Field Notes
Photographing Birds: A Beginner's Guide
By Ismail Bhai
Birds are among the most rewarding, and most challenging, subjects in nature photography.
Equipment
A telephoto lens of at least 300mm helps; many birders use 400 to 600mm. A fast shutter speed, often 1/1000s or faster, freezes motion.
Light
Early morning and late afternoon give soft, warm light, and birds are most active then too.
Fieldcraft
Learn your local species, sit still, and let birds come to you. Texas, on major migration flyways, is one of the best states in America for birding.