Pro BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER SHARES HER SECRET TIPS with me

In this beginners guide to Bird Photography I visit one of the most amazing bird cliffs in the UK
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NIKON GEAR (Main STILLS camera)
Current landscape camera - Nikon Z7 - geni.us/nikonz7
Awesome telephoto lens - Nikon 70-200m f/2.8 - geni.us/nikon70200
Great ultra-wide angle lens - Nikon 14-30mm f/4 - geni.us/1430mm
Hiking mid lens - Nikon 24-70mm Z f4 - geni.us/nikon2470
Sharpest mid lens - Nikon 24-70mm Z f2.8 geni.us/2470mm28
Very long lens - Nikon 500mm F5.6 - geni.us/nikon500mm
FILM GEAR
AWESOME DRONE - geni.us/dji_mavic3
Nikon Z6 - geni.us/z6nikon
Nikon 20mm Z F1.8 - geni.us/nikon20mmz
Nikon 24mm Z F1.8 - geni.us/nikon24mm
Nikon 50mm Z F1.8 - geni.us/nikon50mmz
Nikon 85mm Z F1.8 - geni.us/nikon85mmz
OTHER PHOTO GEAR
Clever camera strap (peak design) - geni.us/PDstrap
Microfibre Cloths - geni.us/microfibre
Rab Downpour Pants - geni.us/rainpants
Awesome sensor brush - geni.us/brush4sensor
GorillaPod - geni.us/Kb9mV
The great printer I use Canon P1000 - geni.us/cIIc
Great bag for hiking - Tenba 24L - geni.us/orPwh
Great bag for travel (carry on) - Tenba 32L - geni.us/tenba32l
Super light Benro Travel Tripod UK - geni.us/Benrotravel
A must have for tripod (L bracket) - geni.us/myLbracket
Lightweight tripod - Benro Mach3 Carbon Fiber Tripod - geni.us/benromach3
Paper I use for all my prints - Fotospeed - geni.us/fotospeed Use DANSON10 to get 10% off your paper.
0:00 - Intro
0:38 - Birds in Flight
4:20 - Tips for Panning
7.00 - Required Gear
10:13 - Hi Key Photos
13:02 - Puffins!
13:49 - Low Key Photos
15:11 - Back lit Birds
16:38 - Tips for Sharp Photos
18.54 - Rachel's Top Tip
20:47 - MPB Sponsorship
21.13 - Print Review and Final Thoughts

[@Calidastas]

I’m glad there are people willing to cart around the Hubble Telescope so we can see their cool bird photos.

[@YO3A007]

Rachel's photos remind me so much of the art of Japan in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I hope she continues to follow her passion. Enjoyed this presentation.

[@colinhothersall8343]

Well I think this was one of your best videos to date. Not just because of the subject but collaboration with other experts. More of the same please.

[@paulbrookman6799]

nice video Nigel...heres a tip for you when using a big tele, don't hold the camera with lens attached hold it by the lens or you risk damaging the lens mount, great video

[@kevinparkes417]

As someone with a delicate back perhaps you could try using a gimbal on a tripod to hold your camera (a bit like an aircraft gunner). If you balance it right the camera would feel almost weightless. And as a bonus you would get smoother panning shots. The con is that it would restrict you a bit but it sounds like a price worth paying if you can get some shots you would otherwise not be able to. I've seen a guy do this with a Hasselblad and huge lens and it worked really well for him.

[@kennylim136]

the fact that these photos were al handheld is amazing how good the stabilizer is

[@andek_foto]

Nigel, when you start chasing around warblers and other small birds, you have officially crossed over to the dark side 😂!!! Oh and be cautious about lens weight and your back ( you mentioned it early in the video). I did a 200km walk over 10 days just carrying a 120-400 Sigma lens and ended up with months of 'tennis elbow' and lower back pain. I now use a black rapid sling and that helps a lot.

