Weird Career for the Especially Persistent
Imagine a career that is doomed from the start.
And to make matters worse, it’s an occupation that takes time, costs money, and has (at best) remote rewards.
That weird career is Bird Photography.
Tree Swallow
Birds refuse to cooperate, they ignore you, they fly away.
And yet, I take photos of birds — because I enjoy the challenge of capturing the beauty in nature.
Here are samples of the problems followed by five photos that worked.
By the way, the bird in this (typical) photo is a Tree Swallow, male. Most expert birders should be able to recognize the feet.
First Problem: Birds Don’t Show
Bird photography is based on trying to photograph a random event that does not want to be near you.
The way to overcome this challenge is to go to a likely spot and wait.
And wait.
And wait.
I have waited for hours for a bird to arrive. Yes hours. And no bird.
Is this a weird career or what?
Where are you?
I was there and I waited.
I thought we had an appointment!
This third photo is the best of the three because the background is about perfect.
Notice that I’m able to find something good in even an empty photo.
Second Problem: Birds Don’t Stay
No bird wants to be photographed.
When they notice that a lens is pointed at them, they leave.
Gone.
I have had birds fly away during the second while my lens focused on them. Maybe they saw the lens elements move. Maybe they noticed a huge eye looking at them. Or maybe they received a tweet from another bird.
In any case, they left.
Gone.
And the heartbreaking part is: The bird left after I had waited and waited and waited.
I have taken thousands (actually, tens of thousands) of photos like those shown below.
Is this a weird career or what?
Western Scrub-Jay Leaving
Hooded Oriole, Male, Leaving
Black-capped Chickadee, Leaving
Actually, this last photo would be okay if I hadn’t cut off the wing tip. But I was standing too close.
Third Problem: Birds Don’t Cooperate
If you manage to overcome the first two problems, there’s one more.
Birds don’t cooperate.
They ignore you. They ignore instructions. Yes, they ignore everything.
They just spend their time on bird activities.
And I’ve tried all the tricks.
I’ve called out, “Photo Magazine!” or “Photo Contest!”
I’ve even used the magic words, “National Geographic!”
Nothing works.
Is this a weird career or what?
Hey, Look this way! (House Finch, Female & Male)
Orange-crowned Warbler, Working out
Hey! Stand up straight! (Great-blue Heron)
Good News: Sometimes Everything Works
The bird appears. The bird stays. And the bird poses (sort of).
Actually, it’s a matter of persistence, skill, and (yes) luck. Then you have results like the photos below.
Is this cool or what?
Northern Mockingbird
Horned Grebe, Breeding Plumage, Taking a Bath
Sandhill Crane, Bosque del Apache, NM
Black Phoebe
Canada Goose
Final Note on This Weird Career
Although this might be a weird career, it has fantastic rewards.
I can spend time outside, observing birds plus other wild life.
Through this, I can enjoy the serenity of being part of the natural world.
And I also come home with some beautiful photos, which I can use in my presentations, photo classes, and blogs.
For example, here are some special posts:
If you want to learn more about birds, visit the Audubon or Cornell Lab of Ornithology web sites.
Preserving Nature, One Bird at a Time
