Techniques for Capturing Birds in Flight

Hval

Ton,
Wow! I am really impressed. Your photos put my swallow photos to shame

Hval

This is a large crop, so not a great photo.



Same for this one





Wrong gull gained the focus in this shot.



Not quite right...







One of my attempts at a swallow.


My problem is work. My work intrudes rather a lot so I do not get much time for photography. If I am lucky I get an opportunity once or twice a month to take photographs and to process photographs. It is a shame as it makes it extremely difficult for me to improve.

HipShot

Y'all's work is inspiring! Makes me want to try more BIF photos. I was in downtown Fort Worth early Saturday morning, and managed to snap this shot. It's a mockingbird. I need improvement, for sure, but I sure like the early morning light on this one..

Elvishefer

@Hval - Be patient... everything you learn is cumulative and you'll get it, whether it be next week or next year and the results will be awesome. The key is to keep going out and shooting when you can, no matter how spread apart those opportunities are. And post your results here, of course.

[Deleted User]

@HipShot Yes I like the light too.
@Hval I have lots of time, that is an advantage, so I can go back when I want to. Further a little luck may help too sometimes

Photobug

Bald Eagle seconds after being released back to nature.


BIF is always a challenge

Photobug

Two more...this one BIF


BAR (bird at rest) LoL


D300 for both

Vipmediastar_JZ

Im 0/2 on my attemps. First time there were no birds second time I failed to get the birds in flight. Props to everybody who has succesufly captured them. I was using my monopod. Next time ill use the tripod instead.

I did have a great view of night crown heron sitting on a rock where the stream meets the lake but as soon as I headed in his direction he flew away.



Everytime I went fishing I made friends with the fellow fisherman. This time I made friends with the fellow bird watcher. He looked up the bird and came to talk to me about it by telling me its features and name of the bird.

Msmoto

Even tethered birds are interesting….

Coastalconn

@VIP, Personally I think you are making it harder on yourself using a pod of any kind. I own pods but they stay at home. Especially if you are shooting the 70-200. You shouldn't have to stop down to F8 either. It should be fine at 200 F4 I would think...

@Tommie, looks like you are having fun

Vipmediastar_JZ

@Coastalconn thanks for the tip. I don't know why I decided to pick the monopod vs the tripod must have beent heat altering with my brain. I did have the tripod the first time. Ill try again at @f4 200mm and maybe the 3rd time I'll get something good.

Coastalconn

@VIP, just to clarify, hand held is the way to go! At F4 you should easily hit 1/1250th+ while keeping your ISO down..

snakebunk

I almost always use my monopod, even if it sometimes leaves the ground. Here is one photograph I like:

Hval

For Dicky Bird photography, depending upon where I am, I may use a tripod, monopod or handheld (black rapid strap). Lenses include a 70-300mm, the 80-400mm the 300mm f2.8 or the 300mm f2.8 with TC20e III.

Wish I could afford a 500mm or 600mm. I find I generally have to crop massively with any other lens, and yes I know the 300mm with TC20e III IS 600mm.

Coastalconn

Of course to each their own. I am always on the move, so I pod of any kind would hinder me. The Sigma 120-300 OS non sport weighs 6.5 pounds but I find it pretty easy to shoot handheld..

Someone mentioned swallows earlier...

PB_PM

@Coastalconn You must be buff and have extremely steady hands! I can hand hold the non-OS 120-300mm F2.8 for a short time, but it's not easy. Not that the weight of the lens is too great, but I cannot hold it steady for long. If I need to move quickly, a monopod is up to the task. I still shoot from a tripod 90% of the time, to get the best sharpness.

Coastalconn

@PB_PM, I shot all last summer with a Tokina 300 F2.8, so I guess that got me warmed up. If you look through my photostream, I don't think too many lack sharpness.. The OS system is also working pretty well, now that Sigma put a new one in it.. Also the pixel density of the D7100 really almost requires 2x focal length, it is very demanding on resolution.. When my D7100 was being replaced and I shot with the D600, I got sloppy quick with technique because it was so forgiving...

manhattanboy

Also the pixel density of the D7100 really almost requires 2x focal length, it is very demanding on resolution.. When my D7100 was being replaced and I shot with the D600, I got sloppy quick with technique because it was so forgiving...

So true! The 7100 is a demanding camera when it comes to lenses. I was looking at the pics the other day from the 7000 versus 7100 and saw that the same lens on the 7100 was soft.

PB_PM

I've used a lot of DSLRs, 6MP D50/D40, 10MP D80/D200, 12MP D300/D700, to the 36MP D800. The different in resolution between that lowly D50 and the D800 is a far larger leap than that between the D7000 and D7100, and I honestly cannot say I've seen a lens drop off so much in performance between cameras that it was noticeable in real life images. Each time a higher resolution body comes out a hear the same thing from people, but have not noticed it in my own use. In more cases than not the larger resolution just shows that you might have some technique issues, rather than there being anything wrong with the lens. There is also the possibility that the lenses are not aligned to the given camera, which might give the appearance of softness, when there is no major optical issue at all.

When I put any given lens on my D300, D700 or D800 I see the same optical flaws with each one of the cameras. While the D800 exposes the flaws a little more, the difference isn't so great that I would toss any of the lenses I own.

Msmoto

Re: Handholding the long lenses…. I find for my extremely limited BIF shooting, hand holding is the only way.. D4 + 400mm f/2.8….does have some weight, but I am only 71 years old, work out some in the gym, and have developed a technique for brief shooting the images and then holding the camera/lens from the tripod foot. This weighs about 5.8 kg (12.8 lbs) so this is not such a huge load. My experience has suggested anything hanging down, i.e., a monopod simply makes it more difficult to maneuver the camera so as to follow those strange things with wings which move faster than I can... 8-|

PB_PM

Gimbal heads are amazing, much easier and steadier, than hand holding.

Do keep in mind, I don't have a supertelephoto with VR or OS, so my experience could be very different than that of others who do have such lenses at their disposal.

Parke1953

@Msmato, You have the Induro gimble (do you have the GHB1 or GHB2). Do you find it hard to use and not as easy to track the birds with it. I am saving to get the Induro gimble and was just wondering if it was a problem and why.

Hval

I use a Manfrotto fluid video monopod with head. I just lost my last one, which was absolutely fantastic. The replacement one doesn't feel as good though. The replacement one takes 5kg. The original one took 4kg. I have used both with a Nikon D800, 300mm f2.8 and teleconverter plus a flash with no problems at all.

I am also able to use the monopod as a flash stand.

snakebunk

I've been doing a lot of bif images lately and I've changed my mind. I think it's better to handhold the camera than to use a monopod. It makes it much easier to follow the bird and you can rest your arm in between. I am not sure about how many focus points to use but I think it is best to use all of them (still experimenting there).

Here are two examples from yesterday on the west coast of Sweden:

Coastalconn

@snakebunk welcome to the world of hand-holding Nice barn swallow! Now that I have the Tamron it is even easier at 4 pounds..