Getting the right shot on a photo safaris
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A scarlet-headed blackbird feasts on mealworms.
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National Aviary Photo Safaris are intended to provide unique opportunities for photographers to capture images of exotic birds before the public arrives.
Aviary educator Nicole Begley offers this advice for taking quality photos:
• Arrive early. Wildlife tend to be more active in the morning.
• Be patient. When wildlife are up and active, Begley said, wait until they are in a good position to be photographed.
"You are limited on where you can photograph them because there are only so many places you can view the animals and so many angles," she said. "You have to be patient until they get to the right area or do what you are looking to capture."
• Be ready. Begley said it's important to be prepared to take the shot when the moment presents itself. When taking pictures of birds or other wildlife that tend to move quickly, manually adjusting the camera to a faster shutter speed can contribute to taking a good picture.
• Use a zoom lens. Begley recommends photographers use a zoom lens with a focal range of 100-300 mm or 70-200 mm to capture images of wildlife.
"It allows you to get a little bit closer without being closer," she said. "With a longer lens, a bird could be 50 feet away and still fill the frame so it looks like you're a lot closer than you actually are."
• Be quiet and unobtrusive. Begley said the more quiet and still you are, the more comfortable the animals are going to be.
"They're not going to notice you as much, especially if you're trying to take pictures of birds," she said. "If you're moving around a lot, they're going to be a little bit nervous and fly away."
The National Aviary will hold a Photography Basics Workshop Jan. 7 on how to operate a camera in manual mode in addition to hands-on activities.
First Published December 4, 2011 12:00 am
