Camera Settings Archives • PAUL ROEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

48662341797 ea124018e9 o 3 - 4 Camera Settings All Bird Photographers Should Be Using — **Carefully choosing my settings for both the amount of light and my subject helped me capture this image of a Green Heron.**

Whether you are a professional photographer or simply a hobbyist, the goal of everyone who photographs birds is the same, sharper images. What many beginners often fail to realize is that sharp images have more to do with knowing how to properly use a camera and getting the most out of it than the price tag on it. Camera settings are what make or break a photo, and in this post I am going to share with you four settings you may not be using that will help improve your final images.

IMG 0275 Edit - 4 Camera Settings All Bird Photographers Should Be Using — **Capturing this image of a Common Tern moments after passing a small perch to a youngster required the proper camera settings.**

1. Use Aperture Priority Mode Or Manual Mode To Set Your Exposure

Every great image starts with proper exposure. If your exposure is off these photos are destined for the recycle bin. Getting the correct exposure in-camera is key as this results in the best image possible. If you have to adjust your exposure in Lightroom or other photo editing program after the fact your image quality is going to suffer. The more you adjust the more it suffers. For anyone still shooting in automatic mode, the sooner you move out of this mode the sooner your images will improve. Remember when shooting in automatic mode your camera is calculating your exposure for you based on the amount of available light. Light is only part of the equation when it comes to an image. What about your subject? Isn’t that after all the purpose of taking the photo to capture the subject? Since your camera cannot identify your subject or whether or not it is moving leaving elements of the exposure such as shutter speed up to the camera is a bad idea. In order to get sharp images, you have to set the parameters of your exposure based not only on the amount of available light but also your subject and the only way to do this is by taking control of your settings.

IMG 2454 Edit Edit - 4 Camera Settings All Bird Photographers Should Be Using — I photographed this Black-crowned Night Heron using aperture priority mode while paying close attention to my histogram. Learning how to read your camera’s histogram will ensure proper exposure and help capture the most detail especially in a bird’s white feathers.

If you are new to photography and a bit overwhelmed by exposure, I recommend starting with aperture priority mode. In this mode, you select the aperture and ISO and the camera will automatically select the correct corresponding shutter speed. By doing this you can choose a wide aperture and high ISO which results in a fast shutter speed thus freezing the action of a fast-moving bird. Whenever the light permits, I like my shutter speed to be at least 1/1000 to ensure sharp images. Many will ask why not use shutter priority set at 1/1000? There are several reasons I do not use shutter priority. First, in aperture priority mode I have control of depth of field which allows me to better isolate my subject from the background. Second, in low light, I would have to shoot at a very high ISO to achieve 1/1000 shutter speed and my image would be too noisy. For anyone shooting with a full-frame camera, this option may work for you but on my APS-C sensor, I would not be impressed with my final images. This is one of the few instances where I would delete a photo due to noise. In low light situations with aperture priority mode, the camera will choose a slower shutter speed but with good technique, I can still freeze the action. If the light is really poor and the bird is moving I may end up with a blurry image but this is a limitation of my gear and the reality of photography some times. The only way to overcome this would be to invest in a full-frame camera capable of shooting at a much higher ISO.

IMG 5925 Edit - 4 Camera Settings All Bird Photographers Should Be Using — **Far too often images are underexposed when shooting in fully automatic mode. The only way to ensure proper exposure is by taking control of your settings.**

The other option is to shoot in manual mode. In this mode, the photographer chooses all aspects of the exposure shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. Manual mode is a bit trickier as there is one more element to factor in but once comfortable you have full control and can really fine-tune your exposure with even the slightest change in light. Regardless of which of these two modes you choose, be sure to check your exposure on your histogram and adjust your settings accordingly to get the proper exposure.

IMG 6689 Edit Edit - 4 Camera Settings All Bird Photographers Should Be Using — **Despite not being an overly fast-moving subject, I still chose an ISO of 800 to ensure my shutter speed was fast enough to freeze these Sandhill Cranes as they moved across a cornfield.**

2. Carefully Select Your ISO

Regardless of whether you choose aperture priority or manual mode selecting the proper ISO is imperative. Too high and ISO and you end up with noisy images, too low an ISO and you won’t achieve a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action. One misconception many photographers have is that their camera is not capable of sharp, noise-free images at 800 ISO or higher. In my experience, any DSLR on the market today is quite capable of noise-free images at 800 ISO and even slightly higher if you get the exposure right. The problem is when you get the exposure wrong in-camera and start making adjustments in Lightroom, especially when you try to brighten an underexposed image. This accentuates the noise rendering the photo unusable. If the proper exposure is achieved in-camera very little noise is seen when opened in Lightroom and can easily be removed with the noise reduction slider.

