Introduction to Bird Photography

Introduction to Bird Photography: Classroom and Field Instruction to Help You Get Better Bird Shots

Workshop Overview

This two-day workshop – offered during peak spring migration in southern Maine – is heavily geared towards beginner photographers but should be valuable to anyone interested in improving their bird photography skills. We will be combining classroom instruction with field trips to some of Maine’s best birding hotspots to help you gain familiarity and confidence with your camera gear and with those tricky avian subjects.

Loren will cover a wide range of topics, including his preferred camera settings, photography techniques, and photo-editing workflow, as well as his conceptual approaches to bird photography. If you have ever considered pursuing bird photography but have been intimidated by your gear or the subjects, this is the workshop for you.

Instructor Bio

Loren Merrill is a photographer and science writer with a doctorate in avian ecology, animal behavior, and physiology. Loren was the director of the Hog Island Audubon Photography of Maine Birds and Landscapes camp this past May and runs a series of elementary through advanced photography workshops. Loren writes and photographs for Northern Woodlands Magazine and has also written and photographed for Birding Magazine and Down East Magazine.

Loren’s approach to photography is heavily influenced by his background in natural history, ecology, and animal behavior, and his goal is to capture images that help communicate stories of the natural world to others. Loren’s first field job was for the Audubon Society’s Project Puffin in 1995, and in the intervening years he worked on 4 continents and 10 countries conducting research on birds. Loren is a dedicated instructor who has received numerous teaching and mentoring awards, and he continues to work closely with workshop participants to help them achieve their goals. Decades spent in the presence of wild animals have provided Loren with unique insights into their behavior, and he is able to parlay that knowledge into being better prepared to understand and anticipate his subjects’ action. To borrow from Louis Pasteur, bird photography favors the prepared mind.

Workshop Description

This workshop will combine extensive classroom instruction with ample field time for participants to apply the concepts and techniques covered in the classroom. Loren will also provide a photo-editing tutorial, and participants will have the opportunity to get feedback from Loren on editing techniques and workflow.

Our subjects for these workshops will be the birds found in southern Maine during spring migration. This includes an array of shorebirds, terns, gulls, and songbirds. We will be shooting at a number of different beach locations and some of the best songbird hotspots in the area. This will allow us to work on shooting under different environmental conditions and with very different subjects: shorebirds foraging on the beach, birds-in-flight, terns diving for fish, songbirds in a multi-dimensional environment, etc.

Mid-May is an excellent time to be photographing birds in Maine: most birds will be in their full breeding plumage, and there will be opportunities to capture birds in and among some of the spring flowers. Locally breeding birds will be engaging in courtship behaviors and territorial defenses, both of which can provide exciting content.

Day 1:

7:30am - We will first meet in the field at a TBD birding hotspot in southern Maine. The goal of this first session is to let folks experience the thrill, joy, and frustration of bird photography before we retreat to the classroom to address all those challenges (which should be fresh in people’s minds). The classroom will be in Biddeford Pool or Saco, and we will spend the late morning covering the basics of camera settings and techniques. After lunch, we’ll again venture into the field to a local hotspot to work on shooting techniques. That session will be followed by classroom time during which we’ll cover some of the conceptual elements to bird photography, and that will conclude Day 1 (around 4:30-5pm).

Day 2:

7am – We will meet in the field at a TBD birding hotspot in southern Maine. After a few hours in the field, we will return to a classroom for a photo-editing tutorial and participants will have some time to edit some of their own images and receive feedback from Loren. After lunch we will return to the field for a few final hours of shooting to wrap up the workshop (ending around 4pm).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lot of experience or expensive gear to take this workshop?

This workshop is geared towards beginners, but participants should be aware that a DSLR or mirrorless camera (and some form of zoom or telephoto lens) will afford them the best opportunities of capturing exciting bird images. I will work with each participant to help them maximize their camera gear’s capabilities.

What about transportation?

Participants are responsible for their own transportation but we will likely be carpooling to and from field locations.

What about lodging?

Maine is a popular place, and many hotels and B&B’s fill up fast. We ask that you stay close to our predetermined meet-up locations (somewhere in the Biddeford/ Saco/ Scarborough area).

What should I wear?

The most recommended piece of gear is a pair of sturdy shoes, ideally waterproof or water resistant. We may walk across uneven, hard, wet surfaces, so hiking shoes with good tread are very helpful. We also like to layer, which usually means a base layer of synthetic, fast-wicking material, a warm fleece or soft shell, and a down jacket for cool mornings. In addition, I like to lie down in the sand when shooting shorebirds at the beach, so I recommend water-resistant/proof pants and top, and/or a light-weight, portable water-proof ground pad. Other suggested items are found below:

• Insect and tick repellant
• Sunscreen
• Waterproof outerwear
• Wool socks
• Gloves
• Two hats (one for warmth, the other for sun protection)

Should I be concerned about ticks?

Yes. All outdoor activities in New England carry the risk of picking up these nasty hitchhikers. Please use bug repellent that you can apply to your skin, or even better, permethrin, which you apply to clothes you plan on wearing in the field. Also, give yourself an extensive review when you get home at night to check for ticks.

What happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate?

Please keep an open mind when it comes to your expectations about what “good conditions" are. May weather in Maine can be unpredictable; it can be sunny, humid and in the 80s, or it can be overcast, rainy, and in the 40s. We’ll be keeping an eye on the weather so we can be prepared for whatever it throws at us. We want to teach you how to shoot in all conditions! Wet conditions can yield some of the most novel, exciting wildlife images.

What does my tuition cover?

The price of the workshop includes all fieldwork, group instruction, and individual tutoring. It does not include travel insurance, meals, transportation, or lodging.

Should I bring a laptop?

Yes. We recommend you bring your laptop to follow along during classroom time and to take notes. We also recommend you bring a card reader so that we can share and critique your photos if you’d like. If you have photo-editing software on your computer (e.g., Lightroom Classic) you’ll be able to work on editing images during our late morning classroom session on Day 2.

What camera equipment do you recommend I bring?

• DSLR or mirrorless camera
• Lenses equal to or greater than 300mm are recommended (this can include zoom lenses) 
  
• A sturdy tripod and head (definitely NOT required; I typically only use a tripod for long exposure shots)
• Portable stool if you don’t want to lie down on the beach
• Waterproof camera bag
• Extra camera batteries
• Extra memory card if your card is under 50GB
  

Cancellations

The payment is 50% refundable in the event you have to cancel, as long as the cancellation is made 21 days before the trip. After that time, your payment is non-refundable. Alternately, 100% of your payment will be refunded if a replacement can be found prior to the trip.