Nature Photography How To

The great thing about bird photography is that it’s an accessible activity you can pursue close to home at a local park or nature center—or even in the privacy of your backyard. And if you want to take a drive to a nearby forest, lake, or seashore, even more opportunities abound.

But the challenge isn’t just to take photos of birds, but rather to take great photos of birds, and that’s what the video below is all about. Tim Boyer is a photographer, author, and photo instructor, as well as our expert on the topic of bird photography, and in this tutorial he takes a slightly different approach.

Boyer’s videos typically concentrate on a specific technique or piece of gear. But in this episode he takes a more general approach, focusing on the subject of creativity. And he offers seven simple tips that deliver awesome results and will make your images stand out from the rest.

The video begins with Boyer asking the philosophical question, “What are your dreams?” The intent is to get you to consider how you would pursue bird photography if money and time weren’t a concern and you could travel anywhere, with any gear you desire, to photograph the type of birds that inspire you most. From there, he offers several tips that will delivers great results in just about any situation as you dial back your aspirations to the degree necessary.

Boyer offers a a couple of  “big picture” suggestions, like leaving your comfort zone by trying a unfamiliar location, or photographing birds you’ve never shot before. Another tip that will give you a creative boost is to concentrate on a single subject, and try to tell a story with your images of that one bird.

So watch the rest of the video to learn the rest of Boyer’s practical tips, and then get out there and do something creative. You can find more great advice on Boyer’s YouTube channel, and in another of his tutorials we posted recently with seven composition tips for photographing birds.