Nature Photography How To

Are you a novice bird photographer and unhappy with your results? If so, the video below is just what you need to up your game. You’ll see common mistakes made by beginners and intermediate shooters, with the techniques and strategies pros use to avoid them.

Based in Nova Scotia, Simon d’Entremont is an accomplished pro, specializing in nature, wildlife, and astrophotography. In this behind-the-scenes episode he walks you through five common errors that will prevent you from reaching your full potential.

As Simon d’Entremont says, the goal of this tutorial is to  “help you get the quality of shots that you look at enviously when examining the work of pros.” Covering everything from gear, camera settings and composition, he explains how to plan locations, find the birds you’re after, and capture much better photos.

After covering all the important details, d’Entremont explains how to put them all together to achieve the winning combination for making images that will really make you proud. The video kicks off the importance of thorough preparation.

d’Entremont says, “Before I go out on location, I know where I’m going, what I’m likely to find there, and the direction of the sun, wind conditions, tides and weather. I also know the timing of sunrise and sunset.” He explains why having this information in advance, thanks to several helpful apps, dramatically increases your odds of success.

You’ll also learn about the most appropriate gear, and there’s a link to the equipment d’Entremont prefers in the description beneath the video. He also discuss several important techniques, how to position yourself relative to the sun, the best methods of compositing your shots for maximum impact, and much more that will help you shoot like a pro.

You can find more great advice on d’Entremont’s YouTube channel for upping your game, so be sure to take a look and subscribe.

We also recommend you check out another of d’Entremont’s tutorials that we posted a few month’s ago, with a complete beginner’s guide to bird photography.