Green Nature

Bird Photography Tips

If you count yourself a bird enthusiast and have already decorated your yard with birdhouses, birdbaths and bird feeders, you might want to consider adding bird photography to your hobby list.



If you are just starting out, bird psychology is one of the most important issues to tackle.

Many birds are skittish, with attention spans comparable to school kids in June. One second they are perched on a branch, the next second they are flying off to a new destination.

Certainly, there are exceptions to the skittishness rule, and you may even have heard stories of birds calm enough to feed out of peoples' hands. However, all things being equal, the beginning bird photographer would do well remembering one basic rule of thumb. These small winged creatures have a personal space requirement of approximately ten feet. When you start getting any closer, there is a high probability they will fly off.

Keeping feeders filled with food, and baths filled with clean water, are some of the most common tips offered to remedy problems of getting birds to visit your back yard for photography sessions. Additionally, it is important to remember that diversity really is the spice of life, and getting pictures of your feathered guests in more natural settings is considered a photographic plus. If you are interested in pursuing a more creative bird photography style, the following discussions of

  • bird blinds
  • cameras
  • lighting
  • megapixel and picture size
  • and shutter speed
will help improve your bird photography skills. Please click on a link in the "Related Resources" box to start.

© 2002-2007. Patricia A. Michaels. All rights reserved.