Flash and Birds

[TobyMac]

Hello all,

I have a question for the wildlife and more specifically bird photographers here.
Do you use flash when shooting birds? I recently watched a couple of videos to learn more about bird photography and I saw a couple people using flash but none of them ever really explained how when and why to use it.
So if you are using flash could you answer those questions?

Thanks.

[Kodiak]

Do you use flash when shooting birds?

Yes, sometimes this tool can't be ignored! I won't use a flash when/where
ever possible!

When though, I will use
• the flash in TTL mode +
• the camera in aperture priority mode +
• Matrix metering.

I just want to fill in the bird when shooting against daylight… but remember:
1. Flash vs Sun… very uneven competition!!!
2. If one can see a flash was used… the flash was not used properly!

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Tobias,

I have used it, but only occasionally.

I did get caught out once when I tried using the on camera as a fill with a Grey Heron at fairly close range (I think it was under a tree and the background was more brightly lit) - I got a "pet eye" effect due to this species fairly large pupil diameter. So I failed on Kodiak's second point

Plus I always think; "well, I don't like people using flash 'in my face'", so I try not to do it to my subjects, but perhaps I'm just being silly - afterall, if I'm a fair way off, the small flash area (compared to their field of view) is unlikely to blind them.

Used properly, it can give improved results though.

Cheers,

[TobyMac]

Thanks guys, yeah the thing that I was also a little concerned about is it making something natural looking unnatural, which one obviously doesn't want when shooting nature.
I guess the best thing to do is to actually get out the gear and experiment with it to learn how to use it effectively.

[Shadowman]

If you are shooting from a location where the subject is backlit, flash may be your best option.

[AB26]

Tobias,

Yes, flash can be very effective in all sorts of bird, wildlife and landscape photography. Learning how to and when to use flash for birds is not as simple as 1,2,3.
I would suggest you go to the tangents of Neil Van Niekerk to learn more about flash photography. Mastering the technique of “dragging the shutter” will greatly help you getting it right.

Go to ODP (OutdoorPhoto) and see what the birders do and how they do it. Ask the gurus at ODP and you will get an answer to your question.

[TobyMac]

Super! Thanks Andre! Never actually thought about looking on ODP

[chauncey]

Take a look-see at the better beamer http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/d...sp?newsID=3651
kinda a limited range though.

[TobyMac]

I was actually just looking at that on ODP think I might need to get one.

[Polar01]

Tobias I know of one photographer that uses flash a lot with birds. What he does is he sets up a perch near one of his feeder, he uses a softbox to add fill light, now everything is done with remote triggers. The birds soon get use to the softbox and camera setup there and he just sits inside, when a bird comes to the perch, looks good he shoots.

Cheers: Allan