Wide Angle Photography for Birds and Wildlife PART 2

This video is part 2 of a series on wide-angle photography for wildlife and this video has lots of examples. Thanks to all my Patrons for participating (info down below).
Thumbnail images by Nikki Nobles and Derek Shenot
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[@JoannePage-bm9hs]

Thanks! You are a great instructor and now I can take a break from carrying around a heavy lens now and then.

[@neilcole3406]

Yet another interesting subject Scott,thanks

[@alexandrelafontaine6789]

Fun one Scott! Couldn't agree more about different not always being interesting. But you've shown great images in this mix and I can't wait to try it more once I finally have a mirrorless body and decent autofocus shortly! :)

[@craigpiferphotography]

You're making me think again Scott. Thank you.

[@unclebuck5957]

Good information and great pictures

[@P_Lapointe]

Inspiring video! I hadn't thought of wide angle bird photography. That will definitively be a fun challenge!

[@clausgiloi6036]

Great ideas and inspiration, thanks!

[@xcop524]

Scott I’m a wildlife photographer and have enjoyed your content. I recently learned that photographers using BLM, National Forest and National Parks need to acquire permits to shoot videos. The permit process seems very confusing thought it might be a good subject to cover on your channel. Again appreciate your content.

[@WildlifeInspired]

It is an interesting topic!

[@Kentsj]

Well done! Please do a video highlighting the various remote devices.

[@WildlifeInspired]

Will do!

[@ryancooper3629]

You covered it pretty perfectly. I think one of the biggest challenges with wide angle, is not just getting close but also its REALLY easy to make the image look like a cell phone snapshot because we are used to cellphone wide angles. Alex's shot at 7:09 is a perfect example of a sensational wide angle shot. I have to assume he used a remote trigger or a camera trap to get this which also means requiring a ton of luck as you just are sort of hoping the bird walks up to your lens and does something cool AND the camera locks on with perfect focus. I think its also critical to have a good lens for this. That shot would not have been possible with an 18-55 kit lens set to 28mm. You need a lens that opens up to 1.4 and it needs to be one that has insanely good image quality at 1.4. While a $1500 28mm lens seems cheap by wildlife photographer standards, its also not a budget toy. One trick I'd recommend if you want to experiment with wide angle shooting but still want to shoot wild birds is to show up at a typically super busy city park at dawn. It will be mostly empty there and the birds will be extremely comfortable with human proximity. Here in Toronto, there is this one park in Mississauga where the waterfowl are so used to humans that they will walk right up to you while shooting without a care in the world.

[@WildlifeInspired]

Yes! You need predictable behavior often. I usually only try this on my bird pond, where I know birds will show up and behave naturally.

[@lvds5910]

Just f.y.i.: it's Alex' opinion that camera trap photography is not photography (listen to his podcast, he talks about it on there). He took that image while lying down with the camera in his hands. Totally agree with the rest of your comment!

[@ryancooper3629]

@@lvds5910 That sounds like gatekeeping mentality to me. (Like how some film photographers will say "digital" isn't "real" photography) It certainly meets the definition of the word "photography"

[@lvds5910]

​@@ryancooper3629haha, well, it's Alex we're talking about here. He likes hot takes and his Podcast is called Photography Unhinged for a reason. He actually brings on a camera trap photographer to represent that side and Alex actually respects the work these people do. He just thinks a photographer is someone who actually presses the button on the camera. I disagree with him on it, just as much as you do. Anyway, his wide-angle stuff is amazing, just wanted to let you know it was actually shot hand held.

[@ryancooper3629]

​@@lvds5910 Ah, fair enough, I really know nothing about the guy (other than he lives in the same city as me and has beautiful work) (though I'd totally troll him and point out you are "still" pressing "the" button because you have to press a button on the camera to turn on the camera trap mode. ;) )

[@Brian-xo3mk]

Hi Scott, very informative information . I have a Nikon Z8, which has Auto Capture as a feature, but as a hobbyist I struggle to be able to fine tune on getting sharp images. I will attempt on trying my 40mm F/2.0 which was part of my ZF purchase. I'm going to experiment and give the wider angle a go. Always eager to hearing your different and interesting viewpoints on photography.Thank you.

[@WildlifeInspired]

I used that same lens for the image I showed. The disadvantage of the z8 is a more limited battery. Used auto capture will burn through the battery faster. Make sure you shut off the rear display when you use it. That will help a little

[@Mikedegot]

Robins and chickadees are pretty curious and will get close. I've had nuthatches land on a tree I was standing next to. I've seen wrens checking things out but I don't know if they'll do that while I'm sitting there.

[@WildlifeInspired]

all curious birds for sure!

[@KurtisPape]

I found the 'look' of the images becomes very different once you get to 100mm or wider. I have tried wider angle shots at 200mm being 10ft away from the subject and they still look like they were taken at 600mm but I was 50ft away from the bird and couldn't get close...

[@WildlifeInspired]

Agree 50 can look really wide even if it technically isn't wide angle. For me 40mm is as wide as I think is practical for birds.

[@KurtisPape]

@@WildlifeInspired Agreed 👍I don't usually work in feet so I will edit my comment, I meant 50ft away from a small subject at 600mm looks like you didn't get close enough and 200mm 10ft from subject also looks like you didn't get close enough, if that makes sense haha