Capturing the Birds of Kiawah
By Tina Schell
In this issue we have explored some of the amazing birds that populate our beautiful shores, often illustrated by beautiful photographs. As a photographer, I know of no better place to capture birds— wading, flying, mating, nesting, fishing— you name it, you will find it on Kiawah. I have asked a few of my fellowphotographers to share their insights into making the most of our incredible bird photography opportunities. Here are some of their thoughts along with some examples of their results:
Kathy Keane Kathy suggests you try to spend time on the beach, especially in the early morning or late in the day. She recommends you move slowly toward your subject( s) and keep shooting as you approach, as you can never be sure when the birds will leave. She also feels that a telephoto lens is especially helpful.
Sue Corcoran Sue’ s advice is very practical. She suggests setting your camera up before you walk out the door because things can happen very quickly in the field. She recommends using your longest lens— even 200 mm may be too short for flying birds, but sometimes you get lucky. For Sue, the usual settings are Shutter priority at 1 / 1000 at a minimum, faster if conditions allow. A high shutter speed also helps eliminate camera shake. She recommends setting your ISO for the appropriate conditions. In full sun, ISO 200 usually works, higher for longer lenses and using Spot Auto Focus. Sue recommends looking for interesting compositions that include nearby birds and definitely resisting the temptation to shoot tiny specs in the sky!
52 Naturally Kiawah