Bird Photography Techniques - How to Choose the Best Pose - Does It Make A Difference?

[@tryspenketai]

I picked number 8 :)

[@Duade]

Well done, Cheers, Duade

[@kevins8575]

That was one of the most helpful videos on bird photography I've ever seen! Great comparison shots to pick the best of the best.

[@Duade]

G'day Kevin, thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@Swaggerlot]

Agree with you on the Stilt choice. Yes No. 8 for the Hooded Robin

[@Duade]

G'day, thanks, yes my wife has good taste 😀👍

[@Swaggerlot]

Hang on, I'm only half way through the vid. The Red Cap on the right shows the bird's characteristics. I think a lot comes down to it is the question as to whether it is a photo for a bird recognition book or for viewing pleasure.

[@Duade]

Yes the Red cap in the right shows off the features better, but I like both poses. Just the right one works better for me. Yes you are right, some images just work even if they don't necessarily show all the features. But I do like to showcase the bird to its fullest if I can. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@rajesharma9821]

'Love your Teachings and thanks for including the outtakes. It adds a smile to the end of the session'.

[@Duade]

G'day Rajesh, I'm glad you enjoyed it, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@asifalam223]

Very helpful and enjoyable video... great described my dear friend 👍👍 Best regards

[@Duade]

Thanks Asif, glad you enjoyed it, Cheers, Duade

[@jamesvaneynde4856]

Thanks for The Video so good to see the wild life .

[@Duade]

James, it is my pleasure, Cheers, Duade

[@jamesvaneynde4856]

👍

[@edwardcrawford4180]

Watching and re-watching Duade videos and they are all great. This one was particularly interesting. Thanks.

[@Duade]

Great to hear Edward, nice to hear it was helpful, Cheers, Duade

[@ashfield001]

Very interesting and useful. Thanks for sharing Daude.

[@Duade]

G'day, my pleasure, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@jimmylim8010]

Thank you for the very educational video.

[@Duade]

G'day Jimmy, my pleasure, Cheers, Duade

[@kelvin869]

I got my very first Rainbow Bee Eater last weekend. They are an awesome bird. You have given me some very useful information. Thanks for sharing.

[@Duade]

Kelvin, congrats on the Bee-eater, an amazing bird. Cheers, Duade

[@denisesavage2382]

I was out bush today, and saw some birds playing . . . .all I could think of is, the light won't work, I'm too low, they're too hidden in the branches, and my lens just ain't long enough! And what behaviours are they doing . . .. Hahahaha. And then I thought, bird photographers are amazing people!!!! Take my hat off to what you guys manage to capture.

[@Duade]

Thanks Denise, sometimes we just have to sit back and enjoy nature :-) Cheers, Duade

[@aprillesoonspalmer7987]

Fantastic advice as always! Thank you!

[@Duade]

Aprille, my pleasure, Cheers, Duade

[@DalsPhotography]

Hubby doesn't speak english at all, and with my translation and your comparison photos, he watched till the end. A huge accomplishment for him lol as he is not the main photographer at home. So thank you for providing so useful information in such a good way. Best regards from Uruguay.

[@Duade]

Daniela, it is my pleasure, I am glad you both found it interesting and useful. Cheers, Duade

[@DalsPhotography]

@@Duade

[@Duade]

Yes, I saw that, should be a wonderful kit, hopefully I get to try it one day. Cheers, Duade

[@benjohns9136]

Another brilliant video, thanks Duade. I found it so helpful and will be far more aware of poses from now on!

[@Duade]

Ben, that is great to hear, these rules are not set in stone but they often help create that engaging image. Cheers, Duade

[@fenraven]

We agree on which photos are more attractive. Very interesting video!

[@Duade]

Great to hear Theo, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@wparo]

8:57 words of wisdom to go by "very subtle differences, but they are differences, and they can make a difference". Lol thank you. I appreciate your videos. I am a new subscriber.

[@Duade]

G'day Maher, welcome to the channel, glad it gave you a laugh, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@4gharpure]

Duade, Thank you for the video as it confirmed my approach for choosing my images.

