Starting bird / wildlife photography

starrynight · 26-10-2007, 05:10 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

quix · 26-10-2007, 05:27 PM

Disclaimer - I am no expert and I am a newbie!!

Equipment
Good advice from Wilson above. What I can add on is, once you have decided that this is something you are seriously into, then go out and buy the best you can afford. That is because, you will find that you will be hit by the upgrading itch and sequential upgrading will prove to be very expensive, more than if you buy what you can afford at one go.

As for lens, although most will advocate the longest lens you can afford for a start, but after a while, one will realise that there is a lens for each purpose. Long lens like 500-800mm will be best for small/distant subjects and be used from a relatively fixed location(meaning not so much walking needed) as these lens are HEAVY. Whereas shorter lens like 300mm F2.8 and 400mm F5.6 may be best for mobile recee, flight shots which requires a faster lens in terms of speed and ease of manoeuvre, and bigger subjects. And mid range zoom such as 100-400 or 200-400 or even 70-200 may be good again for recee trips, zoo and safaris etc.

Locations
Japanese Garden, Punggol Park, Punggol Grasslands, Bukit Batok Nature Park, Zoo!

wilis128 · 26-10-2007, 05:56 PM

great write-up wilson!.. learn something new everyday..

cactus400D · 26-10-2007, 07:12 PM

Ditto! Very indepth write-up. Almost covered overall on subject.

Mervin · 26-10-2007, 10:11 PM

hahaha !!!!!

very good write up Doc !

However will you please get up and shoot !

wilis128 · 26-10-2007, 11:12 PM

wow... this deserves a sticky or two..

Mervin · 26-10-2007, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrynight

BUT the most important of all … bring along a good sense of humour and have fun!

yes, have to agreed that having humour and fun is indeed the most important of all !

Garion · 27-10-2007, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilis128

wow... this deserves a sticky or two..

Granted.

Great effort Wilson and others!!!

MountainMan · 27-10-2007, 09:36 AM

Excellent initiative Starry

Excellent write up

A great reference for all - from newbies to sifus

Mods... u all should make Starry a mod ! He can manage the thread and site well

Remo · 27-10-2007, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainMan

Excellent initiative Starry

Excellent write up

A great reference for all - from newbies to sifus

Mods... u all should make Starry a mod ! He can manage the thread and site well

100% agree .. Really great RESOURCE GUY ..
Just browse article section.
I think he has more articles not listed yet.

BTW .. modes .. article section .. ???

Damselfly · 27-10-2007, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainMan

Excellent initiative Starry

Excellent write up

A great reference for all - from newbies to sifus

Mods... u all should make Starry a mod ! He can manage the thread and site well

I totally agree!

Great initiative, Wilson!! Lots of great info in this thread for newbies like me

Helps to shorten the learning curve. Many thx for starting this thread!

ccplim · 28-10-2007, 01:20 AM

Oei Oei Oei.......

Who said you guys can suka suka convert this thread into sticky one???

I feel that such good info should be better justified with slightly more elaboration and fully converted into an article

PS. Having too many stickies in one page doesn't really look good especially in the long run.

ccplim · 28-10-2007, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Remo

BTW .. modes .. article section .. ???

No one contribute leh

But I do have a few good ones that I can convert them over.

JamesCK · 28-10-2007, 08:41 AM

Great short & sweet briefing to birding for ppl like me.

Disclaimer noted. With shotz like yours who wantz to be a expert. Just be like you enuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrynight

Disclaimer : Me no expert

wilis128 · 28-10-2007, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainMan

Mods... u all should make Starry a mod ! He can manage the thread and site well

agree.... he is a true AWA ambassador.. always spread the good names of AWA to birding enthusiast

look at the number of his referrals...

of my 3 years here, i never even referred anyone to AWA

MountainMan · 29-10-2007, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrynight

Me no expert .. so can not be moderator ...

can lah... u no expert but no one else more qualified than u hor !!! What's more, Mod doesn't need to be an expert photographer... just one with a strong commitment, initiative, good ideas, and most importantly dedication, and ALL these you have most amongst us. You have repeatedly shown to contribute signficantly in many many ways towards the maturity of AWA today.

MountainMan · 29-10-2007, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccplim

No one contribute leh

But I do have a few good ones that I can convert them over.

Hi CP,

Starry has previously written quite a few good articles/trip reports. I think all we need is a compilation thread like this one, or to resurrect the threads to the Article section. Here are some examples of previous threads, not complete because I cannot remember what else has been posted previously...

