If you’re someone who is an avid bird watcher and now wants to venture into bird photography, then the Nikon P1000 is the most suitable camera for you. This camera comes with an incredibly powerful BSI-CMOS sensor that shoots at 16 megapixels. Such an image quality allows you to take the most beautiful images of all kinds of birds. The camera registers images very quickly and processes them in the most bright and vivid colors imaginable.
Since bird photography is a sensitive task, you will have to be very careful with how you stabilize yourself to avoid shaky images. The Nikon P1000 helps you in this regard with its ‘dual detect’ image stabilization function. This will help you get the best focus on any bird without the image coming out shaky. Even if the bird starts to fly off, you can still capture the image and freeze the moment in time. With its 3.2 inch LCD, you will have all the fantastic features of this camera at your direct disposal.
The P1000 provides you with a host of incredible features, all of which can be used to capture stunning images of wild and tame birds. You can even use the built-in WiFi and Bluetooth to transfer the captured images or use the shutter remotely. This function helps you avoid disturbing the bird with your presence. You can simply connect the camera to your phone or device and release the shutter button remotely. This way, there will be less turbulence, and the bird won’t fly off.
Here are 5 tips on using the Nikon P1000 for bird photography.
Get To Know Your Subject
Before you jump into bird photography, you should always do some preliminary research on the bird you’re planning to shoot. Since bird photography is an incredibly sensitive venture, knowing your subject becomes really important. Different birds have different reactions to humans coming up and close to photograph them. While some birds may be inviting, others would fly away at a moment’s notice. In fact, even within these categories, different birds react differently when in different circumstances. So, you have to do some research to understand the bird’s spatial psychology as well.
For example, if you’re photographing a crane, an ostrich, or a penguin in the wild, they will usually not care if a human is around them. This is mostly because they are in their territories, and they feel comfortable there. However, if you’re photographing one of these birds in a setting where they don’t usually belong, they will be pretty hard to sight and get a hold of. Similarly, you also need to research where the specific bird is mostly found and at what times they can be sighted. In this way, getting to know your subject becomes integral to your photography experience.
With the Nikon P1000, knowing your subject becomes super easy. Since the camera has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, you can transfer reference files on your camera and look at them time and again as you’re shooting the birds. These reference images will help you keep a check on the bird’s expected behavior and movements through the time of photography.
Don’t Shoot Right Away
Since birds are sensitive animals, you have to be careful and make them comfortable with your presence. Thus, don’t start shooting images right away. You must wait a while to let the bird get accustomed to the change in the environment and then start shooting. In fact, you should also always make sure that you’re not pointing the camera directly at the bird because the bird could perceive that as an attack, and it can fly off to protect itself. Always position yourself in a way that helps you hide or so that the bird can’t see you directly.
For example, suppose you’re in a jungle shooting a toucan. In that case, you should try to avoid any sudden movements, which involves you picking up the camera or raising it to shoot the bird. Instead, try to take the pictures from afar and as quickly as possible. In fact, you can wear clothes that help you blend into the jungle, like a green t-shirt and brown pants, or you can get camo printed clothes to help you camouflage well enough for the bird to not see you. In any case, it is highly advised to start shooting a little after you arrive at the location. It helps you look at the bird’s movements and help you devise your photography plan.
The Nikon P1000 has some incredible features that help you with patience. It has a UHD 4k video recorder that can record hours worth of videos. So, while you’re not shooting pictures immediately, you can turn the recorder on and record a video of the bird. Video recording is often inconspicuous, so the bird won’t notice the camera at all, allowing you and the bird some time to get adjusted to the changes.
Approach With Patience
Always approach birds with patience. As mentioned earlier, birds can be extremely sensitive animals to work around. You should always employ the strategies of patience when photographing them. Patience does not only mean staying quiet and not moving. It also means relaxing your body so that you can become comfortable with the environment too. This way, the energy that you exude will automatically relax the bird as well.
Patience also means approaching the birds very slowly. For example, if you’re ready to start shooting, pick up the camera very slowly and don’t flinch. Once you have raised the camera, you can start taking pictures in a manner noticeable by the bird. You should also try and pace yourself when taking pictures. If you shoot in burst mode, then the bird might be scared off by the noise of the shutter, so try to take one image at a time. However, if the bird is already in flight, then the burst mode would work perfectly.
The Nikon P1000 can shoot over 250 images on a single charge. This will help you pace your photographs according to how the bird reacts to the camera and yourself. Additionally, the camera has a 1/4000 sec shutter speed and can shoot at 7 frames per second continuously without making any noise. So, all these features can help you patiently capture images of some majestic birds.
Avoid Stereotypical Shots
Throughout the last two decades, major magazines and TV channels have documented wild birds extensively. Their images have become model stereotypes for bird photography, and it’s getting a bit redundant now. So, to shoot creative photos, you should avoid taking stereotypical shots. Most of these shots have a vibrantly colored bird sitting on a branch looking at a tree or the sky. You should try to avoid such a composition. Instead, look for new ones.
With modern cameras, you have many options to choose from what you want your composition to look like. You can add an extra layer of exposure to give the image some character. Additionally, you can also lower the shutter speed to give the bird a flight trail for your image. In fact, you can start playing around with angles, lighting, aperture, focus, and other elements that former photographers didn’t choose to interact with. So, you can avoid taking stereotypical shots simply by changing the settings on your camera.
Using the Nikon P1000 is in itself breaking the stereotypes. This camera has some of the most advanced features available to modern-day photographers. With its 4.3-539 mm focal length, you will be able to take pictures from very far away and retain the ability to come closer. You can also easily adjust your angles and lighting through the manual functions.
Use A Bird Hide
Using a bird hide can be very helpful when looking to photograph birds. Bird hides are little hiding structures that you purchase or build for yourself to camouflage into the surrounding environments. These can come in the forms of tents, little cottages, or sheds. Such hides are often painted in colors that help them blend into the surrounding terrain. This way, the birds will not see you, and you can comfortably take pictures without disturbing them.
When getting a bird hide, you should always consult the measurements of your camera and its lenses. This is because most bird hides are entirely closed off, and you only get to have a small peeping hole to look at the birds from. So, to ensure that the gap is big enough for your camera to fit through, you should always get the bird hide with reference to your camera’s dimensions. You can also rent pre-existing bird hides that are mostly found in forests.
The Nikon P1000 has an incredible 125x optical zoom lens. This lens is ideal for bird photography as it helps you take pictures from very far away. It will not matter if your hide is 50 meters away from the bird. You will still be able to capture it in all its glory and with full quality. Additionally, since the lens is not removable, you won’t have to go through the trouble of moving repeatedly. So, you can take pictures of your favorite birds in all comfort and peace.
