How to Photograph Birds in Flight 📷

The Challenge:

There are few things more challenging for a wildlife photographer than capturing consistently sharp shots of birds in flight. It can be a genuinely thrilling experience, successfully tracking an erratic subject, anticipating the route of a flightpath or a twirling dive. It can however be equally frustrating to later review images that turn out to be blurred, out of focus, or lacking in sharpness.

Triangular Kite. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 340mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 500

I therefore hope to share a few techniques with you that I personally find useful when photographing birds in flight. And as this manner of wildlife photography tests the technical limits of your gear, it will also stretch your capabilities as a photographer. Overcoming these challenges is greatly fulfilling, and it will invariably aid you in other aspects of your photography

Technique & Composure:

As in most endeavours, correct technique, and the execution of that technique can decide the overall quality of a given outcome. When practising wildlife photography, nature presents very few clear cut opportunities. It is therefore important to remain composed when these opportunities arise; fumbling with settings at the wrong moment, or simply positioning yourself awkwardly can cost you your desired shot.

Kite Banking. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/6.3, 400mm, 1/3200sec, ISO 800

Listed below are some key aspects to remember when setting up your camera to photograph birds in flight.

• Exposure Mode - set your camera to "Shutter Priority", or preferably "Manual" mode. This will allow you full control over the camera's exposure settings. I personally shoot in fully manual, with auto ISO switched off. I map the ISO control to the record button on top of the camera, holding this while adjusting the shutter dial allows me to change the ISO on the fly.

• Shutter Speed & Metering - use a fast shutter speed when photographing birds in flight, preferably 1/800sec or higher. Also set your camera to use "spot" metering, this will ensure the camera takes an exposure reading from the bird when centred, and not the background or the sky.

• Focusing Mode - use your camera's continuous focusing mode, AI Servo AF (Canon) or AF-C (Nikon). This will make sure your camera is always reacquiring focus on your moving subject as long as the shutter button is held. I personally use a technique known as back button focusing, which I covered in a previous blog here.

Kite Swooping. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/6.3, 400mm, 1/3200sec, ISO 800

• Burst Mode - use your camera's "burst" or continuous shooting mode, this means the shutter will continue to fire as long as you hold the shutter realese. Also make sure to go in to your camera's settings and change the AF release priority from "focus" to "release". This will ensure that your camera will continue to shoot even if focus has not been acquired. This is important as it will prevent your camera from refusing to shoot in low light situations.

• Crop Mode - depending on your specific camera, consider shooting in one of its crop modes. If you intend to crop into the image later, which is very often the case with wildlife photography, then you may as well reduce the camera's file sizes and shoot in a 1.2x or 1.5x crop mode if able. This will slow the rate at which the frame buffer fills, effectively allowing you to shoot more frames of motion per second.

• Image format & Memory Cards - if you're shooting in RAW format, which incidentally I suggest you do, then consider changing from "14bit lossless compressed" to "12bit lossless compressed". This will again help to cut down on file sizes and decrease the rate at which the frame buffer fills. Also ensure you are using a sufficiently fast memory card with a good write speed. Don't believe the manufacturers claimed write speeds either. I shoot with a 300MB/s card, and it writes at less than half that speed when used in camera.

Kite Diving. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/6.3, 400mm, 1/3200sec, ISO 800

• OS, IS, VR - your lens' optical stabilisation is useful at slower shutter speeds, but it can hinder you when the situation warrants a faster shutter speed. I've known some stabilisation systems to slow down a lens' autofocus and even introduce unwanted image blur at higher shutter speeds. I'd recommend turning this off when photographing fast moving subjects, though this will vary depending on the model of lens you are using.

• Focal length - don't rush to use your lens' longest focal length, that is unless the bird is a considerable distance away. Telephoto lenses tend to perform suboptimally at the extremes of their focal lengths, and a wider effective field of view may give you a better chance of getting the bird in shot.

Overhead. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/6.3, 340mm, 1/3200sec, ISO 1000

Kite Looming. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 400mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 800

It's important to become accustomed to manually adjusting your camera's exposure settings while you shoot. Any changes in lighting or the speed of your subject can warrant an exposure adjustment. Remember that ideally you'd like to shoot at the lowest ISO possible while retaining a sharp, blur free image.

Listed below are some key aspects of wildlife photography that are often overlooked. Remember that camera gear, and especially lenses with a longer focal length, can be heavy when used for extended periods of time. This can be exacerbated by the fact that you'll often have walked miles to find a suitable shooting location, and the weather may often be working against you. Ensuring that you adopt a correct shooting stance and panning technique can help to alleviate these issues.

Kite Turning. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 390mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 800

• Correct Stance - when shooting you should ideally stand with your legs roughly shoulder width apart, using one hand to grip your camera and the other to steady the lens. You should ensure that your elbows are tucked into your body such that your arms form a sort of tripod when holding your camera. It's important to support your lens from its furthest point from the camera, under the objective or lens hood, this will give you maximum stabilisation. The same principle applies when kneeling, though I tend to lean my lens arm on my leg when shooting from this position.

• Panning Technique - when panning with your subject it's important to keep your shoulders straight. You should maintain a good shooting stance and twist at the waist in the direction of the bird. This can require some practice as I found that I was initially predisposed to adjusting my arms and shoulders while panning. Holding your breath while shooting will also help to reduce camera shake while enabling you to focus on your stance and body shape.

Flying Low. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 400mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 800

Kite Profile. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 350mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 800

• Managing Fatigue - as I previously mentioned, camera gear can get heavy over extended periods. Finding a suitable place to lean your lens will give you extra stabilisation while shooting. I often use gates, fences, or whatever is at hand. Shooting in short bursts will also help to prevent muscle fatigue.

• Cover Your Gear - having a rain cover to hand can help save your gear from inclement weather. Also consider covering your longer lenses with camouflage tape so as not to spook any timid wildlife. Some of the more expensive camo covers also offer some degree of weather and dust protection.

Subject & Approach:

I've stated many times in previous articles, that knowing your subject can aid you in producing meaningful shots. Recognising certain behavioural characteristics can allow you to predict your subject's behaviour. Most birds of prey will often defecate prior to taking off for example, particularly if they are disturbed by a sudden noise or movement. Red Kites will rapidly turn back on themselves before entering a dive. Understanding your subject's quirks and coupling this understanding with correct technique will increase your chances of achieving a desired shot.

Kite Taking Off. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 400mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 800

Kite Taking Off. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 400mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 800

Composure is also a key aspect of wildlife photography. It can be exciting when an animal you've been waiting hours for suddenly appears, and honing your skills as a photographer will ensure that you don't make fundamental mistakes in the excitement. When waiting for your subject, you should periodically be taking readings with your camera's exposure meter. If the light suddenly changes, adjust your settings accordingly before your subject arrives. Don't allow yourself to be taken by surprise, and you'll miss fewer opportunities as a result.

Kite Flying Low. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 350mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 800

I hope you've found some useful information in this post, and I'd be interested to know if you intend to try out any of these techniques. All photographers do have their own shooting style, though I've tried to list a few of the positive habits that I've developed over the years.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this post. I hope you'll follow me for similar content in the future, cheers for now.

Bedraggled Kite. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 360mm, 1/2500sec, ISO 800

All images present in this article are © Alexander White