This article discusses how, when birds demonstrate flock behaviour, it can be leveraged to create an abundance of bird-in-flight photographs. I was recently at LaSalle Park in Burlington and had the opportunity to capture a good assortment of images of ducks in flight. A small group of ducks demonstrated flock behaviour in a fairly predictable manner which created the opportunity.
Category Archives: Photography Techniques
Why I Prefer Zoom Lenses
This article discusses a number of reasons why I prefer using zoom lenses rather than shooting with prime lenses. I appreciate that the choices we make with our camera gear are intensely personal, so this article is not intended to convince anyone else to adjust their approach. The camera gear that works for one photographer may not be a fit for the needs of another.
Purposeful Underexposure
As photographers we sometimes execute a purposeful underexposure in order to create a special mood or artistic interpretation in our images. This article discusses this approach and provide a few sample images. Continue reading Purposeful Underexposure
Using Teleconverters for BIF
This article discusses using teleconverters for BIF and some of the practical considerations that come into play with this type of photography. Many people love to photograph birds and really enjoy capturing images of birds-in-flight (BIF). Using long telephoto lenses can be a challenge. This is compounded when teleconverters are added to the mix.
All of the photographs featured in this article were captured handheld in about 2 hours and 15 minutes during a visit to the lift bridge in Burlington Ontario on Tuesday of this week.
Measuring Background Blur
Measuring background blur can be an important tool when using M4/3 and other smaller sensor cameras, especially for photographers who previously used full frame gear. As humans we often fall into patterns of behaviour, some of which can be counterproductive if we have not adapted to a new situation.
BIF Practice at 1600 mm
This article discusses an approach I use for BIF (birds-in-flight) practice at 1600 mm equivalent field-of-view. While I don’t usually photograph birds-in-flight using this long focal length, I do find it beneficial to periodically practice my handheld technique and eye/hand coordination at this very long focal length.
Small Sensor Dynamic Range
This article discusses small sensor dynamic range and provides some approaches that can be used to help utilize as much dynamic range as possible. Some of the approaches covered in this article can be applied to other camera formats, while others are specific to Olympus cameras.
Photographing Approaching Birds
When photographing approaching birds a variety of methods can be used depending on the objectives of the photographer. Some species may be uncommon and sometimes getting any kind of image is a thrill. I always enjoy photographing approaching birds when they are coming in to land as these represent great opportunities to create bird photographs that feature interesting wing and body positions.
Handheld HDR Test
This article features some handheld HDR (high dynamic range) test images that were captured at Westfield Heritage Village. My main objective doing these test photographs was to determine if a combination of 5 HDR exposures could be successfully taken without the use of a tripod, relying only on the IBIS performance of my Olympus camera gear. I apologize in advance for the quality of the HDR versions in this article.
Stopping For Nature
This article discusses a ‘stopping for nature’ exercise and shares a selection of photographs captured during a recent walk at LaSalle Park in Burlington Ontario. All of the images in this article were created handheld using the E-M1X’s Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking technology.