IMG 8342 - 4 Camera Settings All Bird Photographers Should Be Using — **A higher ISO results in a faster shutter speed which is required to freeze the action of a fast-moving bird. Digital noise can easily be removed in Lightroom or similar programs.**

Whenever I am out in the field, I always start at ISO 800 as this typically results in a shutter speed of 1/1000 with a wide-open aperture even on cloudy days. If it is really cloudy, early morning, or other low light conditions I will bump my ISO up to 1250 or even 1600 and have no issues with noise provided I get the exposure correct. When I botch my exposure these images quickly get deleted upon returning home. I don’t even bother trying to adjust the exposure in Lightroom as I know these images will appear too noisy. When this occurs, and I fully admit it does, I think of the old saying you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. This is not the fault of the camera, the blame is solely on me for choosing the wrong settings or not being able to adjust them fast enough for the changing conditions. On sunny days I set my ISO lower but usually cannot go below 400 and still achieve a shutter speed of 1/1000. The bottom line is don’t be afraid to up your ISO. Sharp images with a bit of noise are better than a blurry image with no noise. When exposed properly you will miss more shots due to motion blur, a result of a shutter speed that was too slow, than you will because an image is too noisy.

48662233426 19f129afb6 o - 4 Camera Settings All Bird Photographers Should Be Using — **Photographing an Osprey while it balances on a narrow perch seconds after it lands it much easier shooting multiple frames simultaneously.**

3. Choose High-Speed Continuous Shooting

Cameras these days are capable of some pretty impressive burst rates now over 10 frames per second on newer models. However, if your camera is set to one-shot or single shooting you are not taking advantage of this feature. The only way to achieve a flight sequence of a bird of prey or waterfowl is to obtain focus and hold down the shutter, thus utilizing your maximum frames per second. This setting also comes in handy with slower-moving subjects like a shorebird running down the beach or a flitting songbird.

07 - 4 Camera Settings All Bird Photographers Should Be Using — Those of you familiar with the Sora will know they are not an easy bird to see or photograph as they often stay well-hidden. Tracking this bird until it stepped out into the clear allowed me to achieve this image.

4. Use AI Servo (Canon Shooters) or AF-C (Nikon Shooters) Auto Focus

Obtaining focus on a moving bird is certainly challenging but fortunately, this setting will help. When using AI Servo, or AF-C for you Nikon shooters, your camera will continuously focus on a moving subject as long as your shutter button is held halfway down. This allows you to track a bird in flight or a small songbird as its hops from branch to branch while maintaining focus. When you see the shot you want, hold the shutter button down and take advantage of the high-speed continuous shooting I mentioned earlier.

Conclusion

Choosing the right camera settings can seem overwhelming and a bit confusing especially if you are new to photography. Anyone can achieve sharper images regardless of how much your equipment cost; however, this requires you to step outside your comfort zone and adjust a few of your camera settings. If you are not certain how to make these adjustments consult your camera’s manual. With the press of a few buttons, these changes can be easily made.

Bird photography is supposed to be fun, not frustrating. Making sure you are using the best possible settings is the first step in capturing stunning images. If you haven’t already, give these camera settings a try and I’m sure you will see an improvement in your final images.

Good birding,
Paul

*Curious about what camera, lenses, and other equipment I use for nature photography? Be sure to check out my gear page for more details.*

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15992018825 cfeeb02578 o - Photographing Birds: Tips and Tricks — **Camera settings are what make or break a picture. Knowing how to adjust on the fly will greatly increase the number of keepers you shoot. 1/320th second ISO 1250 f6.3 at 400mm.**

I am receiving a lot of questions lately from followers asking about my camera gear, camera settings, and any pointers I can offer to help them with their bird photography. This post is designed to help answer some of these questions and hopefully give you something to take away to help improve your shots.

Currently, I am using the Canon 7D with the Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. I do like the versatility of the zoom, but have to admit the majority of my shots are taken at 400mm. I love the 8 frames per second on the 7D, especially for photographing birds in flight, and the autofocus on the 100-400mm is accurate and fast. New models of both of these pieces of equipment were introduced this year, so if you are looking to upgrade, prices have been drastically reduced on these noncurrent items.

I like to incorporate my bird photography with hiking, so for this reason, I do not use a tripod and shoot everything handheld. I am not one to stay in the same spot long, so for me setting up and taking down a tripod is too much of a hassle. I do use a tripod for landscape photography.

IMG 5704 1 2 - Photographing Birds: Tips and Tricks — Under ideal conditions, I like to shoot with low ISO and a high shutter speed. The low ISO results in a less noisy image and the high shutter speed helps freeze the action if the bird moves. 1/1250th second ISO 640 f8 at 400mm.

My first piece of advice, if you haven’t already done so, is to stop shooting in any of the program modes. In these modes, the cameras adjust ISO, aperture, and shutter speed automatically. The camera does it’s best job to get these settings right, but when it comes to bird photography these program modes will really hold you back.