[@Duade]

Thanks Prashant, it's always interesting to see how others do it, so hopefully the video helped a little. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@birddude9822]

Aha I remember the elegant stilt in the Birdlife Photography Competition! Another stunning video!!!

[@Duade]

G'day, great memory, thanks for the comment, Cheers, Duade

[@neelix3k]

Fantastic video, you are a great teacher. Your passion and enthusiasm are inspiring! :)

[@Duade]

Thanks for the feedback, I'm glad you found it helpful, Cheers, Duade

[@charlesamery-behr3153]

Very useful video Duade! I've always struggled to select the best images. The indecision means my drive is cluttered with mediocre photos! Your video was very informative and was very encouraging as my favourites were the same as yours in every case. That gives me confidence that my instinctive choices are reliaable. My next challenge is to get the good compositions to be sharp, rather than the dodgy compostions! Your guidance to take lots of shots will help especially if I can weed out the duds quickly. I've never used burst modes before, so that is another thing I've learnt from your videos. I've been interested more in landscape and general wildlife photos rather than specifically birds. I do love birds, but most of my bird photos have only been of some use for identification purposes. Your videos and your stunning photos have really captured my imagination. I have a Canon R7 and RF 100-500mm on order based on your recommendation, so I can't wait to try out your techniques. Thanks again Duade.

[@Duade]

Congrats Charles on the incoming R7 and RF100-500, a wonderful combo that I am sure will get you lots of nice shots. I appreciate the feedback and wish you all the best with your birding. Cheers, Duade

[@tonyclark1504]

Another very informative video Duade - Thankyou

[@Duade]

Thanks for the ongoing support, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@bastienpesenti555]

Great video, very helpful!

[@Duade]

Bastien, I am glad it was helpful, Cheers, Duade

[@varnaamarasinghe9489]

Great pictures and thank you for your explanation of your thinking and pointers. Enjoyed the video immensely. Thank you.

[@Duade]

Thanks Varna, glad to hear you enjoyed it, Cheers, Duade

[@ammadoux]

beautiful video, a great help. thanks so much.

[@Duade]

It is my pleasure, Cheers, Duade

[@oldchannel3882]

thanks so much for this great video about bird poses in photos. I cant wait to get creative and find some really good poses for my photos!👍

[@Duade]

Great to hear, good luck, Cheers, Duade

[@vacanechaser]

that sandpiper image is simply incredible... great lessons here.. thank you for the great work

[@Duade]

Thanks Jesse, yes it is one of my favourites, a very memorable morning. Cheers, Duade

[@manojpathiravasam852]

Excellent and very informative

[@Duade]

Thanks Manoj, Cheers, Duade

[@rafalkonieczny]

All pictures you show are great. For the first set I preferred when birds looked away from each other, like they had a flight before the picture was taken. It adds layer of storytelling to that image.

[@Duade]

Thanks Rafal, yes, I guess it does add a layer of interest. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@manashgonewild]

Very nicely covered duade 👍

[@Duade]

Thanks Manash, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@wayneashton]

I really liked the sleeping birdshot, great vlog! :)

[@Duade]

Thanks Wayne, yes I like that one also. Cheers, Duade

[@juliewilson8178]

I am loving your videos Duade! I have recently developed a passion for bird photography and have been absorbing as much information as I possibly can, as quickly as I can. I hope to achieve some pleasing results.

[@Duade]

G'day Julie, that is wonderful to hear, there are so many benefits to birding and it's always nice to hear when others get excited by it also. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@peterf9689]

Great video with very good guidance and advise thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences. Thank you 😊

[@Duade]

G'day Peter, my pleasure, its often an overlooked aspect of photography but can have big impacts, Cheers, Duade

[@jeffbrown4743]

Good content aided by a relaxed presentation style - very enjoyable and watchable , thanks for posting.

[@Duade]

Thanks for the feedback Jeff, I appreciate it. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@EsTher.-Zeee]

with the black winged stilt i am like your wife, number three was instantly my choice, because it looks like a ballerina posing😉🥰 i am thrilled i found you here, i haven’t done much bird-photography. here in switzerland there are not that many colourful birds like in australia. thank you for sharing your skills 🙏💖👍🏼

[@Duade]

Thank you for your comment, my wife always knows best. Cheers, Duade

[@pseudophotog]

Appreciate this critical review of eye contact, head angle, and posture. This is something I think about already, but breaking it down like this will certainly be helpful going forward - Many thanks

[@Duade]

it is my pleasure, these are not fixed rules but it helps to be aware of what eye contact is. Cheers, Duade

[@parsegov1]

Duade, you are the man! I love your videos!

