Whatbird.com

I was told that I need to fill at least one-fourth of the frame or it is not worth pressing the shutter button.

 

I have been to lots of areas where there are birds, but never do they let me get closer than they are comfortable with, and certainly not close enough to fill at least one-fourth of the frame with subject.

 

I have a 100-400 zoom and have tried a 1.4 tele-extender on that this weekend. My shots with all of that on tripod and remote release yield good shots but never more than 1/8th of the frame if that.

 

Should I give up on bird photography? I do not want to spend $6,000.00 on a lens.

 

My sentiments:

 

LOL!  I've got to have that lens!  Where can I get one?

My experiences have been mixed.  I've got a 70-300 on my Nikon D300, and sometimes I can get a full-frame shot, sometimes 1/4, and sometimes what seems like just a speck in the frame.  It depends on the species of bird, what the bird is doing at the time, and what kind of environment you're in.  Birds will typically let you get closer if there's something between them and you (natural cover).  Even if the cover isn't complete, they'll often be more comfortable if there's something in the way.  Another trick is to bird by car wherever you can.  For some reason, wildlife feels a lot less threatened by four wheels, as opposed to two legs.

Another thing I've seen, if they've already spotted me, I've had more luck should try to approach them slowly, but standing upright, rather than trying to hide and creep closer.  Predators like to be stealthy and creep closer.  If you stand upright and just move slowly, you look less like a threat.  I recently used both of these to get really, really close to a Little Blue Heron, a bird that's normally not very tolerant.  He squawked at me a couple of times, but he never flew off, and I got close enough to take a full frame head-only shot.

One more thing to look for is the bird's behavior.  If the bird is feeding or courting, it'll often be more tolerant of strangers.  Just stop moving when it picks its head up and starts paying attention to you.  Wait for it to get used to you and go back to what it was doing, and then you can inch a bit closer.  Just make sure you take some shots early, in case you get a bit too close (you'll at least have something that way).

Each species tends to have its own personality too.  You can study the birds in your area and get a feel for how close they'll let you approach.

So, I guess my answer is no, don't give up just yet   There are lots of ways you can get closer.  Probably the most important thing you can do is learn as much as you can about your quarry.  If you know their normal routine, you can anticipate where to go to get the best shot.  If you know how they'll react, you can plan your next move more effectively.

Great post Lyceel,

I appreciate the guidance very much. I went out and shot today, got 90% shots with nothing but scenery as the bird flew outside the frame, but learned a lot really. I'm going to get it nailed, but need the practice. I definitely do not need a longer lens because I need to learn how to follow birds in flight with what I have currently. That is the truth.

Thanks,

 

Ken

 

 

Ken Nielsen:

I was told that I need to fill at least one-fourth of the frame or it is not worth pressing the shutter button.

 

 

I don't know where you heard that advice, Ken, but it sure doesn't apply to my birding pictures. Sure, it's great when you can fill the whole frame with nothing but bird, but that doesn't happen too often in my experience. If you are shooting for National Geographic, then yes, I'd say filling the frame is a necessity. If you are like me and just wanting to keep getting better and better photos, then I'd suggest that you forget about the 1/4 of a frame theory and concentrate more on using good technique to make the best of the photo regardless of how much bird is in the frame. A well taken picture from a distance can provide as good, or better results after cropping than an average or poor picture from up close without cropping. I think we all hope to get that, "no crop, no edit", type of bird pictures, but not being able to capture that National Geographic shot is no reason to stop trying for it. Hang in there and keep shooting, Ken. Practice, patience, and a bit of luck, will eventually get you the type of pictures that you're after.

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My unorganized pictures can be viewed at

http://picasaweb.google.com/lonestranger102

Well said!  Sure, no crop, no edit shots are great when you can get them, but image editing tools exist for a reason.

Here's an example of why I don't follow the 1/4th of the frame theory. I took this picture this afternoon at my brother's house. As you can tell, the bird comes no where near filling 1/4th of the frame. The 100% crop does fit within the 1/4th frame theory though, which definitely made it worth pushing the shutter button.

 

 

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My unorganized pictures can be viewed at

http://picasaweb.google.com/lonestranger102

100% crop approx.

 

 

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My unorganized pictures can be viewed at

http://picasaweb.google.com/lonestranger102

Absolutely!  I'd be happy with that shot.

A lot of time, I feel like I do edits to make up for my lack of gear.  I'm by no means hurting in the equipment area, but a 70-300mm lens can only do so much.  If you can help it out a bit with a couple of minor edits, then why not?  A crop is a cheap zoom, and a sharpen can sometimes let a $400 zoom lens pretend it's a $5000 prime (sometimes  ).

I'm still laughing at the cartoon. Where on earth did you get that drawing, it's too funny! Can you imagine if that camera and lens setup was mounted on a monopod, oops, that'd be a messy quarter frame shot.

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"Watch the birdie."
Latest: Sage Thrasher, Ferruginous Hawk (Dark Morph).

Not to mention that that's got to be waaay closer than the minimum focus distance (unless it's also a macro lens, of course )

Hey Ken,

  I agree with some of the others here...  Learn to use that photo editing program...  But something that helps alot is a blind...  could be your car, could be your house...  could be one of those tiny camo tent things that hunters use, light to carry, quick to put up and just big enough for you to sit inside on a folding chair with your camera.  Lacking a blind, try to pick a spot that gives you a good vantage point, go there and just sit down.  Get your equipment set up so you have to make the least amount of motion you can and just WAIT...  You're gonna have to have some patience.  They'll have to decide you're not likely to eat them if they return to get another drink or another seed or berry or bug, but if you are in an area where they come for some reason, especially food or water, and you sit still and don't spook them, they'll come back and you'll get some good shots.  I have gotten several pictures of which I am perhaps inordinately proud just sitting in my chair on the patio.

  Here's a link to some of my bird pictures, including some nice nesting video:       http://frankfortnews.smugmug.com/Birds

                                            Enjoy your picture taking, AND the results,

                                                        Constance

I agree with the croppers.  Crop and resize/resample.  It's only if you plan to print the photo for framing does it become a possible issue.

My favorite of the small birds are sparrows (I know, everyone moans) because the cheeky things walk right up to you with a mouth full of food or nesting material and even look right at the camera.  Less cropping needed for those guys because it's easier to get closer.

I figure only those making money with those photos need to worry about filling the frame. All that nice software would go to waste if we could only take the perfect shots. I have an old Canon PowerShot S2IS and manage to get some credible shots at our feeders and such. Some even do fill that magic amount of frame

Ok so this one does not quite fill that much but it is not cropped at all 

 

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Polgaratex

I don't worry too much about everyone else's opinoins - I only worry about my own.  Take the pictures you like and don't worry about the critics!  I didn't read the entire thread so I hope I didn't step on anyones toes!  I love the cartoon - I think I saw that person in the field a few times!

I love the cartoon, thats funny.

$6000 lens thats even funnier.

Try 10Gs for a 600mm prime.

Gee I love that cartoon.

CMF