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The Handbook of Bird Photography

The Handbook of Bird Photography

by Bence Mate, Jari Peltomaki, Markus Varesvuo
Publisher: Rocky Nook
Release Date: April 2013
ISBN: 9781457179570
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Book Description

The Handbook of Bird Photography distills the knowledge, talent, and experience of three well-known professional wildlife photographers into one beautifully illustrated volume. Written in a manner that is easy to understand, this book offers fresh insight and practical tips that will broaden horizons for nature and bird photographers. The authors share their stories showcasing photographs for which they have received awards in major international wildlife photo competitions.

In this book, you'll learn about all of the elements that lead to a great bird photograph, including:

  • The bird photographer's equipment
  • Shooting techniques: exposure, focus, how to show movement and freeze action, etc.
  • In the field: bird behavior, hides, and how to attract birds
  • How to use light and compose and crop images
  • The best sites for finding and photographing birds


You'll also learn how to show, share, promote, and sell your photographs.

Bird photography is a brilliant way to spend your free time, and for some it's a career. This book helps beginners get the hang of things quickly and accurately, and offers field-specific expertise for more experienced photographers.

Table of Contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Table of Contents
  5. INTRODUCTION
  6. LEARN ABOUT YOUR SUBJECT
    1. What, Where, and When?
    2. Bird Behavior
    3. Bird Songs and Calls
  7. YEARS VARY AND CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE
    1. Spring Floods and the First Open Waters
    2. Vagrant Birds
    3. Berry-Eating Birds
    4. Owl Years
  8. LOOK FOR NEW ANGLES
    1. Set Your Sights High
  9. PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFF
    1. European Bee-eater
    2. Bearded Reedling
    3. Seabirds against the Moon
  10. BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER’S CAMERA
    1. Three-Camera Tactic
    2. Key Camera Features
    3. Full-Frame Sensor versus Cropped Field of View
    4. Continuous High-Speed Shooting Mode
    5. Focusing
    6. Quantity and Quality of Focusing Points
    7. Low-Light Modes
    8. Video Features
  11. BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER’S LENSES
    1. Telephoto Lenses
    2. Wide Lenses
    3. Telephoto Extenders
  12. SOURCES OF LIGHT
    1. Mirrors
    2. Lamps
    3. Flash Photography
      1. Flash Sync
      2. Speed of Flash Bursts
    4. High-Speed Flash Sync
      1. Front or Rear Curtain Sync
    5. Augmenting Flash Intensity
  13. REMOTE CONTROL
  14. BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER’S TRIPODS
    1. Tripods
    2. Video Head, Ball Head, or Gimbal?
    3. Ground Pod
    4. Beanbag
  15. BASIC ACCESSORIES
    1. Backpacks and Vests
  16. FOCUSING METHODS AND HOW TO USE THEM
  17. EXPOSURE IN BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY
    1. Metering Light
    2. Exposure Modes
    3. Exposure Compensation
    4. Bracketing
  18. FREEZING MOVEMENT
  19. MOTION BLUR
    1. Motion in the Wings
    2. Motion in the Bird and the Background
    3. Motion in the Background
    4. Everything Out of Focus
    5. Zoom Effect
  20. SEASONAL VARIATION
    1. Winter: December to February
    2. Spring: March to May
    3. Summer: June to August
    4. Autumn: September to November
  21. ARRANGED SETUPS OR SPONTANEOUS SHOTS?
    1. Feeding
    2. Building Nests
    3. To Succeed without a Script You Need Luck
  22. KEEP YOUR EQUIPMENT READY
  23. OPEN YOUR SENSES AND USE YOUR IMAGINATION
  24. GET TO KNOW YOUR AREA
    1. Potential Sites for Photography
    2. Weather Matters When Choosing Your Location
  25. CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE
    1. Freezing Cold (Markus)
    2. Dust (Markus)
    3. Humidity (Bence)
  26. USE WEATHER TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
    1. Rain and Snowfall
    2. Fog and Mist
    3. Frost
  27. LIGHT
    1. Front Light
    2. Backlight
    3. Diffused Light
    4. Bird Photography at Night
    5. Lightning
    6. Aurora Borealis
    7. Moonlight
    8. Reflected Light Is the Best Light
  28. ISO SETTINGS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS
  29. COMPOSITION AND CROPPING
    1. In the Field and at the Computer
  30. BACKGROUND AND FOREGROUND
    1. Telephoto Lenses Blend Background Elements into a Uniform Backdrop
    2. Foreground
  31. ANGLE MATTERS
  32. WATER AS AN ELEMENT IN A BIRD PHOTO
    1. Reflections
  33. ATTRACTING BIRDS
    1. Perching Branches
    2. Islands
    3. Nests
    4. Nest Material
    5. Decoys
    6. Playback of Bird Calls
    7. Drinking and Bathing Ponds
    8. Feeding
  34. HOW TO BUILD AND USE A BLIND
    1. Invisibility
    2. Good Visibility
    3. Ideal Angle
    4. Working Conditions
    5. A Low-Budget Tent or a Permanent Blind?
    6. Blending in with the Surroundings
  35. PHOTOGRAPHING FROM A CAR OR A BOAT
    1. Car (Jari)
    2. Boat (Markus)
  36. PHOTOGRAPHING AT MIGRATION FLYWAYS
    1. Photographing Resting Birds on Migration
    2. Photographing Flying Birds on Migration
  37. PHOTOGRAPHING AT NESTS
    1. Disturbance
    2. Conditioning
  38. HANKO PENINSULA, FINLAND
  39. KUUSAMO, FINLAND
  40. UTÖ ISLAND ON THE BALTIC SEA
  41. OULU AND VAALA, FINLAND
  42. KANGASALA OSPREY FOUNDATION, FINLAND
    1. Times and Instructions for Photographing at the Center
  43. ICELAND
  44. EILAT, ISRAEL
  45. VARANGER PENINSULA, NORWAY
  46. HOKKAIDŌ, JAPAN
    1. Red-crowned Crane
    2. Steller’s Sea-Eagle
    3. Blakiston’s Fish-Owl
    4. Lake Kussharo
  47. LAKE KERKINI, GREECE
  48. BOSQUE DEL APACHE, NEW MEXICO
  49. HUNGARY
    1. Hortobágy
    2. Kiskunság
  50. COSTA RICA
  51. BRAZIL
  52. PROMOTING AND SELLING YOUR IMAGES
  53. NATURE PHOTO COMPETITIONS
  54. SPICE UP YOUR SLIDE SHOW
    1. How to Make a Slide Show
  55. BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY NOW AND IN THE NEAR FUTURE
    1. The Future of Bird Photography
    2. Show Your Images and Ask for Feedback
    3. Value Your Work and Enjoy It
  56. Index