Setting the scene
Blackbird eating an apple. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Place food in photogenic areas to entice birds there. Move the food around throughout the day for variety! Try placing beautiful-looking perches next to your bird feeder to photograph the birds on something natural. Move the perches and switch them up to get the same bird with different backgrounds! There’s also nothing wrong with photographing birds on what is already in your garden, putting them into context with their surroundings. That might be on the shed roof, the fence or if you leave a spade dug into the ground you might get a bird on the handle!
Come rain or shine
Robin in the snow. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
There really is no bad weather to photograph your garden birds in! So, whether it’s raining, sunny or even snowing get out there and create images! Rain can actually add something to an image – shoot against a dark background so the rain shows up well and slow your shutter speed right down to capture longer streaks. If we are lucky we might get snow; snow can help hide unsightly elements to the garden, so think about capturing a familiar species such as a Robin in a pure-white world!
Be prepared!
Waxwing on a branch. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
If you have a large enough garden you can set up a hide. If not then make use of shooting out of one of your windows. You can also consider using your shed; shooting from the doorway or a window using some camouflage material with a hole cut out for your lens. The great thing about a shed is that the birds will likely already be used to it! As well as your usual garden regulars you may get the occasional rare visitor, and this makes for a great photo opportunity. Look out for the likes of Black Redstart, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Brambling or even Waxwing and be ready to capture that shot!
Look out for behaviours
Woodpigeons. Photo: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Birds will often squabble over prime perches on the bird feeders. Be prepared for these sorts of squabbles; use a fast shutter speed to capture the action sharply, or a slow shutter speed to show the movement of the birds. You may even get birds using your garden to hold territory, so watch out for birds singing and displaying too! Keep your bird bath topped up for bathing shots, or for something more natural have a regularly filled puddle or even a reflection pool. Build it at eye level (on a table) for perfect reflections and add mosses, ferns and pebbles.
