Perfect birds

Can a photograph of a bird taken at a winter feeding station be too perfect? This is a question I have been asking myself on and off for the last few years.  

With a growing interest in the outdoors and digital photography being more popular than ever, photography of wildlife, especially of birds, has reached an all time peak. And as a consequence, thousands of bird images are displayed on the web. But, my feeling is those taken at feeding stations where a bird is lured onto a specific perch are tending to look rather samey? I say at feeding stations because this and at ponds, outside the breeding season, are really the only times when a bird can be encouraged to perch on a specific branch or twig and the photographer has the flexibility of shooting at whatever time they desire. It’s only natural of course for a photographer to want to produce the best image he or she possibly can of that bird utilising all those aspects that make it both pleasing to look at and commercial. Relaxed posture, lichen covered twig, warm frontal lighting, catchlight in the eye and above all else, a nice clean background that doesn’t distract from the subject. All these elements ensure that you look only at the bird and that other aspects of the image purely enhance it. Those clinical pictures of a blue tit sitting on a berry laden hawthorn twig are beautiful to look at but do little to stir the soul and for that matter, push the photographer. For those wishing to push the boundaries a little, this leaves him or her in a bit of a quandary for if you hope to get some commercial return from your pictures, then the more clinical approach is usually required thereby leaving you take the more artisitic images for your own creative gratification.

Clean, dark background and frontal lighting. Classic technique but does it move or inspire you?

Bird in partial shadow against a bright background created by the rising sun. Everything books will tell you not to do but not only did this image take longer to secure than the one above, I believe it has significantly more impact.

Taken moments before the sun dipped below the horizon. It is unlikely that this will ever sell to a wildlife magazine as it does not clearly show the species. It does however, I feel, convey more atmosphere than a conventional portrait.

Now, I am not speaking of those that are content with taking the odd picture of a garden bird but more so the serious bird photographers out there. I sit here guilty as charged. Over the years I have shot hundreds of bird images just like that but I have tried (and very often failed!) to mix it with more artistic images. It’s easy to use the same, tried and tested techniques. Better the devil you know you could say, but ultimately, as I have found, greater pleasure can be derived from trying something else, outside your comfort zone.

Tags: artistic photography, better the devil you know, bird photography. photographing birds, blue tit, blue tit picture, creative, garden birds, perfect, perfection, robin