[@Duade]

Thanks for the feedback, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@pauldlewis3138]

You have given us a lot of useful information in this vlog, I just need to try and put it in practice now ..

[@Duade]

Thanks for the comment Paul, good luck, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@esphilee]

Beautiful photos.

[@Duade]

Thank you, Cheers, Duade

[@daztography1]

Great video duade.

[@Duade]

Thanks Darren, Cheers, Duade

[@mikecarlton1486]

It was #8 for me of the Hooded Robin.

[@Duade]

Thanks Mike, yes that was a nice shot, Cheers, Duade

[@mikecarlton1486]

@@Duade I seemed to be on the same page as you on all of them. Nice work all!

[@aaronlamb7992]

Number eight was my choice too.

[@Duade]

Thanks Aaron, great to hear, Cheers, Duade

[@TaiwanisMoving]

I have a possibly dumb question, but one that might even give rise to a useful video for beginners. When you first showed the two pairs of bee-eaters, I didn't think that any of the birds were looking at your camera. I've been operating under the assumption if the pupil is in the center of the iris (or sciera? do birds have that, the white portion of our eyes?) that it is looking at you based on the angle. I often times see birds with their bills pointed directly at me who are seemingly looking at me, but I just can't tell. I would love some advice on what each eye/head position means in terms of quality of shot and behavior it might indicate (such as it is about to fly off, or it is watching you ready to fly off, or it is just curious) etc. Brilliant content as usual Duade!

[@Duade]

great question and it is hard to know, generally if I look at a photo I can sense if the bird is looking at the camera, sometimes it is hard to tell. I generally find if the bill is slightly turned towards us the bird will usually have pleasing eye contact. This is not a hard rule but it helps me. Cheers, Duade

[@TaiwanisMoving]

@@Duade Thanks so much for the answer!

[@__-bk6mm]

It is very interesting while I absolutely agree about the point being made around 2:48 about the image on the left being the better one, I do find myself intrigued by the sort of comically "lover's tiff" vibe of the image on the right.

[@Duade]

Thanks, you are not the first to say that which is interesting, sometimes behaviour can be a lot more interesting and we all like different things which is great. Cheers, Duade

[@__-bk6mm]

@@Duade You know I wonder if it is more a case of when you have two images like this, if it is the context the image would be used in that would decide which one you might go for.

[@kalyandeepray]

On their own, I think all of them are strong images. I agree with the tip on increasing the number of shots, as often I have found that images I like as final keeper are some I did not think too highly of in the field. Thanks for the thoughts as always.

[@Duade]

Thanks Kaylan, yes it's the beauty of digital that we can take lots of shots. It is always a bonus to discover shots you didn't know you had. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@tomsmyth7252]

Great video. Just one thought about the bee eaters at about the 2 minute mark. There is a certain tension between the two birds on the right hand photo. It is as if they are disagreeing about anything from which way they should look to whose turn it is to clean the nest. I enjoy that tension over the perfect harmony of the other. I do like the photo on the left almost (but not quite) as much however.

[@Duade]

Tom, thanks for the feedback and I totally agree with you, I can be a bit pedantic at times and miss these interesting shots. Cheers, Duade

[@stans6582]

good stuff, Duade...........thanks

[@Duade]

G'day Stan, my pleasure, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@bruceterrill8730]

Hey Duade, We have very similar tastes in our bird photography, I fear becoming a nuisance 'fan' boy . ;-) Congrats on another splendid presentation. . . Great to see the web-site up and running, good luck with the support. . . Bruce

[@Duade]

Thanks Bruce, I appreciate the ongoing support. Definitely not a nuisance, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@digitaliq3827]

Hi.. thanks a ton for sharing these really priceless experiences. You said you check the images on your camera first. At what magnification level you check them? I often find that what appears sharp on my camera LCD turns out to be little blurry on the edges when I get them on my computer! could you help please.