[@valrion.photography]

"Reasonably good at landscape photography"...Your being so modest 😛 Great to see you experimenting into another kind of photography! The result is amazing!

[@falconform]

The birds are sublime The setting is so stunning and romantic. And then your guest is an absolute gem. She knows her craft and is an artist with a camera. Pretty nice day for you. The prints are fantastic. Thanks.

[@wyvernwildlife]

The gannets at Bempton are great, and you got some good shots. The pair you showed near the start included one with a black iris to its eyes. They have found this means it has had - and obviously survived - bird flu, which killed so many of our gannets last year.

[@NigelDanson]

Yes - there were a lot with black eyes... such a shame but they made it

[@davidskelton5205]

Great to see you out of your comfort zone and really pleased you came away with some amazing shots. Thanks for introducing Rachel - I'd not come across her work before. She is highly talented. I'd certainly like to see you do a few more videos like this across other photography genres.

[@nelehoremans2546]

I really liked this video Nigel, it is excellent to see your photography paths from your comfort zone of land/wood/seascapes over arctic wildscapes, some Luskentyre wildlife trials to high quality bird photography in this video! Thank you for taking us along in your learning process and inspiring us to try out new things! And thanks also for Rachel giving us top tips, she has such wonderful images!

[@brianlaguardia9122]

One of your best videos in a long time - really excellent. Looking forward to following Rachel

[@dianneturner4874]

Wow loved this! I love bird photography, I am an obsessed birder and beginner photographer. This was a wonderfully informative video and so happy you are doing some bird photography. I don't have all the equipment but it's just getting out in the bush and watching the birds. I do hope you do some more wildlife and bird photography! Your photos were stunning as are Rachael's. Thanks so much for venturing into this genre!!

[@auxial2358]

Fantastic video, Nigel. Something fresh and new for your channel. I've enjoyed it from tip to toe. Love your photos 🙂

[@markallemang7745]

Thank you for this incredibly enjoyable and helpful video. Rachel was amazing and you asked her fantastic questions. Also, it helped my attitude when both of you talked about discarding so many shots. Bravo.

[@Trish12303]

Your images were wonderful Nigel! Thanks for having Rachel on your channel and sharing your adventure!!

[@jonward1987]

So glad your getting into wildlife photography, I love your landscape work, hope to see more like this, wildlife photography has taken over my life👌

[@stevechilvers1322]

Another great video Nigel & nice to see you branching out to other forms of photography. You soon picked up some good tips, which enabled you to print out some lovely photo's. You can now combine your new found bird photography skills, whilst out & about shooting landscapes when the opportunity arises, birds of prey etc.... What can we say about Rachel's photos, except FANTASTIC! Keep up the good work.

[@randyschwager2515]

Everything you touch with your camera turns to gold! I loved this! The landscapes where I live are lacking in pizzazz so I do bird photography too! This was a fabulous Sunday morning diversion! Thanks for taking me along.

[@OutdoorShutterbug]

Love this! Bird photography is my main love with landscapes as a secondary pursuit, so I very much enjoyed hearing from Rachel and watching your experiences photographing these beautiful birds. You made some truly lovely images. Wonderful video! Thanks for bringing us along with you.

[@ChrisBrown-gu4ki]

Some beautiful shots Nigel really looking forward to episodes 2 and 3. Thanks for sharing with us, and it's lovely to see you so full of enthusiasm.

[@mawavoy]

Thanks for sharing your experience with Rachel discussing getting started photographing birds. You obtained some very lovely images. Hope you do more.

[@gerryphilpott9766]

Very nice video, and great to see you exploring other areas of photography. When I got back into it after many years I was puzzled by the sudden classifications of "I'm just a (fill in the blank) photographer." In the late 70's/80's we all just seemed to call ourselves just plain photographers and enjoyed capturing what gave us a joy or a challenge. Great shots for a noob and I'm sure having Rachel as your tutor didn't hurt. Thanks for introducing us to her as I want to check out her other work as well.

