Photography Tip For The Week !

When shooting birds, always use a flash. Birds are very small and even with a strong telephoto lens, it can be difficult to pick up details of the subject. Birds tend to hide even though it may look like they are in the open, so a flash will eliminate possible shadows being cast over the bird by leaves, tree limbs etc. Almost all birds have some sort of distinctive color that will only be noticed in good light. Many times, the feathers have a luminescence or reflective color that comes out in bright light or from a certain angle. One example of this would be the bright red throat of the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. The use of a flash also serves to liven up the eyes. On overcast days or in lower light situations, the eyes of a bird will appear completely dark in a resulting photo. This gives an unrealistic look of the subject. A flash will usually result in a small white area in the eye showing light reflection and you will be amazed by how much this will liven up your photo.

J. Kline