[@Duade]

I zoom in to 100%, the R5 LCD is very good so if its sharp on there its usually sharp on the PC also. You may have sharpness turned up on the camera jpeg preview for the LCD which may make it look a little different to the PC. Cheers, Duade

[@WalkForFreedomOz]

I had my money on #5 and #8. Love the variation in your vlogs and well explained. Keep up the great work. 👍

[@Duade]

G'day Justin, thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. Cheers, Duade

[@manbahadurkhattri8156]

Great photographer well presented !!!

[@Duade]

Thanks Man, I appreciate the feedback, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@JavierMorenoX]

Fantastic overview of this amazing topic (at least for me). Love the way you have cover the different aspects.

[@Duade]

G'day Javier, thank you very much for the feedback, I appreciate it. Cheers, Duade

[@arupian666]

2:25... I actually like the image on the right... the image on the left looks like the photographer has yelled "HEY ! OVER HERE" and seems more "manufactured" (although, obviously it's not, it's just timing) whereas the poses of the birds on the right seems more natural, they almost seem more relaxed.

[@Duade]

Thanks for that, many people share your opinion which is great, It is always interesting to see what people like. Cheers, Duade

[@gerards5858]

I really enjoyed this video. No. 8

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, I learnt from the best :-)

[@francoisherrerajacquelin3749]

Very usefull info. I really think your bird photography videos are the best on youtube, and you have lots of stuning images to back up your recommendations! (most reviewers are lame photographers). Thanks for sharing the info for the pictures. I was wondering what telephoto lens to choose without the crazy expense and the 400 f 5.6 seems a good deal. Your pictures with this lens have pro quality and most of your 500 mm f4 lens pictures where taken with an aperture above 5.6!!!

[@Duade]

Thanks Francois, I appreciate your feedback. Yes, the 400 5.6 is a great affordable option, the Nikon 200-500 is also good and the Sony 200-600. The latest Canon 100-400 is also a very good option. I havent used the latest Tamron or Sigma 600 zooms but plenty of people have those also. Cheers, Duade

[@todspencer3797]

More good advice. In terms of eye contact I also like when it’s clear what the bird is focusing on (if it’s not the camera) like another bird, food or prey, especially when it’s a pair of birds interacting with each other. Although I must say I really liked the two bee-eaters looking away from each other for some reason...

[@Duade]

Thanks Tod, yes, I agree with you, interesting re the Bee-eaters, it does look like they have had an argument and it is a little different. But it is always interesting to see the differences on what people like. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Duade

[@Bassbarbie]

loved this, thank you. New subscriber :)

[@Duade]

Thank you, welcome and thanks for the sub. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@welovelouella1718]

Hi Duade, interesting that you will discount images from the back of the camera. I always need to see them first on a bigger screen before starting the elimination process. Another thing I’ve recently considered will be investing in higher quality SD cards- with a faster write rate which I hope will help with the buffering when shooting in burst mode. Really enjoyed this vlog, another thoughtful topic, always great content well explained- thankyou!

[@Duade]

G'day, I zoom in to 100% on the back of the camera and can tell if it has the eye contact and sharpness I need, I could do it on the computer but I find it quicker to rate images on the camera itself and then import into Lightroom, I then sort by rating and my best images go straight to the top. I then delete all the images that do not have a star rating from within Lightroom with 1 click. I actually really enjoy the process of reviewing the images on the camera, I make a cuppa and quickly go through them. The buffer sure is a pain on the older Canon bodies and I look forward to one day moving to a camera that can take more than 20 without slowing down. Cheers, Duade

[@wouterknaepen6110]

That stilt is amazing, good thing your wife passed by! The songbird: yes, number eight was the one I chose, almost instantly. The bee-eaters, I slightly disagree. Yes, there's a slightly better connection with the bird in the 3rd picture, but I like te composition better from the 2nd, that beak is truly wonderful.

[@Duade]

Thanks Wouter, I appreciate the feedback and always interesting to hear others thoughts. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@woodygreen6826]

I agreed with everything you had to say, and remembering these points can help you to get the shots you are hoping for when you are in the field. Of course, the birds need to cooperate, as well. :) Many are the hours I have waited for a perched bird to do something interesting, to move into better light or where there are no obstructions, and to strike the right pose. But, that's what it's all about, isn't it?

