Role of equipment in bird photography

[arash_hazeghi]

A while ago there was a thread about the importance of equipment in bird photography. It made me think about this for a bit, I wrote a short writeup about my thoughts. You can read it here if interested

http://arihazeghiphotography.com/blo...-photographer/ Please share your thoughts on this topic.

[dankearl]

Excellent and informative, Arash.
These are some of your best images and you gave some nice advice to those of us
who do not have the top of the line bird photo gear.
Thanks.

[Michael F Milligan]

Nice post. The final image is stunning. Cheers!

[Grace Scalzo]

You write as well as you photograph. Thanks for this, Arash.

[shane shacaluga]

Great article Arash. Very informative. The info on the sharpening of soft subjects was an added bonus

TFS

[Jerry van Dijk]

Amazing images Arash, and a very informative article. What I do miss in your story is some more detail about the role of the photographer's skill of getting in close enough to get enough pixels on the bird for a high quality image without scaring it off. Even with a 600mm lens I think this can be quite a challenge. I would therefore be curious to learn what your distance to the subject was for the BIF shots. Thanks for taking the time.

[Don Thompson]

While I agree with the premise of your article, I do find it ironic that you chose to illustrate using nearly $20K worth of camera and lens.

[arash_hazeghi]

Amazing images Arash, and a very informative article. What I do miss in your story is some more detail about the role of the photographer's skill of getting in close enough to get enough pixels on the bird for a high quality image without scaring it off. Even with a 600mm lens I think this can be quite a challenge. I would therefore be curious to learn what your distance to the subject was for the BIF shots. Thanks for taking the time.

Hi Jerry,

The distance to the owls was about 15-20 yards. You need to choose the distance wisely, too close and you will miss the shot as panning becomes difficult and you may also clip the wings/tail, you might scare the owls too. Getting too close is actually a very common mistake. If you are too far you will end up cropping too much and the AF will struggle too as the subject becomes too small. So there is a balance. Also note that flight shots are tracked centered so you need to leave room for cropping/composition. Normally, this is about the maximum size of the bird in the frame I prefer :



As for getting close enough to raptors, I try to move slow and quiet. I'm sure raptors still see me but I make my profile small by walking in a bent position and really slow, taking minutes to approach. This way I make myself appear smaller, less threatening or distracting to the bird.

Not having to log a tripod and setting it up every time is really instrumental to this type of photography. If I had that much hassle of carrying a big tripod over my shoulder and setting up every few steps, this approach would not be possible.

Hope this helps

[John Guastella]

While I agree with the premise of your article, I do find it ironic that you chose to illustrate using nearly $20K worth of camera and lens.

+1. I'm betting someone could get images as good using only $10K worth of equipment.

John

[arash_hazeghi]

+1. I'm betting someone could get images as good using only $10K worth of equipment.

John

That was the whole point of the article. better equipment does not make you a better photographer. It increases your productivity if you know how to use it. It opens new possibilities but only if your skills are developed to take advantage.

[David Stephens]

+1. I'm betting someone could get images as good using only $10K worth of equipment.

John

I re-read the article to make sure I'd read it right the first time. I thought that Arash had talked about people getting good results with lesser equipment that they've mastered and learned to use effectively. He did, indeed, talk about this and, I thought, made it a big point.

Because I've experienced the increased productivity of going from my $10,000 rig (5D MkIII plus 500mm Series I) to a costing nearly double (1D X plus 500mm S-II). I get many shots that please me with my rig, but it can be much more of a struggle. One of the most telling situations comes when I put my EF 2.0x TC-III on my 5D3 with the 500mm S-I. The AF's speed at locking onto a target slows to as much as a second, even with good pre-focus. With the 1D X, that acquisition speed drops to around .1-sec., which makes it immensely easier to lock onto a BIF. Another situation that demonstrates the superiority of the latest generation of equipment is shooting the moon with a 1D X/500-SII combination plus a 2.0x TC-iii, handheld at 1/40-sec. The improved IS and lighter weight allow a sharp image not possible with the earlier version of the lens.

Can you get as good shots with the lesser rigs? Undoubtedly, yes. Will the latest, more expensive equipment raise your keeper rate and/or allow shots not possible before? Absolutely, yes. I think that's what Arash was getting at.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Thanks Arash, the extra info is very helpful!

