BIRDS IN ACTION

"The greatest of challenges is always

conquered by the need to accomplish"

(Lopez-Espina, 2020)

Capturing an unusual bird action is an absolute thrill for any wildlife photographer, particularly if it occurs within a fraction of a second. The hard part is freezing those sudden behaviors without inadvertently cutting off the subject or impacting the composition. Because professional bird photographers normally use bulky telephoto lenses, those involved generally don’t have the luxury to be able to zoom. This lack of flexibility explains why many action images are unsuccessful. It only takes for the very tip of a  wing or a beak to be cut-off. Knowing the subject helps predict what comes next, but success still depends on how fast a photographer reacts.