[@mobilestrike5182]

Enjoyable as ever. Have shot at bempton many times. A word of advice with long lenses. Be careful just lifting using the body and having the full weight of the lens on the connecting ring of the camera body. It can weaken the body and lose connections with the lens. I know because it happened to me😱

[@AdrianRankin]

Great video Nigel, I enjoyed watching and learning from Rachel - she is very talented and her work is stunning!

[@vanlamphotography]

Beautiful wildlife shots! Its good to see that you are getting into wildlife. Look forward to see more!

[@TCizauskas]

A masterclass snapshot! Thank you, Rachel and Nigel.

[@susanmeyer8885]

Really enjoyed this video. Glad to see you give bird photography a go. Truly not as easy as someone like Rachel makes it look! I do really like your Gannet and Razorbill inages. Nice work!

[@user-cv2sf7ll4j]

An interesting departure from your norm Nigel. Thank's for sharing. Bempton is an amazing place which I visited once and got to appreciate how "difficult" good bird photography is - well for me at least! Definitely need the longer lenses in my opinion. Your enthusiasm is always contagious.

[@myPixelFactory]

A fascinating interview, even though I don't do wildlife photography. I love the artistic style of Rachel's bird portraits, very inspiring

[@Photosbykimrcanada]

Such a wonderful video!! Thank you, Nigel for providing, yet again, a video with wonderful information for photographers like me who love to explore new genres and who love to "stretch our wings." Much respect from Canada🇨🇦 Kim

[@DerekB931]

Just love Rachel - wonderful video Nigel of the two of you thanks.

[@selkie72]

For those on a budget the Nikon D500 + 200-500mm f5.6 is a superb combination for bird photography. Lots of used DSLRs available now with many photographers switching over to mirrorless. Spend the money you save on a trip to Shetland!

[@GTAGJimbo]

Total price pls

[@lukassinger_photo]

I bought mine a few weeks ago for around 1500€ in almost perfect condition

[@lukassinger_photo]

@@GTAGJimbo I paid 1600 but got a 50mm and tripod too

[@kimwoolford6070]

Love your black background image of the Gulls. Thank you for sharing Nigel truly inspirational x

[@stephaniegraham4896]

Thanks Nigel & Rachel! This was awesome and I love the final images. Anyone thinking this is easy, even with modern cameras and lenses really hasn’t tried it. I’ve been learning photography whilst photographing wildlife and birds for about 9 months now, as a new photographer and it is anything but simple. You need the subject, the light, the skills to find the wildlife, patience and understanding of your subject. Observing behaviour is essential - and if you’re starting out then the birds on your local walks or at a pond are a great way to practice. I can’t tell you how many images I have of robins -because they’re obliging and relatively easy to spot on a branch. Through training my eyes to look for them, and learning more about their behaviour and habits through observation - I can now always get some good (or good for me 😂) photos. And, by getting my ‘eye’ in I now see more birds when I’m out, when previously I would have missed them. Combining wildlife and landscape photography seems a natural fit, and watching wildlife is great way to pass the time whilst waiting on the light for your scene. Do be prepared for the image count on your camera to sky rocket though 😊.

[@robertwhitemoto]

Beautiful Birds !!! Outstandingly sharp that ALWAYS eludes me :) Nigel, great to see you out and about!

[@janh6639]

Loved this video and some of the shots you showed at the end were gorgeous some fantastic advice too thank you

[@skylerjade9093]

for someone who doesn't capture these stunning animals, you're still pretty good, bro. mad respect ❤

[@chloescanlon1107]

She is an absolute joy. Loved this episode.

[@sd2023.]

From the set of prints,I loved the first picture and from Rachel's prints I loved the second pic...beautiful location

[@chrisburnard5157]

Thank you Nigel and Rachel. Great content and very inspirational.

[@MarkRomine]

Thank you and Rachel for sharing the tips on 🕊️photography.

