TIP: How to Photograph Birds in Flight

SETTINGS (OPTIMAL)

Mode: Shoot in either Manual or Shutter Priority

Shutter Speed: 1/2000 or higher

Aperture: f/8*

ISO: 200 or lower

Focus: Group or 9 points (or close — depending on your camera)

Metering: Center-weighted

Shutter Release: High speed

Exposure Compensation: + as needed**

SETTINGS (MINIMAL)

Same as with Optimal Settings except for:

Shutter Speed: 1/1000 if light demands a lower shutter speed

Aperture: Wide open (largest f/stop number)

ISO: Up to 800***

*The optimal aperture can vary with different lenses and different bodies. F/8 is usually a good choice.

**Exposure compensation is likely needed unless the sun is behind you and striking directly on the subject. If the subjects are too dark after a test shot, raise the Exposure Compensation to +1, +2, or higher as dictated by the test shots.

***Different cameras and different lenses can have very different abilities to handle noise and degradation caused by higher ISO settings. You should make some test shots to see what the acceptable limit is for your lens and camera. 800 may be a good guideline for many cameras, but some can go much higher.