Photography

A handy trick for taking pics of flying birds

Here’s the best and easiest way I know to get close-up shots of fast-flying birds. I admit that this takes a bit of practice, but I can usually get a few keepers this way.

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Rainbow Lorikeet

First find a bird that’s not flying. For example, focus on one that’s on a branch, but don’t zoom in too much — you don’t want to frame the bird very tightly.

A lot of birds crouch down really quickly the moment before they fly off. So keep your finger half way down on the shutter button, maintaining focus and ready to shoot, and the instant you see the bird crouch down take your shot. It’s going to happen really quickly. Fire the shot the instant you see it crouching down. By the time your camera’s responded the bird will already be flying and with a bit of luck it will still be in focus and still in the frame.

So that’s one trick for photographing birds. There are more tricks over here.

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Photography

Beginners’ guides to digital SLR photography

primer

Before you start

Basics

The essential basics

Basics

Making sense of technical stuff

Photography words

Photography words explained

frog

Sneaky stuff

Colours

Common problems and their solutions

Preying mantis

Taking things further

Moon

Photography at night

Other photography stuff

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