How to Get Close to Birds | Tips and Tricks | Bird Photography

[@markharris5771]

When I was a kid we used to see who could get the closest to a peewit's nest without disturbing the bird. Not something I would now approve of, but it taught us some fieldcraft. There is a difference between birdwatching and bird seeing, watching involves learning something about the bird and their behaviours. Seeing is "Hey look at that bird over there, the little brown one." I said earlier on one of Trond's videos that he, Morten and yourself put the animal's welfare first and then you really study your subject. I have my 7DII on auto ISO on a couple of my saved settings but it is capped at 3200 and that’s mainly for memories, like the first wild beaver I saw in Scotland. It was about 200 meters away in first light, but I saw it and have the photograph to prove it...if you’ve got good eyesight that is. I’ve been sat on my mobility scooter with a gun coat over me (I don’t shoot, it’s long story why I bought it but it’s the best coat I’ve owned). I had roe deer about 3 feet away from me looking at me trying to work out what I was. Unfortunately the light was too low for the 7DII and I couldn’t get my 5DII without losing the moment. So I was at least a stop down on every shot. Spot the photographer...he/she complains about sunshine on their holiday! A great video as always, thanks for posting.

[@EspenHelland]

Cheers Mark! It's great to have that curiousity about the natural world 👌🏻 yeah I've had the limit at 3200 as well, though I've had some success with higher, but quite grainy. Though like you said, it's nice to have that photo of the memory even if you need good eyesight 😅 I need to get myself a full frame at some point.

[@revon0521]

Know your birds; they'll come to you. Exactly!

[@EspenHelland]

revon0521 👊 😁

[@EvigPoesi]

A very good one. This is how it is done!

[@EmoEmu]

This is the sort of camo I can get behind! Pick a nice chair and sit behind a sheet with a cold one. ;)

[@robgerety]

Nice video. Lots of good advice. It reminds me of a common approach to fly fishing for trout. Sit back and watch - they will reveal themselves.

[@TheClosedpalm]

Very nice results. Though I doubt the camo did much. Just sitting still in the chair for long enough would get the same result. The camo wouldnt hide you pale skin or different colored shirt from the birds if you moved.

[@EspenHelland]

GippslandBirds thanks! Maybe, though different birds may react differently. I think the camo makes a patchwork out of my skin so that I can move about a bit more that if was sitting in the open.

[@usernamemykel]

In portraiture, the "diagonal view" is referred to as a "3/4" view,. I also have the Canon 7D Mk II and the L series EF 400 5.6 lens and LOVE the combination!!

[@subhakhowai]

Beautiful tutorial...

[@EspenHelland]

Thank you so much 😊

[@Harmonrok]

Great Vlog again Espen, superb final image.

[@EspenHelland]

Thank you very much Shaun :)

[@tomdullage1531]

Great advice and lovely pictures, thanks Espen.

[@EspenHelland]

Thank you very much Tom!

[@bestpix100]

Great work Espen, very informative.

[@EspenHelland]

Bestpix photography thank you very much!

[@liazubanov8404]

I am still a kid and I don’t have proper gear. But my family lives in Werribee South so we have quite a bit of land. And it is beautiful, unfortunately I can’t capture much only having a iPad. Can you do a video on how to actually take photos without proper cameras and gear...

[@EspenHelland]

Check out this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXWui56sqrCai5Y

[@touchedbynature5445]

Enjoyable video and very helpful, Many Thanks Espen.

[@EspenHelland]

Thank you very much Paul. Appreciate it!

[@russellwebb3672]

Hi, found the hardest part of trying to photograph birds in Greece where I live is they don't seem to no what a bird feeder is for, hung one out for a year with mixed seed and never once saw a bird anywhere near it. The other problem we have in the Med is the heat, in summer time you just don't see that many birds apart from sparrows and ring neck doves along with the crows and sitting for hours in hope in 70deg plus heat and getting harassed by bugs big and small is not a lot of fun. Thanks for another worth watching video with good explainations on what you are doing. Russ.

[@EspenHelland]

Cheers Russ! Yes, frustrating when birds don't do what you want them too 😅 I think a bird bath would work better in the heat or go to places where there's freshwater, like rivers and ponds.

[@fishingriverswildlife9621]

Great video, very helpful info thank you 🐦📹🐦📹🐦👍

[@EspenHelland]

Fishing Rivers /Wildlife cheers 🙂

[@paulinefollett3099]

Very good results Espen. Your videos are practical and informative.

