I have recently discussed a couple of essential pointers on bird photography. This guide is going to build on that. I will share a few more points on water bird photography that are essential for capturing excellent photos.
Shoot from a low angle
Water birds spend a considerable amount of time in the water. Well, that’s why they’re known as water birds. Incidentally, if you want the best and most natural-looking photos, you’ve to spend considerable time shooting from a low angle. Shooting from a owe angle captures the images from the same perspective as the birds.
It’s not unheard of that professional bird photographers, especially water bird photographers, spend a lot of time in the water themselves! They’re often in waist-deep water, trying to get the lowest angle to shoot from.
Choose a contrasting background
Ensure that you have a contrasting background for the bird you’re trying to photograph. I know sometimes the background isn’t in your hand. The best you can do is choose the right angle and light to shoot in. The background is also necessary. If a bird is green in color, shooting against a vibrant green background means that colors won’t pop. Sometimes, you don’t have an option but to wait for a better background.
One thing you can do is try to blur out the background and focus so that the rest of the image is blurred out.
Watch out for the light
Choosing the right light to shoot in is essential. The last thing you want is to get a great bird in a bad light. The challenge, then, is to walk away with a great composition. Use a lens hood to ensure that the light does not fall directly on your lens optics and produce flares and ghosting. Try to blur out much of the scene if the light is reflected off the water to produce beautiful bokeh with it rather than getting distracted by it.
The best light is when the sun is behind you, and you’re aiming at the bird in front of you. Mainly when the sun is lower on the horizon and the light falls parallel to the surface. That light illuminates the subject best. This kind of light is possible during the early hours of the day and towards the late afternoon.
Even bad light can be used to create great photos. You can capture the bird’s silhouette and produce an image that looks stunning.
