Over the past six months I’ve devoted a lot of my photographic energy to tackling bird photography. It’s a field that I find very rewarding and continue to have a lot of fun with, to the extent that I’ve adjusted some of my equipment to meet its specific conditions.
What hasn’t changed, however, is that I still have to drive out to a park or preserve and tromp around in search of the birds. Simply finding my subjects continues to be the hardest part of the whole project. Birds are predictable, but only to a certain extent. I know where I’m likely to find them, I know what times are best to up the odds, but it still comes down to whether or not they’re actually there when I arrive. Especially now, in winter, I’m making a number of fruitless outings.
Black-capped Chickadee photographed with DIY flash extender
So in line with the old parable, I’m bringing the subjects to me. The project of the next two weeks – and next several months in the long-term – is creating a backyard bird studio, an environment that attracts the birds already passing through the area and places them in a controlled environment.
The benefits of this should be immediately apparent, although their full extent may not be. Certainly it will make the process of photographing them much easier. One the birds learn that food and water are easily available to them, they’ll return to my yard. They may even nest nearby in the spring. Basically they’ll be around more, which means I’ll get to photograph them more.
But I’ll also be working with them in a stable environment. If, for instance, I go out into the woods, my presence is temporary and often in rough conditions. In the backyard, however, I am free to setup equipment and I wouldn’t take with me on the hiking trail. If I grow tired of my background, for instance, I can hang a muslin behind the feeder for a different look. I can setup Speedlight flashes nearby and go all Strobist on the birds. I simply have much more creative freedom.
From the bird’s perspective, it’s also beneficial. They get an easy, stable food source in the neighborhood, which is especially helpful in the winter, or during nesting season. In either case, it’s likely that their odds for survival will increase. Not a bad trade off in exchange for a few photos.
The first step is to do some research and see what other people have done, find out what works and what doesn’t. A feeder and a post will be the first orders of business, and hopefully by mid-February I’ll be able to start showing results. In the meantime, I’ll share what I learn as I progress through this project.
Song Sparrow