[@oliviaebartlett]

I loved this video Nigel! I’ve just recently got into wildlife photography so watched this video on my way down to Bempton Cliffs. I used some of the techniques in the video and they helped massively!!

[@barrymedlin6587]

Outstanding video Nigel and thanks for introducing us to Rachel, she is amazing!!!! I recently invested in the Sigma 150-500mm lens and really love it!! I got it from mpb and they are awesome👍🏻👍🏻

[@mariodimaio4821]

Great video. Love all the learning points you can add to enhance any landscapes with wildlife in. High key shots were lovely. Amazing shot of kittiwakes in flight as they are so fast. Take care though as it is addictive. I am not very strong and have size 6 and a half hands so I find a monopod with monopod gimbal really helpful with weight of camera and lens while still giving freedom of movement. Linda Di Maio

[@mpearce888]

Loved this video. My two favourite things combined... birds and photography

[@hgpezi]

Come on Nigel this was your best video in my opinion in the last few month and Rachel seems to be such a good teacher because the images you got are just awsome. Thank you very much.

[@dronepilotcontractors4094]

Wow,my most favorite is the two in flight like they are talking to each other and touching wings! The others wow great as well, so much character there!

[@PaulCoggins-eh6vq]

Many thanks Nigel, another great video. Love bempton cliffs

[@brianbrooking496]

Nigel, just want to say that lately your channel has blown me away. Been following you on & off, long before your bad back… thanks for the content and lessons learned.

[@Tedwill-home]

Very informative. Thanks Nigel. Rachel is an amazing photographer.

[@erkko69]

Wow so good, we all love her so! I hope you can see her again, because shes brittyest of those birds.

[@tomaskonarik7817]

Omg this location is so breathtaking! Amazing.

[@St.Olson_Photography]

Not often am i part of the first few to watch a video due to living in America, always pleased when I am though. Love the effort and passionate journey you take us every time. Keep it up bud!

[@NigelDanson]

Well done!

[@fionaquinn8262]

Thanks for doing this video. Loved her and found her really interesting. She is great.

[@laurelb8372]

After landscapes, bird photography is my second favourite. My Z7II with the 200-500 works so well and I love the shots. One thing, hold the camera by the tripod collar to safeguard the mount. Lovely to see Rachael’s work and something different.

[@foofreddy]

Lovely video, with the incredible Rachel. Glad to see you saw the resident Bempton barn owl too.

[@IanDavidBrown]

Brilliant video. I live 20 mins from Bempton and have taken 1000 and 1000 of images, but Rachel's (out of the box) and high key images has given me a totally new approach. thank you so much

[@crowtheri]

Bird photography is amongst the most difficult of photography genres to master. Patience, repetition, bird spotting skills (binoculars are a must for spotting), mastering your camera settings, learning to pan smoothly (gimbals save your back!!), peace and quiet away from daily tourists (early mornings are best!), and sharpening up those post processing skills are all key to improvement. More wildlife trips now and again, please!

[@swissheartydogs]

Stunning photos & great video. And who’s inspiring Rachel? Love this human transmission of knowledge & passion.

[@cguerrieri4866]

Thank you for trying bird photography. The level of difficulty is so under appreciated, especially for those of us with older cameras that do t have the eye recognition! Birds are everywhere, majestic mountains, rivers and landscapes not so much.

[@joncothranphotography9375]

Great episode Nigel! Thanks so much!

[@SheilaKarner]

Loved this! I'd love to see more wildlife photography if you continue with it.

[@susannej.4]

Your Videos are amazing and entertaining because they are so full of enthusiasm. Getting ready to take my conversion up to Scotland I can't wait for the campervan vids. Keep doing the things you love

[@paulachapman2711]

You got some beautiful pics there! Well done. Great tips as always, thank you.