[@EspenHelland]

Thanks for that Pauline 🙂

[@GingerPhotographer]

Great info, tips! - Thank you for sharing.

[@EspenHelland]

Ginger Photographer thanks man!

[@cillyede]

Very interesting again, danke.

[@EspenHelland]

Thank you :)

[@madhatter42o]

Dude..i just quadrupled up on my camo for falcons.

[@GeoffCooper]

Nice - definitely a place for a camo net rather than any kind of ghille suit or other warm garment!!

[@EspenHelland]

Cheers Geoff! Yes, nice to sit in a breeze like that. I would have been roasting in a hide or the ghillie suit!

[@22035]

Hi Espen, great videos, been watching for about a year now. I have the Conon 100 400 also but I'm using a 750D. I don't know anyone else that uses the same as I do but I was thinking of an upgrade. Budget would be around £1000. Thanks 😀

[@EspenHelland]

Hmm, the 100-400 is great, is it the Markii? Maybe a 90D or 7Dii?

[@22035]

@@EspenHelland yea it is and I'm amazed with it. I've used the 7d mkll before and I did love the performance and pixel size so was thinking about it. Never tried the 90d but told good things. Ha e you tried it? Was wondering about lowlight performance with all them pixels.

[@EspenHelland]

@@22035 not tried the 90D just heard good things. If you’re mostly wanting to improve low light capabilities you’re probably better to go for a used full frame camera.

[@22035]

@@EspenHelland some things to think about. I do like the extra reach though. Thanks for the advice 🤔😁

[@22035]

Update. I've bought the 90D 😁

[@michelekutner4229]

Love your videos! Great Tattoo! Thank you

[@EspenHelland]

Thanks Michele 🙂

[@danieljohnston5306]

Espen the bird herder!! 👍👍👍👍. Would a portable background hanger for portraits work to hang your camo on and sit behind? Guess maybe a hide would just be easier anyway.

[@EspenHelland]

Daniel Johnston maybe, but in this heat I was glad to sit outside 😁

[@CJamesPhoto]

Great stuff man! funny enough i have a fly catcher living just outside my door, very cute birds :)

[@EspenHelland]

Thanks man! That's a great one to get outside your door!

[@JohnFormstone]

Thanks for the tips Espen. Hope the heat hasn't been too much, the forecast for where you are has had temperatures in the 40's. 😎

[@EspenHelland]

Thanks John :) It's hot, but I don't think we have the worst of it. Besides, we're lucky and have a pool to cool off whenever it's needed 😃

[@marcinstolarek8222]

Hi Espen. I should blame you for buying new lenses and the camera, getting up early, wandering in the mud in the swamps, crawling on the ground and I will... So thank you for your channel :D:D:D

[@EspenHelland]

🤣🤣🤣 I'll take that Marcin 👍🏻 #sorrynotsorry thanks!

[@DiviPhotos]

Cool

[@Falkenroth1]

Birds will be skittish just having the blind up. They notice environment changes. If it hung up for a few more days it would be business as usual at the watering hole. Thumbs up

[@sunilrahut4616]

best

[@Trigger-xw9gq]

For all of that time & effort, why not sprinkle some bird seed around the area the day (or days) prior to that day of nice diffused light? I suggest that things would have been much more productive that way, instead of sitting for hours waiting for the off-chance that a bird appears. Just sayin'

[@EspenHelland]

C F that can work too, but maybe not for a flycatcher. Depends a bit what you're trying to achieve, I quite like capturing birds in their environment, but I'm not completely adverse to sprinkle some bird seeds to capture them on the ground as well. Good tip 👍🏻

[@Trigger-xw9gq]

@@EspenHelland I didn't mean to capture them on the ground (that doesn't look very good), what the seed does is bring them in to the general area, and they will perch in earnest.

[@EspenHelland]

C F yes, it's a good strategy 👍🏻

[@usernamemykel]

Flycatchers eat insects, not seeds. Otherwise, they'd be named "Seedeaters".

[@101hook]

👍

[@forsterl.stewart414]

Behind a camo net yet no real tree camo clothes....👌 That's funny.

[@hemakhattar5764]

but anyway good presentation

[@hemakhattar5764]

how much does he talk?

[@usernamemykel]

Birds don't talk, they tweet.