Bird photography is a favourite hobby.  Out and about, enjoying nature, observing and learning about different species… what’s there not to like!  But over the past few weeks bird related activities have intensified. Spurred along by various friends, I have been working on multiple projects.

Article: “A Passion for Birds”

This is an article for the photography magazine Dynamic Range, dealing with basic techniques to get those elusive bird shots.  Reflecting on the ‘how to’ has been a good reminder of the ABC of bird photography. I was thrilled when Editor Leanne Cole accepted the article and a selection of images for publication in the 6^th issue of this digital magazine. Click on the cygnet for the PDF. You can also find the article on our Published Page, in the Amazing Experiences section. We encourage you to purchase your copy of the issue as it features some inspiring work by clicking on the Dynamic Range badge in the margin.

Photobook: “Out with the Birds”

Nice images of feathered friends don’t get to be seen when they stay on our computer drives.  So assembling a coffee table book of favourite photographs taken over the past two years has been a fantastic project and will make a lovely gift for my family. I even went to the trouble of translating it all into French, a real challenge when it comes to finding the correct bird names!

It has been great fun to select images from hundreds of photos, decide on the book layout, chapter organisation and artwork. It combined a love of bird watching, with some writing, artistic Photoshop play and investigation of publishing options. I wish I could have had the book professionally published, but in the end the cost of going down that track was too prohibitive. Instead I opted to compile a photo book through Albumworks – not a cheap unit price, but I don’t have to worry about sales and it is a personal project anyway.  A nice feature with this company is that they offer an album share facility which lets you see an online version on your laptop, smart phone or tablet. So click on the birdie for the link, which you can also find on our Published Page in the Amazing Experiences section.  Enjoy, and of course you can order your own copy if you are so inclined.

Web Activity

Being more active with posting bird images on various online platforms is a great way to see what other photographers are doing, and get some inspiration as well as some exposure. So I have been a little more disciplined with posting bird photos on:

– The Bird Photographer’s Network, a Facebook group

– Birdlife Australia’s Photography website – http://birdlifephotography.org.au

– Instagram – @out.with.the.birds

This flurry of activity has been very rewarding, if a bit obsessive. It has led me to reflect on what makes a good bird image and what I need to do to continue learning and getting better.  So we invite you to click on the article, photobook and web links to check these out. Let me know what you think!