[@jeanettesozpix]

Thanks Nigel. Birds are one of my favourite subjects. For a few years they have managed to get in my view for a photograph. And when COVID started and we were all getting worried, I remembered what Jesus said, "Don't be anxious... Look at the birds..." So I took it to heart. I set myself a goal of capturing as many species as I could. Today I have over 160 species of Australian birds in albums in my Google photos. I feel blessed to have found so many. I don't have a big camera with the big lenses. I shoot with a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ70. Does a pretty decent job for a smaller camera, and for beginners.

[@theresalaw244]

Such a great video! And what amazing shots! I didn't realize that Gannets were so graceful and tender in their interactions.

[@willemschottert]

Very refreshing to see something different then only landscape, woodland og product reviews, Thanks

[@colmranger]

Excellent video with lots of great advice. Thanks for posting

[@dougminihane7711]

Excellent. I'm more into sports than nature / birds but two years ago had a chance to visit the Saltee Islands off Wexford on the south coast of Ireland. It was stunning and there's LITERALLY Puffins running around within three to four feet of you - thousands of them. There's also Gannets, Razorbills and numerous other birds. All have their own 'section' of the island where they nest and breed so you can move between them and concentrate on whichever you choose. Well worth a visit if anyone is ever passing by between April and July/August.

[@Daviskw2004]

You captured superb images especially when just branching out to wildlife photography. Another good tip is to research locations and migrations patterns for bird photography. One of the biggest challenges is capturing birds in flight especially small birds. As you pointed out in the video just finding a fast moving bird in your view finder is extremely difficult. A slow flying Great Blue Heron is hard enough at 600 or longer focal length but a fast moving sparrow is something else again. Especially when they need to be so close to fill the frame. There is a piece of equipment that will double or triple your keepers at a reasonable price. It is a dot tracker that attaches to your cameras shoe. It projects a dot or symbol that you place on the moving bird. Once it is calibrated you you hold the camera about 4 inches away and with both eyes open you follow the bird. When the dot is on your target you shoot away. You do have to depend on your cameras focusing system but that is not a problem with todays animal eye detect systems. I use back button focusing with animal eyes detection and 8 in 10 images are most always tack sharp with my R5. If you should decide to get a dot tracker I can recommend a type anyway. I am not pushing a particular brand but I am giving an example just for research. Most trackers mount on the camera shoe with the standard screw down connector like a flash. The problem with that is it allows a small amount of movement which will throw off the calibration each time it is attached. A tracker brand like PGD is made for photography and has a spreader mount that will keep alignment and calibration every time it is mounted. So you only have to calibrate it one time. Butch

[@hilleviupmanis8687]

Thank you so much! Such beautiful pictures - both of you

[@Turbo2640]

Brilliant! Loved it. Thank you.

[@cdmscotia]

Great images. The back-lit birds are spectacular!

[@AVOWIRENEWS]

What an exciting opportunity to learn from a pro bird photographer! Bird photography is such a fascinating field, capturing the beauty and unique behaviors of birds in their natural habitats. I bet those secret tips are incredibly helpful, especially for anyone keen on improving their photography skills or simply appreciating the art of capturing wildlife. The patience and skill required to get just the right shot of these magnificent creatures is truly admirable. It's always wonderful to see professionals sharing their knowledge and passion with others! 🐦📸✨

[@lindacreighton4439]

FANTASTIC! You did an AMAZING job 👍🏻📷

[@viaconqueso]

Rachel’s shot at 15:02 is fantastic! Learned a lot in this video, thanks!

[@gbarr711]

Bempton is an amazing place. I love Flamborough as well. Stunning views and wildlife.

[@smkunder1]

Fantastic video, well done! Loved the collaboration.

[@DanYosua]

Great vid, and thanks for the intro to Rachel! I recently got a refurb RF 100-400 and am excited to start dabbling in this world for relatively cheap. I haven't even taken it on a trip yet, but even with some test shots around the house, it's interesting to test yourself outside of your comfort zone of go-to focal lengths and apertures.

