The art and craft of bird photography

The art and craft of bird photography This page is about making engaging bird images. It is run by Ern Reeders.

I won the Bird in Flight award in the 2020 Birdlife Australia Photography competition, a monthly gong on the Nikonians website for the same image, and provided the reference shot for Susan Skuse's painting in the book Feather and Brush (2nd ed) by Penny Olsen.

An Australasian Grebe feeding its chick a minnow
06/06/2026

An Australasian Grebe feeding its chick a minnow

Taking shots in the sub/antarctic in an era of H5N1, highly pathogenic bird flu ...You are permitted only to stand. You...
03/06/2026

Taking shots in the sub/antarctic in an era of H5N1, highly pathogenic bird flu ...

You are permitted only to stand. You can't even put a bag on the ground/snow/ice. Your cruise company may or may not allow a tripod or monopod.

This was my kit: a harness for the main rig* that held it firm; a 2nd holster on its belt for my landscape rig**; a small dry-bag style day pack holding cleaning gear, filters, teleconverters etc that could be swung around to the front for access.

Shooting at the same height as the wildlife is usually desirable so that the viewer feels part of its world. So down there you have to get creative. Either get lower while still standing (so walk down the beach if you can eg) or look for wildlife on ridges, mounds etc. And learn to use your flip-out monitor and bend over. Do your settings while upright. Horizon levelling is hard and takes practise; do that before you travel. Try and find a non-reflective film for the monitor; when the light is best you get the worst view otherwise.

I recommend camera carrying with a harness that holds the rig without a steadying hard being needed because often you need both hands eg for getting into and out of the zodiac. The only offering I know of is the Cotton Carrier Harness. The CC Skout is an alternative for lighter rigs up to around 400mm f5.6 full frame.

* Z8, 600mm f6.3 & 1.4xTC
** Cotton Carrier Traveller with a Z8, 24-120mm f4 zoom

Image: Gold Harbour on South Georgia Island in the subantarctic, consorting with King Penguins

Antarctic Prions and Antarctic TernAntipodes Island, New Zealand, in the subantarctic
23/05/2026

Antarctic Prions and Antarctic Tern
Antipodes Island, New Zealand, in the subantarctic

Andean CondorsMainly carrion eatersWingspan up to 3.2mDeclining numbers. One reason is the decline in Guanacos - mammal...
12/05/2026

Andean Condors
Mainly carrion eaters
Wingspan up to 3.2m
Declining numbers. One reason is the decline in Guanacos - mammals similar to llamas.

A Wedge-tailed Eagle, Australia's largest raptor. Typical wingspan = 2.3m.They turn black with white underwing flashes ...
12/05/2026

A Wedge-tailed Eagle, Australia's largest raptor. Typical wingspan = 2.3m.
They turn black with white underwing flashes at 6-8 years.
Parachilna, SA

The world's southernmost songbird is the Sth Georgia Pipit.Here it is, and a shot of us shooting it, and one of me keepi...
09/05/2026

The world's southernmost songbird is the Sth Georgia Pipit.
Here it is, and a shot of us shooting it, and one of me keeping penguin company on Sth Georgia. These are from the cruise ship's tog.
I've also shot the 2nd most southern pipit, on New Zealand's Enderby Island. Australia also has one which I've seen on top of Bogong at almost 2000 m. So a pretty adaptable genus.

Singing Honeyeater - indeed it does - and Hooded Plover and chick.The chick has been named Bont by the local volunteers ...
22/04/2026

Singing Honeyeater - indeed it does - and Hooded Plover and chick.
The chick has been named Bont by the local volunteers seeing to its safety.
Point Danger and Cape Bridgewater, near Portland Vic.

Some more atmospheric shots
14/04/2026

Some more atmospheric shots

Birds are active creatures and repeating images of static birds is misleading on this score. Small birds in particular ...
28/03/2026

Birds are active creatures and repeating images of static birds is misleading on this score. Small birds in particular are always foraging.

A few more 'not the golden hours' shots
22/03/2026

A few more 'not the golden hours' shots

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