This article shares a selection of 14 handheld images of a red tailed hawk chasing an osprey, and discusses technology and technique. All of the photographs were captured at the ponds at Grindstone Creek in Hendrie Valley.
Category Archives: Birds in Flight
Single Point Technique
This article illustrates the use of single point auto-focus technique when photographing a small bird taking flight, from an obscured position. The physical position of the female cardinal in this particular series of of photographs was not ideal in terms of producing a good number of useable photographs. So… readers will need to use their imaginations for some of the featured images.
Hummingbird Quick Visit
This article features some photographs of a hummingbird quick visit which were captured using Bird AI Subject Tracking in combination with Pro Capture L. I used an E-M1X and M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom lens.
Thinking Like a Bird
Thinking like a bird isn’t being a bird brain… but rather attempting to put ourselves inside the thought process of an avian subject. Observing a bird in an openminded manner sometimes allows us to gain a deeper sense of what it is going to do. What is making it anxious. Or aggressive. Or feeling connected to a decision that it is pondering.
Purple Martins Using Bird AI
This article features a collection of new images of purple martins using Bird AI Subject Tracking and Pro Capture L. All photographs were captured handheld during a recent visit to Ruthven Park in Cayuga Ontario.
Benefit of Custom Modes
This article discusses the benefit of custom modes and illustrates this with 18 recently captured consecutive handheld images of a kingfisher in flight.
A few days ago I went to Hendrie Valley early in the morning to see if I could capture any images of birds-in-flight. This season has not been particularly productive so my level of optimism was modest.
Bird Photography Fundamentals
There are four bird photography fundamentals we can keep in mind that help add some interest, action, and drama to our images. Rather than camera gear based fundamentals, they relate to the kinds of behaviours that birds exhibit. To state these four bird photography fundamentals as politely as possible these include flying, feeding, fighting, and fornicating. I like to call these the “four F’s” of bird photography. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we should stop photographing perched birds.
Terns at Grimsby Harbour
This article features a number of new images of terns at Grimsby Harbour with most of the birds in-flight. This has been an unusual spring birding season with some locations like Hendrie Valley not being very productive.
Practical Limits
Working within practical limits is something that we all face on a regular basis, regardless of the camera gear that we may own. Rather than blindly accept what other people think the practical limits of specific piece of photographic equipment may be, it is important for each of us to do our own experimentation. This enables us to establish what we consider to be the practical limits of various components of our integrated camera systems based on our photographic style, image use, and our individual skill sets.
Comfort and Ergonomics
When using camera gear for extended periods of time, the importance of comfort and ergonomics can become a critical factor. This month marks the third anniversary of the purchase of my first E-M1X. I loved the camera so much that six months later a bought a second one. My love affair has only deepened over time.