This is the first in a series of articles with tips on how to photograph wildlife in your backyard.
WHERE THE BIRDS ARE . . .
Tried and True Tips to Outfox the Shy Creatures at Your Backyard Feeder
For Outstanding Pictures!
That's it! I've had it!
Highly frustrated, I jammed my equipment back in the bag and went inside the house for a well-deserved break. As I finally began to relax with a steaming cup of coffee, I suddenly realized that my defiant howl had not only reached the recently vacated branches, but probably every house in the neighborhood. I never had seen such reluctant photographic subjects. You'd think that I was trying to shoot them with a high-powered gun, rather than a harmless little camera. It seemed a mockery to my professional skills as a photographer to be rewarded over and again with pictures of disembodied birds, receding squirrel tails, and dozens of out-of-focus shots. I vowed to simply fill the feeders with seed for the winged brats and stop trying to get those spectacular pictures other photographers seem to net with ease.
That particular episode occurred just over a year ago. Now I have an arsenal of tactics at my disposal, which, though not foolproof, are useful allies in defeating my backyard nemesis: the bird feeder.
Through trial and error (I'm ashamed to say “mostly error”) I have worked out a system for photographing the little critters who pay a call to our humble feeders (I can=t even call them freeloaders since I'm the one who provides the food). Here in the North Georgia mountains, we have a wonderful mixture of opportunistic species who act as though they would literally starve if I neglect to fill the feeders twice a week, or more often if the squirrels conveniently forget which feeder is their own. Overlooking this wildlife wonderland is a large, elevated deck cantilevered over a wooded ravine, which, in turn, bottoms out into a wet weather creek a perfect environment for our woodland friends. With four feeders two for the birds with squirrel baffles, a separate feeding station for the squirrels (I learned early on either fight 'em or join 'em), and a hummingbird feeder the stage it set for wildlife viewing and, with a little luck and practice, photography. I've tried many different methods to capture these illusive creatures, and those brainstorms eventually resulted in the following changes: equipment, position of the camera, and wildlife conditioning.
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Friday, June 20, 2008
ARTICLES: Macro Photography Introduction
This is the first in a series of articles of tips on macro photography. Keep checking back for the continuation of this series.
FLOWERS ARE PEOPLE TOO!
How to make your macros come alive with vibrancy and originality.
Have you ever looked at a photograph of a flower and thought Awhat was the point? Or wonder why it seems so difficult to capture the true essence of a rose? When photographers work with still subjects, there can be a tendency to think of them just as inanimate objects, rather than working the entire scene as a whole. However, give this same photographer a human subject, and they'll give it their all to make that person absolutely glow in their portraits. Without some type of advance preparation, it's remarkably easy to end up with a bland macro subject, and as a result produce images without much feeling and artistry. The same techniques employed in studio photography with people can be applied to nonhuman subjects. With just a little imagination and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can produce studio quality portraits with macro objects which you'll be proud to display.
Macro photography is truly an art form, and it takes a lot of practice to get it right. A word of warning, however: Once you embark into the amazing world of macro, unlike Dorothy, you'll never want to go home again. Depending upon the type of equipment you use, the pictures that you can obtain with macro lenses are incredible. You'll see a world that you never knew existed. It can be very addicting peering into this miniature universe, and even more challenging to capture it on film or digital media. However, with the right techniques, equipment and a lot of patience, you’ll be richly rewarded with a new outlet for your photographic creative endeavors.
FLOWERS ARE PEOPLE TOO!
How to make your macros come alive with vibrancy and originality.
Have you ever looked at a photograph of a flower and thought Awhat was the point? Or wonder why it seems so difficult to capture the true essence of a rose? When photographers work with still subjects, there can be a tendency to think of them just as inanimate objects, rather than working the entire scene as a whole. However, give this same photographer a human subject, and they'll give it their all to make that person absolutely glow in their portraits. Without some type of advance preparation, it's remarkably easy to end up with a bland macro subject, and as a result produce images without much feeling and artistry. The same techniques employed in studio photography with people can be applied to nonhuman subjects. With just a little imagination and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can produce studio quality portraits with macro objects which you'll be proud to display.
Macro photography is truly an art form, and it takes a lot of practice to get it right. A word of warning, however: Once you embark into the amazing world of macro, unlike Dorothy, you'll never want to go home again. Depending upon the type of equipment you use, the pictures that you can obtain with macro lenses are incredible. You'll see a world that you never knew existed. It can be very addicting peering into this miniature universe, and even more challenging to capture it on film or digital media. However, with the right techniques, equipment and a lot of patience, you’ll be richly rewarded with a new outlet for your photographic creative endeavors.
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