bird photography

A.Gibson

A.Gibson

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Name
Anthony Gibson
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Having moved out of my mum and dads and got my own place with a bigish garden and i really am amazed how many different birds there are that visit the garden, so i really want to take advantage of this buy using one of the windows in my shed as a hatch to open and shoot thru (as the glass is very very very poor.:thinking:) the opening of the window is about a foot and a half square so i may need to make it a bit smaller so the birds cant see me as easily, also i have made a bird table that attaches to the feance and also bought a bird feeder with nuts, suet fat balls, wild bird feed, meal worms and berrys oh and a little water bath to, i was wondering how far away should i place the feeder away from the shed to get good enough shots of the birds without scaring them away(this is were ill be sitting)???
oh and also im looking to buy a sigma 70-200 f2.8 II to use for this purpose only am i doing the right thing? is this a good lens for use with birds? i have the sigma 70-300 but it is way to slow on focusing for the birds. please help.:thinking::help:

Thanks
Gibbo.:help:
 
Hi Anthony, sure likes your doing the right thing if it is bird shots you are after :thumbs: The shed is a good idea, and a piece of cammo net across the window will give you a bit of privacy but allow for the lens to poke through :D
If you are going to use fatballs then please take them out the net as this can cause the birds to get caught in them with nasty results, I use one of the square wire block feeders and cram a couple of the small fatballs in that. All the best and look forward to seing some of your shots over on the bird section.

Oh yeh and as Joe says :lol::lol:
 
i really would love that but my budget will only stretch to about £650 now that im paying a mortgage.lol.
 
the balls are out of the net.lol will the 70-200 2.8 be a good starting point to my new ''fast glass'' collection?lol
 
:shrug: Best wait for somebody who has a Sigma to comment :thumbs:
 
Set up a stage for the birds. A branch positioned near the food supply, but close enough to your hide that you can get a good close(ish) shot with a presentable background.

Then try out your 70-300. If the birds perch on your chosen branch, the speed of A/F shouldn't be a problem at least part of the time. If the lens limits you by being to short and slow and you want to carry on, then invest in faster / longer.
 
A.Gibson said:
i really would love that but my budget will only stretch to about £650 now that im paying a mortgage.lol.
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Sounds like a used Sigma 100-300 F4 with a 1.4x convertor for you then :)
 
Also if your shed has any other windows in it I would cover them up so as you move around in the shed they don't see you. If you are finding your Sigma 70-300mm lens too slow on auto focus try it on manual focus. Plus make sure you take some snacks and drink to the shed when you go to photograph the birds as you might be there some time.
 
singlespeed said:
Set up a stage for the birds. A branch positioned near the food supply, but close enough to your hide that you can get a good close(ish) shot with a presentable background.

Then try out your 70-300. If the birds perch on your chosen branch, the speed of A/F shouldn't be a problem at least part of the time. If the lens limits you by being to short and slow and you want to carry on, then invest in faster / longer.
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Zetec said:
Also if your shed has any other windows in it I would cover them up so as you move around in the shed they don't see you. If you are finding your Sigma 70-300mm lens too slow on auto focus try it on manual focus. Plus make sure you take some snacks and drink to the shed when you go to photograph the birds as you might be there some time.
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I forgot to mention manual focus if they are on the branch :bang:
 
lol think i may need to move the feeder a bit further away as its about 1.5meters away from were ill be shooting. as for setting up a branch nearby there is a small tree near the shed they tend to land on but its a bit close i think ill try moving the feeder further away in the week i think and then i can get cracking on converting the shed into a hide.lol

i forgot to meantion before that i was also thinking of getting a siggy x2 converter if the 70-200 would be any good as that would also give me the option of shooting either 70-200 or 140-400?

also ive been digging up some big tree roots this afternoon so i may try to use those as a stage for them.
 
As regards distance as far as required to get the size of image you want with the focal length available. I use a Sigma 150-500 excellent VFM for birding. I shoot from around 12 -15 feet so if you're shorter you will need to be closer. Just be ultra quiet and well concealed.
 
Joe T said:
I'd look for something longer - perhaps the Nikon 300 f4, and maybe the 1.4x TC as well.

Three rules of bird photography:

1. More focal length

2. More focal length

3. More focal length

Good luck! :)
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In the wild, yes. In your garden... only if you want.

He has the ability to set up a screen/hide and a perch with a food source. If the birds are hungry they WILL come to eat and WILL get used to the shutter clicking. I've been out today with Gazedd happily shooting birdies with a 70-200 (and at one point a 24-70! Pocket wizard triggered) on a reserve.

Yes I know the old argument, he won't be shooting golden eagles in Scotland with it, but for what he wants for the moment, a 70-200 will be just dandy in the right set up. A 300 prime would be perfect, but not necessary.

Looking to the future, a 300/400/500/600/800/1200/235000mm prime would be the perfect candidate for a 70-200.

The 70-200 would also be fantastic in other situations such as street candids, low light interiors, evening exteriors and so on, as I'm sure you're aware.

I mean, who ever used 600mm in their garden? ;)

Patience is a virtue.
 
Lol thanks for that reply. I do feel the 70-200 will be the ideal lens for bird photography in my garden. Of corse it will be used out of the garden aswell and also i will more than likely invest in a x2 or x1.4 converter. I think the 70-200 is a definate yes for me. Lol
thanks for all the speedey replys.
 
If you can mate I would put some insulation in it like you have in the loft to help keep you warm in the cold months and maybe some old carpet I am not saying it will be hot in there but it will make a little bit of a difference.
 
Zetec said:
If you can mate I would put some insulation in it like you have in the loft to help keep you warm in the cold months and maybe some old carpet I am not saying it will be hot in there but it will make a little bit of a difference.
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Good advice :D If you black out any remaining windows, you should be fine with the opening, as it'll be fairly dark inside. Keep as much skin covered as you can (as this stands out to birds) and keep your camera still as possible!
 
You will also be suprised what you can shoot in your garden as well has a visit from a sparrowhawk today! This was just a grab shot through the window, but from roughly my normal position in my conservatory/hide.

http://SPAM/c3whur/dec/Img_0286c.jpg
 
300mm will be enough for the time being in the garden. Set up the feeding station as close as possible,make sure that it isn`t within the minimum focus range of the camera and lens. Place some natural looking perches for them to land on,not too many or you`ll end up chasing the birds around the perches. Make the shed fairly comfy, you could be in there a while. Mount camera on tripod,hang some scrim netting inside the shed, make a hole in it and shove the lens through the hole. I don`t push the lens outside of my hide,some do,I don`t. The window size gives you some scope to follow the birds slightly without a moving lens scaring them off.The birds soon get used to you being there and even get used to the sound of the shutter eventually. I use autofocus and focus on the perch before the birds land,the lens has very little focussing to do when the birds land then.Try to get the focus on the birds eye and try for F5.6 to start with,that will get most of the birds in focus.

Most of all enjoy yourself and post your results up.

PS..........400/500/600/800 are all really useless lenses, that is why the manufacturers make them and people buy them.........:thinking:
 
Thanks for all the replys guys. As i work in the day all week i only get daylight at the weekend so if im not to busy this weekend i might get out ther n get snapping away with the little fellas.
 
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