Episode Four: Backgrounds - critical elements of a great wildlife photograph

[@anorak211]

In club competitions a bird photo is often called "just a bird on a stick" and poorly received by judges. How do you get photos of birds displaying some sort of character?

[@tarjei99]

You can also use burlap, cheap curtains, shower curtains, etc as backgrounds.

[@roycejohnson929]

Great tips and tricks, thanks now for some decent weather to try them out ! Cheers from New Zealand

[@runefagereng6023]

I like your videos. Looking forward to more. The free fact sheets is great as well.

[@juanverhelst871]

Fantastic tips to workout the backgrounds! Thanks! 👍🏼

[@a.beckwith4576]

Terrific, great examples and explanations. Thankyou, more please.

[@MrTitusDenis]

Very nice presentation. Wish this was uploaded couple of years ago.

[@steffenalbrecht5306]

Thanks a lot for your very interesting Videos. Much appreciated. Pictures and presentation are great, audio could be better. Best regards. Steffen

[@cristinacanivanovallejo6170]

Very useful. Thank you!

[@phuongbang8031]

Good. Thank you for sharing❤️

[@gutsbadguy50]

Very informative

[@markl1967]

I’m loving these short films.

[@JohnHPettigrewFujishooter67]

Enjoyed this one thanks for sharing.

[@suecollins3246]

Somebody hung up a huge piece of brown hessian as a background. He got _lovely_ photos.

[@tilikumtim5562]

Novice question, how are these shots taken at night? like the ones at 4:43 and 8:53. What's the light source shining at the bird?

[@Derbyshire_bird_tours]

Some great advice, thank you Mark. I was just about to jump on my high horse & then you beat me to it. Rules can be broken.

Nice video, Like 108 and Bye from Italy :)

[@stephanandersen7643]

i have seen all 4 episodes, nice video but the audio, when you are talking are lousy, it must be possible for BBC to do better :)

[@bbcwildlifemagazine9367]

Glad you're enjoying the videos. BBC Wildlife is not a BBC TV production, but a print magazine and website run by a small editorial team so we don't have quite the same set-up or budget for video production, however we will be working on audio for upcoming series to make the experience even better.

[@suecollins3246]

What's wrong with it?

[@paulmitchell5693]

I think the handheld bird is a juvenile dunnock, not a robin.

[@markcarwardine1838]

Hi Paul. Oops - yes, you're right! I always get confused by juv robins and dunnocks. Thanks for letting me know - I'll correct it in the film in the next few days. Cheers, Mark

[@tarjei99]

The clean bacgrounds ended up as boring images.

[@SubramanyaSarma44]

I think the title be more precise like Bird Photography instead of Wildlife photography. There is no wildlife in this clip.

[@russellwebb3672]

Hi, I am guessing that the video is aimed at novice or slightly above? If so why and not just yourself but a great majority of presenters of this type of video always suggest when talking about equipment (in this case the lens) shooting at the lowest aperture (F4 on this one) and at 600mm, it is OK if you you can afford this type of equipment, Canon 300mm F4 approx £1370, going higher in focal length 500mm F4 £9950+ in reality the only way an a novice or amateur can afford the 500/600mm lens (and lets be honest here) you really do need something in that range to get close unless you are in a hide or on a crop sensor, the better option must be to buy something like the Tamron 150-600mm and at 600mm I believe that gives you F6.3 (1&3rd stops up from F4) the Tamron was only an example. Just my opinion thank you for the video.

[@PhotosPAC]

Maybe I missed the line about 600mm but, depending on how approachable your subject is, some of these are totally achievable on 100mm (e.g. ducks, garden birds) and certainly with a zoom less than 300mm. As Mark says, the distances between you-subject-background is the key thing, and also getting lower to the ground helps to blur/soften the foreground and background. Although my longest lens is a 400mm, so a bit more pricey (half the price of a 600mm though!), I actually often shoot at 100mm or 200mm with more approachable animals, and good fieldcraft in approaching animals helps too.

[@sh8736]

Agreed 10k of glass helps, but agree with the presenter one can look for a less cluttered background, or cheaper still than a big lens get good at doing a cut out in post and putting in some thing neutral behind....