How to capture birds in flight
1 Oh behave!
Learn as much as you can about your bird’s behaviour before heading out into the field. Find out when and where it’s active, how fast it flies and how it behaves on the wing. All species are different, and learning their behaviour is key to anticipating their next move and successfully photographing them.
2 Know your location
Get to know the location you plan to shoot at. Research where the sun will rise and set, and at what times. Pinpoint where the best viewpoints are too, so you can make the best use of the light. Backlit birds make for spectacular images, for example, but the sun must be positioned behind them, which requires planning.
3 Shutter speed
Use a fast shutter speed to freeze birds in flight (see main image). The speed will depend on how fast the bird is flying relative to the shooting position – 1/2000 sec is a good starting point. You can also experiment with slower shutter speeds if you want to introduce motion into your images for a more abstract result.
4 Focus settings
I always use AF-C with back-button focusing. I then select the Af-area mode that works best with the subject and the conditions in which I’m shooting. The Z 9’s animal AF subject detection works incredibly well with certain birds, like short-eared owls, but it isn’t as effective with other species.
5 Pre-focusing
If you’re having trouble locking onto your subject, try pre-focusing on a point in the bird’s flight path. This will help the AF locate and lock onto the bird. This is particularly useful when shooting in difficult conditions, like snowfall, which can task even the most advanced AF systems.