Overview Playback in birding The proliferation of playback in birding apps, which play birdsong with just a tap of the touchscreen, has been wonderful for attracting new birders to the hobby. But the apps have also increased exponentially a controversial practice: the use of playback, or playing a recording of birdsong to lure a bird […]
Before you post a photo on Facebook—or even take the shot in the first place—consider the bird’s well-being. Say you’re exploring your local refuge and you spot a rare bird. After observing it for a while, you snap a series of extraordinary photos, and you know others would want the chance to do the same. What […]
Providing food—for bird photography or simple birding enjoyment—can be a thorny issue. For guidance, ask yourself these three questions before Feed Birds. Whether we identify as birders or photographers or both, we are always looking for ways to get closer to birds, or to bring them closer to us. Offering food—sating the hunger that is […]
In the desire to get the perfect shot, some photographers push the limits, too close for comfort or, jeopardizing the wildlife they adore. Can’t we all just get along? The defendant enters a plea of guilty to count one, violating the Endangered Species Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 1 year imprisonment, a fine […]
In this post I will take you through When Photographing Birds, closer Is Not Always Better The impulse to shoot your subject at close range can be powerful, but there are several reasons why that’s not best for the animal—or the image. Photographing Birds I didn’t see my first owl in the wild until I […]
A guide from Audubon.org for Ethical Bird Photography and Videography The first essential element in bird photography and videography is a sincere respect for the birds and their environment. In any conflict of interest, the well-being of the birds and their habitats must come before the ambitions of the photographer or videographer. Here are some […]
Here are some other hints birders can rely on to get to the bottom of the mystery for identify birds. Birds come in all sorts of eye-catching hues, which makes them easier to spot in busy backdrops. But color isn’t always the best place to start when trying to identify a species. Bluebirds aren’t always […]
Capturing in-flight images of speeding ducks is challenging and rewarding. Follow these tips to land those take sharp photos. My love for photographing ducks in flight can be traced back to my duck-hunting days. Nearly 20 years ago, though, I put down the shotgun and began pursuing ducks with a telephoto lens. Since then I have made […]
For stunning shots of alcids and other ocean-loving species, get in their element. If you’re looking to photograph puffins, murres, murrelets, guillemots, and auklets on the sea or on perches close to the water, approaching them by boat is the best—and often only—way. Here’s how to get your shot when Photographing Birds from Boats. Choose […]
Warblers aren’t the most cooperative subjects, but they are one of the most beautiful and addictive. Follow this advice to best capture the elusive birds. Photographically, migrant warblers are among the most difficult avian subjects. They are quite small and easily hide among leaves, often in dark shadows. They flit about in the tops of […]