[@Duade]

Thanks Woody, agree with you totally. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@erkkisiekkinen286]

Hello again from Finland. We have other kind of problems. We have enough water ,but the winters are severe - at least this year and Ive been feeding birds near my home the during whole winter.For some small birds I put food on the ground because they cannot eat on feeders.The problem is - deers are also hungry and every night they eat all the food on the ground. But still I enjoy all this and like photograph with my R6 and the other Canon gear.

[@Duade]

Erkki, yes it would be hard when there is ample water around. It sounds like very difficult conditions that you shoot in. One day I would love to visit up your way for the waders in breeding plumage. Cheers, Duade

[@jackstutts6439]

That was an excellent discussion with useful tips on selecting the strongest images in a set. I was surprised you didn't mention how some knowledge of bird behavior helps in anticipating when to fire the shutter. I think that keeps the number of throwaways down and speeds up post so one can spend more time in the field.

[@Duade]

Thanks Jack, great point, you are bang on, bird often follow similar patterns such as ducks flapping before flying, many plovers will stretch their wings before moving etc. Cheers, Duade

[@timburgess2417]

Bro very well covered and in depth video. The pre preparation for this must have been insane I'd have just given up 😂😵

[@Duade]

Thanks Tim, yes a bit of preparation goes into it so I know what images to talk about. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@11zekim]

#8, didn't look twice at any other frame. This video is utterly on point, Duade, subject engagement is the key to an effective image. But there's a hidden tension here. As naturalists we're bound by duty to minimize our influence on innate behavior, but as humans we (and our viewers) crave engagement. Best shot if the subject is not just apparently, but ACTUALLY looking at the camera! Seems a slippery slope; at what point do we become unruly kids shouting at animals to attract their attention?

[@Duade]

G'day, thanks for your comment and interesting to hear you had the connection with #8 as I also did. You raise an interesting question, and it comes down to common sense and your personal ethics. There are a lot of tame birds in parks and lakes that see humans every day and we pose little threat to them and as such they make great photographic subjects. Many times, I have been laying in the mud and the birds come too close and I have to wait for them to move away. If you are yelling at birds and disturbing them then perhaps bird photography is not for you. Cheers, Duade

[@ranabdctg]

nice work

[@Duade]

Thank you, Cheers, Duade

[@gejohn2]

I would say nr 6

[@gejohn2]

And nr 2 on the 3 next birds

[@Duade]

Thanks for your comment, Cheers, Duade

[@Tinfoilnation]

I rate in the field as well. My Sony (and I suspect most camera brands) can be configured to link the zoom button during image review to the focus point that was used. I use that to rate images after taking bursts. It sounds like a lot of work but it actually saves so much time later when you have a hundred images of similar poses to go through on the computer. When I hit that zoom button... *1 star* = something on the subject was chosen as the focus point or the pose/behavior captured is really good. *2 star* = the subject's head and eye are very close to the focus point, but not the selected focus point. *3 star* = the eye *is* the focus point. If I hit zoom and all I see is an eyeball on the LCD... *Winner Winner Chicken Dinner*

[@Duade]

G'day great to hear, I'm not sure if the Canons zoom to the focus point, that would be handy, I will look it up. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@rakinkhan6956]

Another Hit video 🔥

[@Duade]

Thanks Rakin, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@rmgwheelsspokeslab.7767]

I was always obsessioned about aproaching a lot to the subject, so I wished to have a super zoom or even a telescope. But since some time ago I feel some kind of boring a portrait of a bird filling the frame. Now it says almost "nothing" to me. Now I love having the subject with its surrounding, the composition, the real environment, what makes the difference between photos. I get much more information, not just about the subject but the place I use to photograph. Regards from Spain.

