Candydez12 Posted February 19, 2021 Share Posted February 19, 2021 I want to know so I can get better pictures up close. Thanks so much for your help! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 Zoom lenses, windows, bird feeders. Sometimes bird are more habituated to people at busy public parks so they don’t get scared as easily. Some parks near me you can put out your hand and the chickadees will land on you whether or not you have seed. Yet sometimes I can’t get the chickadees to even attempt to land on my hand in my yard even with seed. Waiting until the birds come to you also works. If you just sit outside, or stand in one spot for a while they sometimes won’t perceive you as that big of a threat or may simply not notice your presence. I would sit outside on a chair everyday for an hour or so in the summer and one day I had a house finch land on my head! Must of thought I was a statue or something. Lots of photographers invest in bird blinds as well, but I wouldn’t say that’s needed. Sometimes it’s just luck as well. No way of telling if that bald eagle is gonna perch on the tree beside the path or across the river. It’s more or less a waiting game. Some species are easier than others. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 (edited) If the bird doesn’t want to be close to you, it’s not going to let you get close. As Aaron said, it’s a waiting game. I usually will get as close to the bird as I think it will let me before it starts to get agitated. Then, if it comes closer, great! If not, so be it! A good picture isn’t worth it if it hurts the bird. Example: This was gotten by sitting in a lawn chair five feet from my feeder for 30 minutes. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/283201701#_ga=2.73806171.833437689.1613746855-362103245.1592329863 Edited February 20, 2021 by Avery 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 (edited) I'm surprised how well it works to use a car as your 'blind'. Edited February 20, 2021 by Jefferson Shank 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted February 20, 2021 Share Posted February 20, 2021 If you have feeders, it can depend on how hungry they are. On colder days, they'll tolerate me being closer to the feeders than on warmer ones. I've had them perch within three feet of me when I'm refilling the feeders. That's not helpful for photography but you can get some great observations. @Candydez12, did we ever find out what camera you're using? I don't know what you're budget is but you can get a used FZ70 with great zoom for under $150, or a new FZ80 for under $300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candydez12 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 @Charlie Spencer we got a almost brand new very expensive camera from a friend of ours for Christmas and we got it for less then 300 dollars! It is a Canon EOS Rebel T5. My dad said they are worth a lot of money. I have a huge zoom lens so (unless I want to get bird pictures from more further away) I am getting good pictures. 🙂 Thanks for asking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candydez12 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 On 2/19/2021 at 6:06 PM, Avery said: If the bird doesn’t want to be close to you, it’s not going to let you get close. As Aaron said, it’s a waiting game. I usually will get as close to the bird as I think it will let me before it starts to get agitated. Then, if it comes closer, great! If not, so be it! A good picture isn’t worth it if it hurts the bird. Example: This was gotten by sitting in a lawn chair five feet from my feeder for 30 minutes. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/283201701#_ga=2.73806171.833437689.1613746855-362103245.1592329863 Great Picture! And thanks so much 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 12 hours ago, Candydez12 said: @Charlie Spencer we got a almost brand new very expensive camera from a friend of ours for Christmas and we got it for less then 300 dollars! It is a Canon EOS Rebel T5. My dad said they are worth a lot of money. I have a huge zoom lens so (unless I want to get bird pictures from more further away) I am getting good pictures. 🙂 Thanks for asking. How long is your lens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candydez12 Posted February 25, 2021 Author Share Posted February 25, 2021 What it says is 75-300mm on my lens anyway @Seanbirds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Candydez12 said: What it says is 75-300mm on my lens anyway @Seanbirds I have that very same lens! Just keep practicing with it and applying the suggestions made here (by better photographers than I), and you’ll be taking calendar-worthy photos in no time! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 (edited) I know how frustrating it can be, especially if you're expecting to get closer shots. I have found that some birds will come closer if I'm wearing sunglasses and/or a large-brimmed hat (to hide my eyes). But sometimes the birds don't come or let you get close, just like sometimes you don't see the species you are looking for, so be patient and go birding often. 300mm, which is equal to 480mm on your crop sensor camera, is good. Your camera is 18 megapixels, so you can crop a little. Edited February 25, 2021 by The Bird Nuts 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BirdsIviewCam Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Or Candydez12 you can do what I did and enjoy viewing them anywhere anytime!! ---- Hello all again from Tampa Florida. I have an online backyard bird-feeder streaming live on Twitch+Youtube...Check it out sometime! Top of the Feeder: www.twitch.tv/birdsiviewcam Bottom of the Feeder: www.youtube.com/user/birdsiviewcam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Believe it or not but sometimes it helps not to look at them as you approach. If they don't think you see them they don't worry about you as much. One thing I learned early also is to take that distant shot no matter what. Then get a little closer take another shot or two. Repeat again again if the bird stays. This not only insures you get something but it also acclimates the bird to your presents. I also agree with @Jefferson Shank that cars are great bird blinds. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 12 minutes ago, Clip said: One thing I learned early also is to take that distant shot no matter what. Then get a little closer take another shot or two. If the purpose of your photo is to document what you're seeing, a mediocre but identifiable distant shot is better than no shot at all. Get what you can immediately and then try to improve. That's one of the trade-offs between birding and photography - are you after functional photos or artistic ones? Sometimes birds just won't give you the time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 9 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said: If the purpose of your photo is to document what you're seeing, a mediocre but identifiable distant shot is better than no shot at all. Get what you can immediately and then try to improve. That's one of the trade-offs between birding and photography - are you after functional photos or artistic ones? Sometimes birds just won't give you the time. I do not consider myself a photographer. I'm a birder with a camera who gets a good photo once in awhile. But, the reason behind my suggestion is actually two fold. Document for sure is one but the other is that the birds are often less intimidated if you work your way to them which will afford you a better opportunity for that artistic shot. In other words, if you run up to the bird with only that artistic photo in mind you will scare way the bird for sure. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 2 hours ago, Charlie Spencer said: are you after functional photos or artistic ones? Both! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 12 minutes ago, Seanbirds said: Both! Indeed! I like having proof of what I have seen but love when I get a good shot! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, Clip said: Believe it or not but sometimes it helps not to look at them as you approach. If they don't think you see them they don't worry about you as much. One thing I learned early also is to take that distant shot no matter what. Then get a little closer take another shot or two. Repeat again again if the bird stays. This not only insures you get something but it also acclimates the bird to your presents. I also agree with @Jefferson Shank that cars are great bird blinds. I swear birds know if your paying attention to them! Every morning when I go get the mail there is a male Painted Bunting singing, that I have to walk right by. So every morning(before my camera broke any way) I would take my camera with me, and he always flew off before I was close enough to get a decent photo. One morning I didn't take my camera with me, and that Painting Bunting just sat there on a fence post, singing like I wasn't there. It was perfect lighting, the sun had just come up I was in a great spot about 8 feet away. He never moved, he was still sitting there singing with I left. Edited July 13, 2021 by Kevin 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 5 minutes ago, Kevin said: I swear birds know if your paying attention to them! Every morning when I go get the mail there is a male Painted Bunting singing, that I have to walk right by. So every morning(before my camera broke any way) I would take my camera with me, and he always flew off before I was close enough to get a decent photo. One morning I didn't take my camera with me and that Painting Bunting just sat there on a fence post singing like I wasn't there. It was perfect lighting, the sun had just come up I was in a great spot about 8 feet away. He never moved, he was still sitting there singing with I left. Sorry that sucks! Don't look at it as you approach. It may help. When are you getting your new camera? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 1 minute ago, Clip said: Sorry that sucks! Don't look at it as you approach. It may help. When are you getting your new camera? When ever the come back in stock, which supposedly is going to be October.😭 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 4 minutes ago, Kevin said: When ever the come back in stock, which supposedly is going to be October.😭 Take my camera away and it's like losing an arm for me. 😭 Anything happens to this one I have a back up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 5 minutes ago, Kevin said: I swear birds know if your paying attention to them! Every morning when I go get the mail there is a male Painted Bunting singing, that I have to walk right by. So every morning(before my camera broke any way) I would take my camera with me, and he always flew off before I was close enough to get a decent photo. One morning I didn't take my camera with me, and that Painting Bunting just sat there on a fence post, singing like I wasn't there. It was perfect lighting, the sun had just come up I was in a great spot about 8 feet away. He never moved, he was still sitting there singing with I left. Would any one like to guess who was gone a few minutes later when I had my camera? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 21 minutes ago, Kevin said: Would any one like to guess who was gone a few minutes later when I had my camera? I feel your pain but you have to shake it off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Kevin said: Would any one like to guess who was gone a few minutes later when I had my camera? The mailbox? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Charlie Spencer said: The mailbox? Yes. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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