As far as what settings I use, this obviously varies depending on the conditions. I like to use the lowest ISO possible, but maintain a high enough shutter speed to freeze the action. Unfortunately, with birds this is where the difficulty comes in. In order to get a high enough shutter speed, you must increase the ISO, but if you increase the ISO too much you get noisy images. In order to improve the quality, you must first understand the limitations of your equipment.

Regardless of what camera and lens set up you own, it is going to perform best at certain settings. For example, a camera’s image quality drastically decreases once you reach a certain ISO. Similarly, lenses are much sharper when not shot at their widest apertures. It doesn’t matter if you own an entry-level DSLR and kit lens or a top of the line professional body and super-telephoto lens, each piece of equipment has what I call a sweet spot.

15954808585 678c2fa111 o - Photographing Birds: Tips and Tricks — **Photographing birds in flight requires a fast shutter speed. Sometimes a little blur on the wings is nice to capture the element of motion. 1/800th second ISO 400 f8 at 400mm.**

Finding your camera’s sweet spot is quite easy, but requires the use of a tripod to eliminate any shake factor. Go outside and look for a subject to photograph. Make sure it is something stationary as you are going to take several shots of the same object. Switch your camera to aperture priority mode and extend your lens to it’s maximum range. Adjust the aperture on your camera to the widest aperture for your lens. On most kit lenses this will be f5.6. Set your ISO to 100. In aperture priority mode the camera will adjust the shutter speed for you. Take a photo of the predetermined object. Increase your ISO to 200 and take another photo of the same object. Continue to do this throughout the ISO settings on your camera. This will allow you to see the increased noise as you increase ISO, and where on your camera it becomes too noisy.

Similarly, you are going to want to do the same with aperture. To do this, keep your ISO at the same setting and only adjust your aperture. Again, the camera will adjust the shutter speed accordingly for proper exposure. Take repeated shots of the same stationary object as you narrow your aperture, f6.3, f7.1, f8, etc. You will notice your images become sharper. This will let you know at what aperture your lens is sharpest.

15669633139 966b1fb71a o - Photographing Birds: Tips and Tricks — **As is the case with anything, practice is key. The more you shoot, the better you will become. 1/1250th second ISO 500 f8 at 400mm.**

If you are just starting out I recommend shooting in aperture priority mode. Set your ISO to auto, but a maximum of whatever value your camera still performs best at. In most cases this will be 800. Set your aperture to the sharpest value you determined in the previous test. Note: be sure to keep a wide enough aperture to allow adequate shutter speeds, which are required to capture sharp images of moving birds. Likely f8 is going to be best. By doing this, you are shooting at the best possible aperture and ISO for camera and lens combination, while the camera adjusts the shutter speed. Light conditions are going to play a huge factor so I recommend doing this under good light conditions. By narrowing your aperture and limiting your ISO, I think you will see an improvement in your image quality.

15206765374 5b27c176a9 o - Photographing Birds: Tips and Tricks — **As conditions change throughout the day so too must your camera settings. 1/640th second f8 ISO 800 at 400mm.**

I have since moved to full manual mode, which gives full control over shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. With my particular set up, my lens is sharpest at f8 and images start to get increasingly noisy above 800 ISO. For this reason, I try to shoot at these settings and adjust my shutter speed accordingly to achieve proper exposure. Ideally, I like a shutter speed of 1/1000 or slightly higher, especially to freeze a moving bird. For birds in flight, I will increase this even higher. Unfortunately, light conditions do not always allow for this so shutter speed, aperture, or ISO must be adjusted accordingly.

IMG 7167 1 - Photographing Birds: Tips and Tricks — **Weather conditions do not always allow fast shutter speeds, low ISO, and optimum apertures; camera settings must be adjusted accordingly. 1/200th second f5.6 ISO 800 at 400mm.**

Sharp images are still achievable at lower shutter speeds with the help of image stabilization if the bird holds still. Practice holding your camera steady; keeping your arms close to your body will help eliminate shake. Use your knee or some other object to help stabilize your camera. Breathing can also help reduce camera shake. Once you have composed your shot and focused on a bird, take a breath in. Exhale slowly and gently press the shutter once you have almost expelled your breath. I have found this technique incredibly helpful. Quite often shake is caused by excitement of a new species or anticipation of a shot, and practicing this breathing helps calm and relax you prior to the shot.

IMG 7191 1 - Photographing Birds: Tips and Tricks — **Black-capped Chickadee. 1/200th second ISO 800 f5.6 at 400mm.**

Shoot often and take lots of pictures. That is the joy of digital. Hundreds of images can be easily discarded without spending a fortune on film or developing charges. Do not get discouraged, use each outing as a learning experience, and try to improve one aspect of your photography each time you are out. Most importantly, only compare your photos against your photos. There will always be photographers who produce better images than you and those who do not. This for me has been the best way to see and measure results.

If you have any further questions regarding bird photography, I am always available and willing to offer assistance. If a private, one on one or small group lesson in the field would be beneficial to you please contact me and we can arrange a time and place.

Good birding,
Paul