[@Duade]

Thanks for your comment and thoughts about your evolution as a photographer. Yes getting the balance of habitat and the bird is important. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@jrnmiranda1]

I find your comments very interesting. 👍🤔👌

[@Duade]

Thanks for the comment Jose, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@JoeMaranophotography]

In the video thumbnail shot 3. With that said as an amateur I prefer to preserve my shutter count and not take thousands of shots in the field. At the end of the day with very few people buying my images it really matters little unless you can recoup that cost :)

[@Duade]

Thanks Joe, the shutter life is pretty high on most cameras and I have never worn out a shutter yet. In a good session I can take over 1000 photos but the majority of the time it is a few hundred. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@JoeMaranophotography]

@@Duade Ah cool. I hear so many times the words "I shot thousands of images" that I feel the odd one out most times! Glad it's not always! :)

[@jan_wegener]

Funny, I was instantly drawn to 6 & 8, hardly noticed the other images

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, yeah they do stand out. Cheers, Duade

[@AYowiesPerspective]

i went straight to 6 and 8 too

[@Vacublaster1]

The left-hand image of the Rainbow Bee Eaters is the best pose but the fact it is leaning to the left compared to the right image is irritating which is why we never view two images together. Had I only seen the left image it wouldn't have mattered but, because we have seen both we can see the difference.

[@Duade]

Thanks for your feedback, yes it can be very subjective and shows it can be difficult to pick the "best" shot from a selection. Cheers, Duade

[@paulsicurello2333]

I agree, but I would think it was hit or miss since you can't pose them you have to Waite for them to pose themselves, Would that be correct.

[@Duade]

Paul, yes you will often miss the ideal shot, that is what makes it interesting and keeps us coming back. We will always get something different each time. Cheers, Duade

[@KT97379]

I also picked 8 😄

[@Duade]

Well done KT glad you liked that image. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@GloryAndy]

Is your tips also helpful for other animals other than birds ? 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing 🤗

[@Duade]

G'day Andy, yes definitely works for animals as well. Cheers, Duade

[@thebirdschannel2811]

My shortlist was 5689 but final was 6 8 with 8 to be the winning pose

[@Duade]

Vasos, great to hear you engaged with the video. Cheers, Duade

[@philipculbertson55]

I don't ever assign star ratings in camera because I've not found a way to make Lightroom import the star. Have you found a way to do that? In my opinion, that is a flaw in Lightroom that Adobe could easily fix but they haven't.

[@Duade]

Philip, if its Canon it should bring it through, I don't do anything else and lightroom shows the stars when I sort by star rating in the library view. I believe software such as photo mechanic and others allow the rating after as well. Cheers, Duade

[@murphy1334]

14:52 Where did the left leg of the left bird go?

[@Duade]

Murphy, the left bird has been cut and pasted from another photo for demonstration purposes. Here is the original image. Cheers, Duade photos.duadepaton.com/Birds/Robins/Redcapped-Robin/i-nHfskZc/A

[@mremumerm]

watching through. Surprise one element of the first set of Bee-eater is not mentioned, you saying it's the same perch, but i see a major difference on it's position. My first instinct would actually have been to prefer the contrasting direction of the birds on the right image however the beak of the one on the left in the pair being lower than the top of branch creating a closed space takes me away from it, i feel had they been in same perch position as the other image, creating openness from beak to edge, it would have been a more interesting contest.

[@Duade]

G'day Jean, thanks for your detailed comment, it is always interesting to hear how others look at an image. Yes, the bird position on the perch is different and likely is one of the reasons I prefer one image over the other. I guess it also demonstrates that photography is very subjective, and we all have different tastes which is great. Cheers, Duade

[@nettayaw2231]

There are several photos you chose that I differ , like birds looking at different directions like it creates a conversation: they just don’t see eye to eye😜

[@Duade]

Nettaya, yes, many others like this photo and my opinion has changed over time, I like it also. Cheers, Duade

[@ammadoux]

LOL also pick no 8 of the hooded warbler.

[@Duade]

Great to hear, a lovely bird, Cheers, Duade

[@craigsteele5661]

Hi Duane looking at the first photo in this video you say that yourself and most people would prefer the image on the left ,as both birds are facing the same way , however i, prefer the image on the right because you can put as many stories to the pose as you like .being back to back ,the birds could have had a disagreement . (get my drift ) .ps i really enjoy your videos ,and i hope you are well now.