[John Robinson]

Arash
Some very interestingand valid points made. I speak with authority because I have never had money !!! Some of the camera prices mentioned are twice my life savings ! And I do not joke. I use what I have to the best of my ability and one can do no more than that ! On a slight aside- the other often missed pointabout unlimited resources is the ability to go where the "good stuff " is. I agree as you say- mundane subjects can make good pictures but if you look at viewing figures on forums in relation to subject it is easy to see what I mean.
Superb shots by the way and italso shows what a difference processing makes. I can't even afford photo shop !!!
Cheers
JR

[Henry Domke]

I wonder if you might be missing something by focusing so much on the technology and not considering the art. I believe outstanding photographs have an artistic component that transcends the gear.


Knowing your tools and how to use them efficiently allows you to be competent at your craft. Outstanding photographs transcend craft.

[Gary Kinard]

A nice write up, but I came away with! You patting yourself on the back? Photography is like any thing in life. If you put in the time and like it, you will get the equipment and succeed.
A few good tips. So thanks. Post processing tips are welcome. But, that is why this site is here! It is the best place on the net to learn post processing.

For 99.9% of us. It is an enjoyable hobby. Nothing More!

Cheers, Gary

www.flickr.com/photos/avianphotos
www.birdsthatfart.com

[arash_hazeghi]

I wonder if you might be missing something by focusing so much on the technology and not considering the art. I believe outstanding photographs have an artistic component that transcends the gear.
Knowing your tools and how to use them efficiently allows you to be competent at your craft. Outstanding photographs transcend craft.

Hi Henry,

Thanks for your comments. I believe any successful artist has two distinct qualities, creative/artistic vision and great execution skills. you need both. Technology, i.e. equipment is a part of the execution. A tool that helps you transform your artistic vision from an idea into a photograph. You need to develop a deep understanding of your equipment in order to use it efficiently, especially for a specialized subject such as birds in flight.

But just focusing on technology alone and overlooking artistic vision will not get you far either. It is unfortunately a common issue on the internet forums. You see many folks talk about gear, many times without even having touched the gear they talk about. They have very strong opinions, but when you look at their portfolios, you don't find a single worthy photograph. Artie calls them "internet experts" because sitting on a chair and talking about gear is much easier than going out and actually making photos. As I mentioned in the article, my personal advice is to know your gear well but then go out there and explore!



best,

Arash

[Steve Kaluski]

Technology, i.e. equipment is a part of the execution. A tool that helps you transform your artistic vision from an idea into a photograph.

Yep, totally agree Arash, good article, plus, at the rate technology is moving on, especially with greater ISO & IQ, it now allows you to achieve the shot and still be creative.

cheers
Steve

[John Robinson]

Hi Henry,

But just focusing on technology alone and overlooking artistic vision will not get you far either. It is unfortunately a common issue on the internet forums. You see many folks talk about gear, many times without even having touched the gear they talk about. They have very strong opinions, but when you look at their portfolios, you don't find a single worthy photograph. Artie calls them "internet experts" because sitting on a chair and talking about gear is much easier than going out and actually making photos. As I mentioned in the article, my personal advice is to know your gear well but then go out there and explore!



best,

Arash

Absolutely tue - Words out of my mouth and Ican think of a few examples !
Cheers
JR

[Henry Domke]

...my personal advice is to know your gear well but then go out there and explore!

By saying "go out there and explore!" I gather that you mean get out in the field and use your gear and see how you and others like it.

I think that can be enjoyable and can help you develop your craft. If that is the extent of your goals then that is fine. But if you aspire to something higher, something more original and artistic then merely perfecting your technique then you might want to broaden your view of visual art. You might consider doing things like studying art history and the history of photography. You might want to explore other forms of visual art such as painting and drawing. Spending time trying to understand and appreciate what is going on in contemporary art museums and galleries might make you reconsider some of your assumptions about what works and what doesn't work with the images you are creating.

I say this to you because you are advanced with your craft. Photographing birds is technically very complex and requires advanced understanding of natural history, camera gear and computer gear. I think you have those areas covered and I am encouraging you to push further. Personally, I am a novice. I am at the stage where I have to concentrate on the getting my gear to work correctly. But I look forward to the day that I can push beyond that!

Good luck!

[Elizabet Smith]

Recently i have read out your article"Is it the gear or the photographer?" and i feel lucky because your article represent valuable knowledge about photography. Images are really awesome and i have never seen like these type of photography in my life.