography. He also has a YouTube channel where weekly he posts bird photography tutorials. You can find him at Tim Boyer Photography on YouTube. Shorebirds are his favorite family group of birds, and he spends a lot of weekends on the Washington Coast.
Tim has a degree in Recreation and Parks Management and had a career as a mountain guide in Alaska, Washington, Canada, Mexico, and Ecuador. He’s been to the top of North America (Denali) six times. Toss in a few marathons, an eighteen-year stint at a large non-profit where he was once the Corporate Controller (which he still can’t believe) and you can see he’s ready for adventure. He’s been a photographer since high school (you know back when they used black & white film) and a birder since college. He always knew he would have three careers, but didn’t think that Bird Photography Workshop Leader/Author would be number three.
Connect with Tim on his website and on Twitter.