[@annakell5245]

Whilst I’m not in to wildlife photography, I really enjoyed this, and found it very informative. Nice to explore other genres.

[@NigelDanson]

Thanks - glad you enjoyed it

[@michellewesson4409]

Your bird photos are as captivating as your landscape. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@uscameloptics]

Love this video!!!Bird photography is so cool!!

[@JanieP53]

I could watch this video a thousand times!! This is a beautiful place! As a wildlife photographer, I would be there every day if I had the opportunity. Gannets are fun to shoot. I was recently on a 14 day cruise in the northern pacific and they tempted us constantly! I got a lot of shots..! And thanks for introducing your subscribers to Rachael. I did get the ebbie jeebies when you two were close to the edge of the cliffs!! The images were fantastic.

[@asokag-m8112]

Thanks to both of you - Awesome as usual. I fully agree with buying used. I got a F-Mount Sigma 150-600 Sport with an FTZ converter from MPB to use on a crop-sensor Zfc (imagine!!). With decent light, the Zfc did an amazing job. To quote your friend Mads, good glass on an OK body can make some great images.

[@terilapetino6337]

Watch out Nigel, It’s so addictive!! So jealous of that gorgeous Gannet shot … I always try to catch the personality of whatever bird I’m shooting! Could spend all day watching birds…so relaxing and challenging at the same time!

[@charlescharliecharlotte]

So amazing! I love wildlife photography!

[@AvaiLens]

Very nice video ! Stunning shots from both of you ❤!

[@garrydelday5816]

Great Vlog Nigel and Rachel, I don’t profess to being a wildlife photographer but I have managed some fabulous shots of Puffin in Iceland and Razorbill, Gannets, Cormorants on Orkney using a quite elderly Nikon D3300 and a standard kit lens (55-200mm) they are probably some of my best images. Most of them I must admit are stationary but I have managed Gannets on the wing with the sea as a background, so it is possible with even elderly gear and kit lenses. I have taken on board Rachel’s tips for my upcoming trip back to Iceland and hopefully improve my in flight images 🤞thank you both 👌👍

[@sarahbatsford4791]

Just learning bird photography so chuffed you did this. Amazing shots.

[@rbob4931]

Nice work! Please remember, however, 17:00, shutter speed has nothing to do with focusing. High shutter speed helps with “freezing” the subject in motion. F-stop number is a fraction. f/4 is a larger aperture than f/9. One opens up to f4 from f9, or stops down to f9 from f4. It is confusing to beginners to say “to up the f-stop” when you are suggesting them to stop down from f/4 to f/9. Nice video regardless. Nice images and pleasant people. Keep up the good work! Take care!

[@zergwof]

I love the gannets. I still have a couple of scars on my hand from when I saved one on the beach. It had gotten tangled up in fishing net. Stuck around the neck and deep in the open beak. Watching it fly away unharmed was fantastic.

[@Kellysher]

New to the channel! I’ve been shooting for close to 2 years, but I would find it helpful to see the exposure that you use for the photos. It’s really helpful in my learning process. I’m still learning, especially how to be more creative, or intentionally doing high key! Thanks

[@neilcole3406]

Love this Nigel as lm dipping my toe into a bit of wildlife photography!

[@JFW5358]

Interesting to see you trying something new. Rachel has some very good advice to offer.

[@anthonyplancherel8274]

Great video as always...gorgeous shots too!

[@mozzamhosein6476]

Throughly enjoyed the video. I recently got into wildlife photography. Bird photography is really exciting and takes my patience to another level. I use the Nikon Z7 11 , which is not really for this genre, happy to say I have ordered the Z8. Another excellent video. Thank you.

[@harrykaulfersch2320]

Very nice bird photos they you printed up… looks like a genre that’s you are a natural at!

[@user-fd2iq1pj1y]

The best tip for shooting flying birds is to fit a properly collimated Olympus EE-1 red dot sight or similar, along with a reasonably wide AF area. No need to use the constricted FoV of a viewfinder.