The Beginner's Guide to Photographing Birds

The Beginner's Guide to Photographing Birds

by Rosl Rössner
Released July 2022
Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
ISBN: 9781681989372

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Book description

Everything you need to know to get started in bird photography!

Whether you’re a dedicated and serious birder, a hobbyist bird watcher, or simply a lover of nature, getting great photos of birds is at the top of the list for bird lovers of all kinds. In this book, professional photographer Rosl Rössner teaches you all of her techniques, tips, and tricks for capturing fantastic bird photographs.

Starting with the gear you’ll need, Rössner discusses cameras, tripods, lenses, and more. She then moves on to finding the birds you want to photograph. While this includes locations out in the wild, she also covers zoos, parks, sanctuaries, and other easily accessible spots—which are especially great for beginning bird photographers. Rössner then thoroughly covers the camera and shooting techniques you need to know, including key lessons on exposure, composition, focus, and sharpness. Regardless of the quality of the light (front light, side light, etc.) or the season you’re shooting in (rain, snow, fog), Rössner’s got you covered.

In the final part of the book, Rössner takes you behind the scenes of 25 unique bird photographs, telling you how the image came about, plus any specific tips and tricks that were used to create the image. Featuring birds from around the world, The Beginner's Guide to Photographing Birds is a beautiful, helpful, and accessible guide for anyone getting started in bird photography. 

Table of Contents

1: What Makes a Great Bird Photograph?

2: The Necessary Gear

3: Finding Birds to Photograph

4: Shooting Techniques and Composition Tips

5: The Making of 25 Photographs

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Preface
  5. Contents
  6. 1. What Makes a Great Bird Photograph?
  7. 2. The Necessary Gear
    1. 2.1 The Camera
      1. Shooting Modes
      2. File Formats
      3. Continuous Shooting
      4. Autofocusing Points
      5. Focus Tracking
    2. 2.2 The Lens
      1. Wide-Angle Lenses
      2. Standard Lenses
      3. Telephoto Lenses
    3. 2.3 Converter
    4. 2.4 The Tripod
    5. 2.5 The Tripod Head
    6. 2.6 Other Equipment
      1. Bean bag
      2. Memory cards
      3. The Right Clothing
  8. 3. Finding Birds to Photograph
    1. 3.1 Wildlife
    2. 3.2 Photographing in Zoos
    3. 3.3 Visiting a Bird Park
    4. 3.4 A Day at the Falconry
    5. 3.5 At the Feeding Station
    6. 3.6 Workshops and Trips
  9. 4. Shooting Techniques and Composition Tips
    1. 4.1 Image Composition, Framing, and Leading the Eye
      1. Put Yourself at Eye Level
      2. Pay Attention to the Background
      3. Shaping the Foreground
      4. Blending the Foreground and Background
      5. Avoid Distracting Elements
      6. Motifs for Horizontal Images
      7. Motifs for Vertical Images
      8. Motifs for Square Images
      9. Panoramic Photos
      10. Go Off-Center!
      11. Negative Space
      12. Getting the Crop Right
      13. Rule of the Gaze
      14. Left and Right
      15. Catchlight
      16. Getting the Proportions Right
      17. Creating Variety
      18. Beautiful Bokeh
      19. Framing
      20. Pay Attention to the Lines
      21. Diagonal Lines
      22. Horizontal Lines
      23. Vertical Lines
      24. Curved Lines
      25. Symmetry and Asymmetry
      26. Reflections
      27. Two Birds in One Picture
      28. Three Birds
      29. Groups of Birds
      30. A Whole Flock
    2. 4.2 Sharp and Blurry Images
      1. Sharp Images
      2. Exposure Time
      3. The Aperture
      4. Intentional Blurring
    3. 4.3 Light and Exposure
      1. Correct Exposure
      2. Brighter Than Average Images
      3. Darker Than Average Images
      4. Tricky Motifs
      5. Front Light
      6. Cloudy Skies
      7. Side Light
      8. Backlight
      9. Capturing Silhouettes
      10. Morning Light
      11. White Balance
      12. Not Enough Light
      13. Rainy Day Pictures
      14. Foggy Day
      15. Photographing in the Snow
      16. Starburst Effect
    4. 4.4 Colors in Images
      1. Photographing in Black and White
      2. Capturing Colors
      3. Tone on Tone
      4. Background Colors
    5. 4.5 Achieving Success with Bird-in-Flight Photography
      1. Perfect Focus
      2. The Sky in Bird-in-Flight Shots
      3. Birds During Landing
    6. 4.6 Birds in Their Habitat
      1. Approaching the Subject
      2. Portraits
      3. Detail Shots
      4. Birds on the Beach
      5. Bathing Birds
      6. Preening
      7. Well Camouflaged
      8. The Bird is Sleeping
      9. Photographing Singing Birds
      10. At the Cave
      11. During Courtship
      12. Mating
      13. Nesting and Raising Chicks
      14. Squabbles
      15. Birds at the Feeding Station
      16. Predators and Prey
      17. Big Birds Feeding on Carrion
    7. 4.7 The Changing of the Seasons
      1. Spring Mood
      2. Summer Pictures
      3. Fall Impressions
      4. Winter Feeling
    8. 4.8 Evoking Emotions
  10. 5. The Making of 25 Successful Photographs
    1. 5.1 A Delicate Beauty
    2. 5.2 Floral Splendor
    3. 5.3 Snow Flurries?
    4. 5.4 Picking a Leaf
    5. 5.5 Shadow Bird
    6. 5.6 In Lofty Heights
    7. 5.7 Green, Green, Green
    8. 5.8 Food Transfer
    9. 5.9 Tongue Acrobatics
    10. 5.10 Like a Chinese Painting
    11. 5.11 Interesting Prey
    12. 5.12 Black-Tailed Godwit in the Moonlight
    13. 5.13 Portrait of a Thick-Billed Lark
    14. 5.14 Winter Scene
    15. 5.15 Burrowing Owl with Delicate Flowers
    16. 5.16 The Exotic Fisher
    17. 5.17 A Big Catch
    18. 5.18 Rainy Day View
    19. 5.19 The “V”
    20. 5.20 Eye Contact
    21. 5.21 Black Background
    22. 5.22 The Punk
    23. 5.23 Mirror Image
    24. 5.24 Seek and You Shall Find
    25. 5.25 Splendid Colors
  11. Thank You

Product information

  • Title: The Beginner's Guide to Photographing Birds
  • Author(s): Rosl Rössner
  • Release date: July 2022
  • Publisher(s): Rocky Nook
  • ISBN: 9781681989372