Creating an outdoor studio: Lights, camera, action!
Like studio portraiture, successful wildlife photography is all about creating an environment where as many technical elements as possible are under your own control – especially the “big three” of lighting, background and composition.
Lighting is probably the first variable to consider. Do you prefer front lighting (which gives the most even illumination), side lighting (to show up texture and detail) or perhaps back lighting (which can be tricky to manage, but can also produce some attractive effects)?
Next, having considered the direction of the light, you want to isolate the bird by setting it on a perch where the background will be pleasingly blurred, so that the subject “pops”. So far, so good.
Finally, you need to think about composition. How do you want the bird to appear in the frame? Do you favour a classic portrait, with the subject sitting pertly, its head slightly turned to meet the viewer’s eye, and with plenty of space in the frame for it to look into? Or do you want a coveted group shot, or to capture the even rarer sight of mum feeding her young? Or perhaps you want to freeze the moment of takeoff or landing.
Of course, these are ideal scenarios – the hardest part is to encourage your subject to place itself exactly where you want it!
The possibilities are legion, but what you eventually photograph will depend on your fieldcraft and knowledge of animal behaviour as much as your camera skills.
Once you have found a suitable perch — well lit, with attractive bokeh (out-of-focus highlights) or interesting foliage — in a spot where the birds are active, don’t be tempted to shift your lens onto another target, even if you have to wait a while.