I have learned that birds found in your backyard are beautiful to behold. When observed and photographed up close you get to see for yourself the distinct beauty and activity that is part of their everyday life. Here are some hints to help you in your adventure.
Preparing the blind:
1. I took a half of an old ladder stand and attached it to a tree in a wooded area adjacent to my back yard. Be sure and take into consideration the morning and evening position of the sun and clear vision of the feeders to area birds when selecting a tree. Don't forget your background for it is extremely important when photographing wildlife.
2. I drilled some holes and screwed some threaded rods into the tree. I placed them in such a way as to provide a framework for camouflaged material to hang. The camo material covers top, sides, and my feet. I stapled some black cloth inside the camo material so that the interior of the blind would look black from the outside and movement could not be seen through the material.
3. I then cut holes for the lens in such a way that my face could not be seen from either side so that the camera could be raised into position with as little notice as possible. My face is more to the back of the blind. I have about 4 holes that give me plenty of view to the area.
Preparing the area around the blind:
1. I hang the various feeders on limbs high enough to prevent animals such as deer and raccoons from getting the seeds. I place them far enough down from the limb and away from the trunk to make it difficult for squirrels to get them as well.
2. I prepare the area to entice the birds to land as close as possible to my blind. (I have had woodpeckers and even blue birds attempt to enter the blind thinking it is a place to build a nest. The other day I had a hawk land just two feet from my face. He saw me before I say him and I missed the shot.) This involves trimming away branches that would be in the way of the shot and clearing the area as close to the blind as possible. As I mentioned be sure and check out the background of the shot and how it fits into the overall photograph that you desire. Small branches up close for smaller birds are important because you need them as close as possible for detail in the photograph.
This is just a sketch of the process so if you have a question go to my "blog" on the Home Page.
I hope these will be helpful hints to you as you enjoy photographing wildlife up close and personal. May God reveal his glory to you in what you see.
Ray Mears
Photographing Wild Birds #1