[@Duade]

Thanks Craig, you are not the first person who has mentioned this and I must admit I got it wrong. I think this just shows how we all like different things. Cheers, Duade

[@craigsteele5661]

@@Duade Hi Dude thanks for the reply. don't get me wrong ,i also like the isolated bird shots ,however showing different character poses and more habitat ,relates more to the subjects in their natural world. keep up the great videos.

[@TinthiaClemant]

Or is it the fact that the bird is so damn cute. 😜 thank you for another great video. The problem I’m now having is I’m spending too much time adjusting the camera (I’m trying to work more in manual mode) and the bird is long gone. 😞

[@Duade]

Yes, it can be tricky adjusting settings for sure. I usually try to dial in the settings before the bird arrives. It is a little easier with mirrorless as we have live exposure in the viewfinder. Cheers, Duade

[@TinthiaClemant]

@@Duade 😊

[@canadianmohawk]

As in any portrait, people will look at a photo longer if the subject isn't staring back at them.

[@Duade]

Thanks, Bradd, an interesting observation, I personally prefer direct eye contact with birds but appreciate your point of view. Cheers, Duade

[@kenhuang3820]

Which park is this?

[@Duade]

Ken, sorry which park were you referring too? Cheers, Duade

[@kenhuang3820]

@@Duade Thanks for getting back to me I am referring to this park showing in the video or all the birdshot where would you recommend a good place to find nice birds besides IBIS and noisy miners

[@letsfindout6587]

Is 20 mp good enough?

[@Duade]

G'day, yes you will get nice images with 20mp, Cheers, Duade 👍

[@abhignansai8313]

First!

[@Duade]

Thanks Abhignan, I hope you enjoy the video. Cheers, Duade

[@dimitristsagdis7340]

I notice the vast majority of images is 500+1.4x. You must be happy with this combo.

[@Duade]

Gday Dimitris, yes it works very well for me, I would love a 600 f4 but far too expensive. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@dimitristsagdis7340]

Duade Paton Tnx, I’m pondering this for my own use. The 600 is crazy money. But money aside it is also 10 cm longer (with the hod the difference becomes larger). For me this is a major issue both for flights / able to take in cabin cause that 10 cm extra puts you outside the cabin luggage dimensions and also when shooting from inside a vehicle from the driver seat these extra 10 cm make a lot more awkward to move around the lens inside the car/steering wheel(esp. with the hood on). So I’m favouring the 500mm. However adding the 1.4x adds 10cm so less good for inside the car (although the 500 has a ‘shorter’ hood so still some benefit) but for air travel it is still a major plus. Obviously I look at your pictures and IQ is good so IQ doesn’t take much of a hit with the 1.4x. I also know this from my own lenses with the 1.4x. What I do not know is how much of a hit AF speed n accuracy takes for moving subjects with the 500+1.4x cause my lenses do become less AF capable with the 1.4x on moving subjects. I’m sure it is down to my bodies too. But even reports from the new R5 suggest that AF on moving subjects with extenders does take a hit. I’m planning of ordering the R5 and it is only for fast n accurate AF reasons on moving subjects I’m considering the 600 (so to avoid the slow down caused by the 1.4x) and would also like to try the 800 f/11. On the other hand given the higher MP of the R5 maybe for moving subjects one can get away with the 500 on its own and just crop more aggressively. Any opinions/ Your lights would be appreciated. Tnx in advance.

[@Duade]

@@dimitristsagdis7340 G'day, yes, the size is a big issue, the 600 is not a lens you can hand hold easily for long periods. And yes, not very flexible in a car etc. Really it is a tripod mounted lens. I believe in the long run Canon will make 600500/ f4 DO RF lenses which will be far lighter and maybe shorter than existing lenses. I just have to get closer with the 500 to get the similar IQ to the 600. Good luck with your choice. Cheers, Duade

[@dimitristsagdis7340]

@@Duade Tnx

[@GoranKbh]

Great and very usable video, but where are those paintings at kzbin.info/www/bejne/j53OdJWDj9eLaqc from?

[@Duade]

if you google Plate 17. From the book: A history of the birds of New Zealand Vol. 1 that is where it is, I believe it is out of copyright now. Cheers, Duade