We’re very lucky in Michigan to have birding hot spots from shore to shore.  Unfortunately, these spots don’t always equate to good spots for Photography.  Many times Photographers get a false sense of excitement only to arrive disappointed.  While this happens to the best of us, there are techniques that will make hot birding spots hotter for photography.  While many of us combine photography and birding for learning species and capturing memories, this will be more of a dive into capturing high caliber imagery for personal enjoyment or even sales.

When photographing at places like Lake Erie Metropark (LEMP) or Whitefish Bird Observatory (WPBO), one problem usually exists; everything is too far away!  Even serious photographers with 600mm or more complain about not having enough focal length.  We don’t always have control over this but one way to get around it is to know your species and place yourself in situations where the action is most likely to occur before it occurs.  Knowing the habitat and hunting patterns of Great-Blue Herons at LEMP can drastically improve your “image keeper rate.”  Sitting in areas with a cheap tent or simple covering can bring species like this much closer to you.  This research and “hide” technique works with all sorts of species.  Spending hours instead of minutes at the LEMP boat launch in fall can also bring nice opportunities for Forster’s Terns hunting.  Late in the afternoon the Terns are still active with good front lighting.  This can yield fast enough shutter speeds for their erratic hunting flights.  If lighting allows, strive for shutter speeds over 1200^th of a second and stop down a bit (f8-f11) which will give a larger depth of field and also yield clearer results with cheaper lenses.  Be careful not to overexpose these mostly white birds.

The same “hide” technique is also an advantage in and around the forested areas at WPBO.  Simply setting up near the feeders knowing where your light source is can mean the difference between good images and great images.  Also work on composing images where the subject isn’t always in the center of the frame.  Try to capture birds as they stage ahead of actually feeding.  This yields natural imagery of species many southern photographers can’t compete with.  The techniques are different when venturing to the deck at WPBO for Raptors.  Some of the best Raptor photography in Michigan is from WPBO.  Timing is the key.  A better time to shoot is when there is a westerly component in the winds which helps send the birds closer to the deck as they stage for the crossing.  Stronger winds can also be advantageous as the winds may force birds to mill around at the point longer, giving multiple chances.  The “hide” technique is not necessary here but time on the deck is.  Spend time practicing and getting proper exposures before good opportunities happen.  Being prepared is imperative.  Aiming for fast shutter speeds here is also very important.  In cloudy situations, if shooting in Aperture Priority, bracket (exposure compensate) up to ensure detail isn’t lost in the bird.  If shooting in Manual, watch your exposure and expose for highlights but also avoid underexposing as noise will show up in the shadow areas.

There is a major difference between a Birder and Bird Photographer but that’s not to say with a little work Birders can’t become more developed Bird Photographers.  Spending more time preparing and then shooting can make birding hot spots even hotter for photography.