Our bird photography walkabouts, and tours that include an opportunity to admire the beauty of birds in their natural environment and spend a little more time taking photos and/or practicing techniques to capture unique images.
Photography is well paired with birding because each activity in its own right calls for plenty of time and patience. On all of our trips we encourage you to take things at a pace that complements your particular interests and the ambience of our surroundings.
You don’t have to be an expert birder or expert photographer; we share our knowledge with you and take you to locations for the best possible photographic opportunities. If needed, we also use a variety of resources like field guides to assist with bird identification.
Here are some hints to get you started…
- We recommend a telephoto lens with a minimum of 200mm focal length; 300-400mm would be even better. The focal length needed will depend on how close you are to the bird.
- If hand holding your camera, keep the shutter speed high – at least 1/500sec – you can increase your ISO to achieve this.
- If the bird is slow moving or still, you may like to use a tripod or monopod to help steady your camera.
- Depending on your lens, open up the aperture to f/4 or f/2.8 to help blur the background and increase the shutter speed
- To help capture movement, set your camera to continuous shooting mode.
- Observe your surroundings and the location that the bird will likely land – it is much easier to achieve a better shot if the bird is still.
- Ensure there is good light – you’ll achieve better shots with a faster shutter speed if the bird is in full sunlight
- Focus on the eyes – important for all wildlife photography.
New Holland Honey Eater
Forty Spotted Pardalote
Capturing a moment in time is always a fantastic result – in flight, catching food, feeding chicks – you can never always plan for these shots in the wild so there will always be an element of luck while photographing birds.
Let us know about your interest in photographing birds when booking a Photo-oriented Day Tour to any of Tasmania’s amazing destinations.
Or book a private tuition session on a date to suit you.
