Yo Photographer
Register for FREE!
Go Back   Photography Forum > General Photography Forums > Photography Talk


Log-in/register to unlock all the member quick-links and features!
Reply


Phil's Avatar
Phil
Fondly Remembered
Phil is offline
Phil is Male
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Perthshire Scotland
Posts: 8,168
Comments/Critique welcome You may edit and repost my images but ONLY on this site
 
13-05-12, 09:26 PM
#1

Perches - garden bird set up

Ken - as you asked, here's what I've got set up for photographing the garden birds.

This one is just outside the kitchen window. It's about 12 feet away and comes in very handy in the winter when it's freezing or when it's raining (that's when many birds feed) as I can shoot through the open window staying warm and dry.

In terms of the position I considered:

The background trees are far away so I'll get a nice out of focus backdrop.
I know that the light will always be from behind me.
I'll not have sky as a background which makes life difficult.
I can also put the big 500W outside light on when the light starts to fade

The branch is just stuck in the ground and then attached to the metal feeder at the other end. This stops the branch wobbling when a bird lands on it which is important as a lot of the time they only land for a second before moving onto the feeders. A thicker branch wouldn't move but some of the tiny garden birds do suit a thin perch.



As there's only one branch (all about stacking the odds in your favour) I don't have to worry too much about where the birds are going to land so I just set up the camera settings before the bird arrives.

First test - 400 mm at f/5.6 with ISO 100 = 1/125 sec which probably isn't going to be a fast enough shutter speed for handheld shots or for twitchy little birds.


Up the ISO to ISO 400 = 1/500 which should be fine


Then it's just a case of waiting a few mins. If the light changes whilst I'm waiting I'll just keep adjusting the ISO keeping it as low as possible but to making sure the resulting shutter speed is going to remain fast enough. Once a few birds are on the feeders the next birds naturally land on the perch. I just try and focus on the eye using centre point focus. The bird will just be middle of the frame but I know there will be room to crop the composition regardless of whether the bird is facing left or right.



The branches I just pick up from anywhere - here's my new hairy one





This is my other feeder (a bit Heath Robinson) which is in a different spot in the garden. Again there's a variety of branches stuck in the ground to provide perches based on direction of light and background relative to where I shoot from.

You can tell I have cats - chicken wire jump protection and fortified bird table







Other than that I've a peanut feeder in one of the bigger trees at the end of the garden which the woodpeckers like.
Kit 1
Canon 1D Mark 3
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Kit 2
1D2 & 40D


     
Otta's Avatar
Otta
Senior Member
Otta is offline
Otta is Male
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Buckingham , Uk
Posts: 219
Comments/Critique welcome
 
13-05-12, 09:54 PM
#2

Re: Perches - garden bird set up

Excellent set up , works a treat


     
Zoundz's Avatar
Zoundz
Senior Member
Zoundz is offline
Zoundz is Female
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: West Cork, Ireland
Posts: 7,578
Comments/Critique welcome You may edit and repost my images but ONLY on this site
 
13-05-12, 10:17 PM
#3

Re: Perches - garden bird set up

This is uncannily similar to my own in many ways! I use bits of driftwood as perches mostly, they can have such interesting shapes and textures!

xx
Kit 1
Nikon D800
Nikkor 50mm f1.4
Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8
Nikkor 105 mm f2.8 macro
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8
Sigma 50-500mm F4-6.3 EX DG HSM
Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM
Nikon 70-300mm AF f/4-5.6G
Nikon 50mm f1.8
Kit 2
Nikon D700
Other Kit
View my profile to see my other kit!
My Compact/P&S: Fuji finepix bridge


     
Phil's Avatar
Phil
Fondly Remembered
Phil is offline
Phil is Male
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Perthshire Scotland
Posts: 8,168
Comments/Critique welcome You may edit and repost my images but ONLY on this site
 
13-05-12, 10:39 PM
#4

Re: Perches - garden bird set up

Ooh nice - I've got some driftwood ones too - I'll see if I have any shots of them.
Kit 1
Canon 1D Mark 3
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Kit 2
1D2 & 40D


     
KenTT's Avatar
KenTT
Community Director
KenTT is offline
KenTT is Male
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Buckingham, UK
Posts: 3,363
Comments/Critique welcome You may edit and repost my images but ONLY on this site
 
13-05-12, 11:10 PM
#5

Re: Perches - garden bird set up

Thanks so much for doing this thread Phil, you have shown me the way forward
Kit 1
1DSmkIII & 1DmkIV
Canon EF70-200L f/2.8 IS
Canon EF100L macro f/2.8 IS
Canon EF85L f/1.2 mkII
Canon EF24-105L f/4 IS
Canon EF300L f/2.8 IS
Canon EF17-40L f/4
Other Kit
View my profile to see my other kit!


     
Azz's Avatar
Azz
Admin Team
Azz is offline
Azz is Male
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: South Wales, UK
Posts: 15,385
Comments/Critique welcome You may edit and repost my images but ONLY on this site
 
14-05-12, 02:30 PM
#6

Re: Perches - garden bird set up

Thanks for the tips Phil!
Kit 1
Nikon D300
Nikon 55-200mm VR
Kit 2
Nikon D40
Nikon 18-55mm
My Compact/P&S: Panasonic Lumix TZ7


     
scifitographer's Avatar
scifitographer
Senior Member
scifitographer is offline
scifitographer is Female
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: usa
Posts: 139
Comments/Critique welcome
 
14-05-12, 03:12 PM
#7

Re: Perches - garden bird set up

cool setup.
Kit 1
canon 5D mk II
canon 17-40mm L
canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L
canon 70-200mm f/4 L (non-IS)
canon 100mm macro
canon 100-400mm L
Other Kit
View my profile to see my other kit!
My Compact/P&S: fuji x-pro 1


     
Cakey's Avatar
Cakey
Senior Member
Cakey is offline
Cakey is Male
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: 3rd planet on the left
Posts: 2,418
 
14-05-12, 08:55 PM
#8

Re: Perches - garden bird set up

brilliant read


     
KenTT's Avatar
KenTT
Community Director
KenTT is offline
KenTT is Male
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Buckingham, UK
Posts: 3,363
Comments/Critique welcome You may edit and repost my images but ONLY on this site
 
26-05-12, 12:25 AM
#9

Re: Perches - garden bird set up

I so love this picture Phil, it's such a great statement from your cat:

Kit 1
1DSmkIII & 1DmkIV
Canon EF70-200L f/2.8 IS
Canon EF100L macro f/2.8 IS
Canon EF85L f/1.2 mkII
Canon EF24-105L f/4 IS
Canon EF300L f/2.8 IS
Canon EF17-40L f/4
Other Kit
View my profile to see my other kit!


     
Reply

Top


© Copyright 2008, Yo Photographer   Yo Photographer | Contact Us | Archive | Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Top