Bird Portraiture

One of the things that I love about facilities like Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls is the variety and character of the birds. Some of them seem to have human-like qualities and I find their faces can be very expressive.

I had the opportunity on Wednesday to visit Bird Kingdom with two of our readers, Don and Janice Berman, and spend a number of very enjoyable hours photographing various bird specimens. My focus with my most recent visit was to get as many tight-in images as I could – bird portraitures – for lack of a better description.

NOTE: Click on images to enlarge

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 220mm, efov 592mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-560
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 220mm, efov 592mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-560

Some birds, like the one above, just seem to look happy.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/30, ISO-900
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/30, ISO-900

Others can’t seem to help themselves and have a severe, angry expression.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 136mm, efov 365mm, f/5.6, 1/50, ISO-1600
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 136mm, efov 365mm, f/5.6, 1/50, ISO-1600

Even when changing angles, dinosaur-like seems to be an apt description.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 116mm, efov 313mm, f/5.6, 1/50, ISO-1600
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 116mm, efov 313mm, f/5.6, 1/50, ISO-1600

Sometimes birds pose in almost surreal, abstract positions.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/80, ISO-280
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/80, ISO-280

I look for interesting lighting to help accentuate subjects.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-500
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-500

And, whenever possible I try to find smooth, unobstructed backgrounds.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO1250
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-1250
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 183mm, efov 494mm, f/6.3, 1/60, ISO-3200
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 183mm, efov 494mm, f/6.3, 1/60, ISO-3200
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/30, ISO-220
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/30, ISO-220
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/200, ISO-2000
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/200, ISO-2000
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/80, ISO-450
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/80, ISO-450
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO-800
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO-800
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 192mm, efov 517mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-160
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 192mm, efov 517mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-160

Small details like water droplets on a bird’s back…

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 216mm, efov 581mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO-3200
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 216mm, efov 581mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO-3200

Or on their beak..

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/6.3, 1/60, ISO-900
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/6.3, 1/60, ISO-900

Can add some interest to an image.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/6.3, 1/60, ISO-560
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/6.3, 1/60, ISO-560

I also love to compose images with extremely tight crops resulting in partial faces.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/6.3, 1/60, ISO-250
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/6.3, 1/60, ISO-250

Birds can be very expressive with their facial plumage and capturing one of these moments can make for an interesting image.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 124mm, efov 333mm, f/5.6, 1/50, ISO-2800
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 124mm, efov 333mm, f/5.6, 1/50, ISO-2800

My shutter finger finds the combination of bright colours and a pensive pose to be irresistible.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-1400
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO-1400

Sweeping bands of colours attract my eye.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 @ 110mm, efov 297mm, f/5.6, 1/100, ISO-2200 (Note: extension tubes used)
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 @ 110mm, efov 297mm, f/5.6, 1/100, ISO-2200 (Note: extension tubes used)

As do splashes of bright colours.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO-3600
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO-3600

Some birds have a cherub-like quality.

Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/6, ISO-500
Nikon 1 V2 + Nikon 1 CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, efov 810mm, f/5.6, 1/6, ISO-500

And, no visit to Bird Kingdom would be complete unless I practiced my slow-shutter speed hand-holding technique.

Technical Note: All images were shot hand-held in available light. All images in this article were produced from RAW files using my standard work-flow of OpticsPro 10, CS6 and Nik Suite.

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Article and all images Copyright Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, duplication of any kind, or adaptation is allowed without written consent.

9 thoughts on “Bird Portraiture”

  1. This website does horrible things to my desire for a 1 V4 with the new J5 sensor and that CX 70-300! Lovely shots. How many did you take of the very last at 1/6 (!!) of a second to be able to get it a pin-sharp as it is?

    1. Hi Sean,

      My apologies for stoking your Nikon 1 desires! 🙂

      As far as the shot of the pheasant at 1/6 of a second, it was one of over 100 practice images that I took while at Bird Kingdom that day. I visit the facility quite regularly and if I have the time I like to fit in some practice doing slow-shutter-speed hand-holding. I typically start with images at 1/30 and work with progressively slowly shutter speeds until I can’t get a sharp image. As long as the pheasant cooperates and remains motionless I can usually get about 1 in 3 that are acceptably sharp at 1/6. I always like to challenge myself to do better and most of the images I took during that last practice session were at 1/5th of a second…as with past attempts I had ‘0’ success at 1/5 of a second shutter speed.

      Tom

  2. All stellar image, Thomas, as always!
    The color, composition, and focus are wonderful.
    Thanks for sharing these with us…

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