Wildlife Photography How To

Do you want to take better photos of birds? Well, look no further than the below tutorial from professional bird photographer Emilie Talpin who shares five tips to improve your bird photos including where to focus, what gear to use, and more.

The helpful video, which you can watch at the bottom of this post, is from B&H Photo’s YouTube channel.

#1 Find Your Bird

“What I mean by ‘find your bird’ is you need to do your research before you venture out,” Talpin explains. “So, for example, are you looking for a bird that’s a local bird that stays all year round or are you looking for a migratory bird? Also, if you are traveling in another state or another country, you need to know what bird you will find and if that bird will be there when you are going.”

#2 Make Eye Contact

“You need to make eye contact with your subject because the eyes are critical. Drop your tripod and by ‘drop your tripod’ I mean drop it to the ground. It needs to be lower. If you’re taking photos of baby plovers and baby terns, that’s where you want to be. Also, you want to make sure you are focusing on the eye of your subject.”

#3 Be Ready

“You need to know your camera like the back of your hand. For example, if I’m taking photos of Least Terns, then my shutter speed needs to be very high because they’re flying so fast.”

#4 Early Bird Catches the Worm

“You know what wakes me up in the morning? It’s not my alarm clock, it’s the birds outside of my bedroom window. You want to get up early and one big advantage of getting up early is the golden light.”

#5 What Is Your Story?

“A good photo is a photo that tells a story. It’s a photo that makes us feel something as viewers. Your goal as a photographer is more than just taking a photo of a bird as a portrait. I want to know what’s story behind your shot.”