by Nikolai Whitebear
Ducks, geese, loons, and all waterfowl are extraordinarily beautiful in their own way. From the ornate markings of a wood duck to the stunning simplicity of a merganser these birds fill our skies and lakes with grace. Capturing their elegance in a photograph can be a tricky task. These birds can be shy and quick to flap away once they see you approach. In this post, you’ll find 5 tips for improving waterfowl photography.
Time
Time is indeed everything for wildlife photography. Whether that be the time of the day or the present season both greatly influence who you will encounter when you step outside. Early mornings and late afternoons are the greatest times to be photographing. Usage of natural light, sunrise or sunset will enrich your photographs beyond your dreams!
She was photographed in the late afternoon which gifted the perfect amount of sunshine. The lighter areas are not washed out by excessive light while still having enough to capture the delicate details of every feather.
Location
Depending on where you live on Mother Earth there will be different waterfowl. In North America, most birds spend their summers in the north and migrate south for the winter. I live along the Niagara River, home to an astonishing number of waterfowl species. Having knowledge of the location where you wish to photograph is essential. Visiting multiple times will allow you more opportunities to explore and photograph!
Lens and camera settings
Camera settings can feel overwhelming at the first attempt but with practice, you will know the right numbers for ISO, and exposure, and the moment will come together. Waterfowl move quite quickly when flying and moving about the water. You want to ensure you have an exposure of 1/500 or higher. Your ISO will change due to available light but do your best to keep it high. A solid image with noise is greatly preferred to a blurry unusable photo.
Golden hour will gift the most memorable photos if you understand how to work with the light. It can be easy to overexpose the highlights of areas that have direct light while also difficult to capture the shadows that create intricate detail within the birds’ plumage.
Understand the birds
When meeting someone you don’t know you should always use your manners and introduce yourself. The same thing goes for birds and anytime life on Mother Earth. Now that you know the bird you can begin to learn about them. How they move, what they eat, and where they like to be are all important characteristics. As your familiarity increases you’ll find yourself taking high-detail photographs. This greater intimacy really makes a difference once you bring awareness to it.
Some ducks allow you to approach quite closely for a shot. Others will take off the moment they see you just as this Common Goldeneye did. Quick reflexes and the knowledge that they will most likely fly quickly can be how you can take photos like this.
Practice
Truly the most important tip of all is practice. Practice makes progress. If you’re a beginner it will require time and effort to create the photographs that you desire. At times you’ll feel discouraged and want to quit. Pay no mind to those ideas for that is only resistance attempting you hold you back. You are so much stronger and have immense untapped potential. Thank you so much for reading this post, I’ll have another up soon!
Nia-wa