Fraser Hill

Thailand
and more on Thailand

Hokkaido

can't remember if Starry posted any information on Costa Rica (couldn't find it from the Search engine)

This is a good article by Starry on Tips on Overseas Shooting Trips... already in the Article section

The very important Bird & Wildlife Photography Calendar (already a sticky on the Outings, Activities, Events Section)

Some more trip reports by William...
Thailand...

This one already in the Article Section

Bali... (already in the Article Section)

Myself, I wrote a 5 part series on Birding in and around Alice Springs.. (some of the images are lost due to my server being down)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Anyone else can think of more reports and write ups?

MM

Ingo · 29-10-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainMan

Anyone else can think of more reports and write ups?
MM

http://www.travellingbirder.com/tripreports/default.php

Browse the trip report section (it covers the whole world) - it's for birders, but photographers should get tons of useful information out of it, too.

ccplim · 29-10-2007, 08:54 PM

Thanks Eric..... I really missed some of those

I will start to work on these ASAP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainMan

Hi CP,

Starry has previously written quite a few good articles/trip reports. I think all we need is a compilation thread like this one, or to resurrect the threads to the Article section. Here are some examples of previous threads, not complete because I cannot remember what else has been posted previously...

Fraser Hill

Thailand
and more on Thailand

Hokkaido

can't remember if Starry posted any information on Costa Rica (couldn't find it from the Search engine)

This is a good article by Starry on Tips on Overseas Shooting Trips... already in the Article section

The very important Bird & Wildlife Photography Calendar (already a sticky on the Outings, Activities, Events Section)

Some more trip reports by William...
Thailand...

This one already in the Article Section

Bali... (already in the Article Section)

Myself, I wrote a 5 part series on Birding in and around Alice Springs.. (some of the images are lost due to my server being down)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Anyone else can think of more reports and write ups?

MM

MountainMan · 30-10-2007, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccplim

Thanks Eric..... I really missed some of those

I will start to work on these ASAP.

Thanks a million CP... great to have them well archived

26-10-2007, 05:10 PM	#1
starrynight Eagle Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 4,310	-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last edited by starrynight; 17-06-2008 at 10:57 AM.

26-10-2007, 05:27 PM	#2
quix Hawk Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,006	Disclaimer - I am no expert and I am a newbie!! Equipment Good advice from Wilson above. What I can add on is, once you have decided that this is something you are seriously into, then go out and buy the best you can afford. That is because, you will find that you will be hit by the upgrading itch and sequential upgrading will prove to be very expensive, more than if you buy what you can afford at one go. As for lens, although most will advocate the longest lens you can afford for a start, but after a while, one will realise that there is a lens for each purpose. Long lens like 500-800mm will be best for small/distant subjects and be used from a relatively fixed location(meaning not so much walking needed) as these lens are HEAVY. Whereas shorter lens like 300mm F2.8 and 400mm F5.6 may be best for mobile recee, flight shots which requires a faster lens in terms of speed and ease of manoeuvre, and bigger subjects. And mid range zoom such as 100-400 or 200-400 or even 70-200 may be good again for recee trips, zoo and safaris etc. Locations Japanese Garden, Punggol Park, Punggol Grasslands, Bukit Batok Nature Park, Zoo! __________________ My Images

26-10-2007, 10:11 PM	#5
Mervin Eagle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Simei Rise Posts: 4,490	hahaha !!!!! very good write up Doc ! However will you please get up and shoot ! __________________ 06Jan2009, 1035hrs - My Oldest Friend has passed on............

27-10-2007, 09:36 AM	#9
MountainMan Osprey Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gone Troppo Posts: 5,168	Excellent initiative Starry Excellent write up A great reference for all - from newbies to sifus Mods... u all should make Starry a mod ! He can manage the thread and site well __________________ In Memory of a very dear friend...

28-10-2007, 01:20 AM	#12
ccplim Board Founder Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,947	Oei Oei Oei....... Who said you guys can suka suka convert this thread into sticky one??? I feel that such good info should be better justified with slightly more elaboration and fully converted into an article PS. Having too many stickies in one page doesn't really look good especially in the long run. __________________ The welfare of your subject is more important than the photograph!

26-10-2007, 05:56 PM	#3
wilis128 Osprey Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 5,185	great write-up wilson!.. learn something new everyday..

26-10-2007, 07:12 PM	#4
cactus400D Hawk Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 879	Ditto! Very indepth write-up. Almost covered overall on subject.

26-10-2007, 11:12 PM	#6
wilis128 Osprey Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 5,185	wow... this deserves a sticky or two..

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