BIRDS IN FLIGHT

Just how easy is bird photography going to get? Auto exposure, autofocus, autowind, image stabiliser lenses, faster films and now digital have all combined to make life for the modern wildlife photographer so much easier, especially for birds doing what comes naturally. 

Bird flight photography in particular has been transformed. Before the days of autofocus it was an area I left untouched. My hand to eye coordination was just not fast enough. Today I just have to lift the camera, point it in the right direction and click away. Well perhaps it is not quite that easy, but at least it is achievable.

It is easy to be critical of autofocus and moan when it does not always lock onto the subject. It’s certainly not perfect, but it is a lot more reliable than I am and many times faster. And whereas cameras abilities have improved over time it is noticeable how the aging process slows us humans down. My eyes are still keen enough to get sharp focus, but it does take a fraction of a second longer than it used to. I love modern technology.

I favour the Canon EOS system using either a 600mm or 100-400mm zoom, both of which have the IS (image stabiliser) technology, which puts Canon miles ahead of the opposition.

FRAMING

Huge lenses such as the 600mm F4 are impossible to hand hold so it must be mounted on a tripod. It can be very difficult to locate a flying bird in the viewfinder and only becomes easier with hours of practice. The first rule is to place yourself squarely behind the camera so that you can look along the top or side of the lens with one eye while looking through the viewfinder with the other. This way you can see roughly where the bird is and stand far more chance of lining up on it.

To help with the panning movement I use a Manfrotto 501 tripod head. It is smooth and controllable and doesn’t move when I let it go. I also like the Wimberley head for flight shots, but it’s an expensive and heavy beast.

FOCUS MODES

There is only one choice of focus modes to use for bird flight photography and that is the servo or follow focus system. What is less certain is whether to choose multiple or single focusing points. Modern autofocus cameras offer a variety of focus points (up to 45 on some Canon models). I either use just the centre one, which is far more sensitive and responsive than any of the others or I switch to auto select, where the camera decides how many and which points to use. Which is best varies from subject to subject. Against a clear blue sky the auto select mode appears to lock on best, but when there is the clutter of trees behind the bird selecting the single centre focus point has the edge, but it does have to be kept on the bird. I usually try both and see which is working the most successfully on each subject.

There are two choices to be made on the exposure mode too. I am a great fan of autoexposure (in fact auto anything) and believe the evaluative or matrix systems of modern cameras to be wonderfully reliable. Never-the-less there are times when it is fooled and flight shots can be one of them. Against a deep blue sky I am happy to leave everything to autoexposure, but if it is a bit pale then I might need to put the camera into manual mode and take a reading off the ground to avoid underexposure.

IS SYSTEM

There is a lot of confusion as to whether the Canon IS system should be left on or not when on a tripod. I never, ever switch mine off and its stabilising effect can be seen to be working by just looking at the image in the viewfinder. For flight shots the IS system has to be put into mode 2, which is the panning mode. Nikon have their own Vibration Reduction system where the instructions clearly state it can be used on a tripod and it automatically changes to the panning mode.

I will usually hand hold the 100-400mm, which is easier for following moving subjects.

Although effective shots can be obtained with slow shutter speeds, for flight pictures you are normally after the fastest shutter speed possible, with the lens aperture wide open. What speed will freeze a birds wings is impossible to say as they all move their wings at different rates. I simply use the fastest by shooting with the lens wide open.

FILM STOCK

To help achieve this a faster film than normal helps. Fuji Sensia or ProviaF 100 asa is the commonest film stock used today by bird photographers, but for flight shots I will normally uprate it by 1 stop shooting at 200 asa and telling the processors to push the processing accordingly.

Why do this instead of buying faster film? Quality. 100asa Sensia pushed 1 stop is far less grainy that 200asa Sensia. This is not a subjective decision, but a blatant one that is obvious to see. The only film worth buying faster than 100asa is the Provia 400F, which I have not used much as yet, but it looks wonderful so far.

The most reliable way of getting flight shots is when the bird performs to a regular pattern. It is the same with motor sports. You are at an advantage if you know the exact route a car is taking around the track and can follow it time and time again as it negotiates a bend. Birds too will have regular flight paths on the way to their nests or feeding grounds and if you can follow one several times, getting the feel for each twist and turn you are at an advantage.

Digital has made life even easier, shooting a 400 asa gives very acceptable results and the jay in the above

sequence was taken at an incredible 1600 asa. 

GETTING THE LIGHT RIGHT

As ever in photography the biggest factor for success is light. Early morning or late evening is often vital to ensure the bird is lit up underneath, putting detail in the feathers. Photograph during the middle of the day in the summer months and all the light is behind the bird leaving the undersides in shadow.

Waiting for good light is the most frustrating aspect to successful flight shots.

Despite all the technology you still need to have your wits about you to photograph birds doing what come most naturally to them, flying.