THE OLYMPUS GUIDE TO

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY

ELEVATE YOUR BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY

You love watching birds. You love photography. And you’ll love this handy page. Whether you’re getting started or you’ve been shooting in the field for years, you’ll learn something new.

BIRDS MAKE FOR CHALLENGING SUBJECTS.

SCOTT BOURNE MAKES IT LOOK EASY

MEET SCOTT BOURNE: Author. Lecturer. Acclaimed Wildlife Photographer. Bird Whisperer. When it comes to photographing birds in their natural habitat, there are few people in the world who are better than Scott Bourne. Using his training as an ornithologist — kind of a bird whisperer — he combines 40 years of photography expertise and endless patience to capture some of the most stunning bird photos you’ll ever see. Scott’s work has been featured in more than 200 publications, and he’s traveled the world shooting birds in an attempt to “speak for the creatures who have no voice.”

SCOTT BOURNE’S TIPS WILL

INSTANTLY MAKE YOU A BETTER BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER

Pay attention to the direction of the wind and sun. If they are coming from the same direction, the conditions are perfect for photographing birds in flight.

Try and keep the sun at your back. Most published bird photos are lit through the sun or open shade.

Shoot birds in flight when the sun is low in the sky. If it’s too high, the bird’s underside will be in shadow.

When shooting flocks of birds, you’ll get better composition if you wait for them to separate so their wings don’t overlap.

Photograph birds on a clean, simple background so your subject will stand out better.

Know your subject. The more you understand the way birds behave, the better your images will be.

It would be wise to always have a pair of high-quality, weathersealed binoculars on-hand at all times. These may be crucial in bird observations.

Have patience. Stick with an area, and don’t give up. Eventually birds become used to your presence and will approach you.

ALL THE FEATURES YOU NEED TO CAPTURE BIRDS

(PHOTOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING, OF COURSE)

Our mirrorless OM-D camera systems are up to half the size and weight of other flagship DSLR systems. For bird photographers like Scott Bourne, this gives him more flexibility, more energy, and more shooting time in the field to get the perfect shot.

WEATHERSEALED DESIGN

Lousy weather often takes you by surprise. The OM-D E-M1 Series and our PRO lenses have you covered. They're splashproof, dustproof, and freezeproof (down to 14 ̊F / -10 ̊C), so there's never a need to carry protective gear.

COMPACT LIGHTWEIGHT SIZE

Let the OM-D Series set you free. Our compact mirrorless cameras and small lightweight lenses boast the performance of pro DSLR systems. You'll have greater freedom of movement to capture better bird photos.

OM-D E-M1 Mark II + M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 IS PRO VS. Full Frame DSLR

KEEP UP WITH FAST-FLYING BIRDS

The continuous shooting speed of the OM-D E-M1 Series blows away most DSLR cameras. Capture an astounding 60 frames per second with S-AF and 18 frames per second with C-AF using the silent electronic shutter. It's easy to keep up with fast-moving subjects.

NEVER MISS A SHOT

Our time machine-like Pro Capture Mode ensures you nail the best shot. Press the camera's shutter button halfway to start buffering a running series of images. Once you see the precise moment you want to capture, fully press the shutter to capture that image plus the previous 35 frames all at once.

PRECISE AUTOFOCUSING

Photographing birds in flight requires a responsive and fast autofocus system. The OM-D E-M1 Series features dual Phase Detection + Contrast Detection AF points that blanket the image sensor. Each AF point is cross-type for superior speed and accuracy.

TECHNOLOGY HAS REPLACED THE TRIPOD

Leave your tripod behind! Our industry-leading 5-Axis Image Stabilization allows you to shoot tack-sharp photos, all handheld. With up to 7.5 shutter speed steps of compensation for tripod-like stability, you have more freedom for better results.

3 different photos of humming birds in flight by Scott Bourne

YOU DON'T NEED A LOT OF GEAR

TO BE A SUCCESSFUL BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER

GEAR TO GET STARTED

OM-D E-M1 Mark III

M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm f2.8 PRO

OM-D E-M1X

TAKE THINGS UP A NOTCH

Here’s a look at what’s in Scott Bourne's gear bag when he’s out on assignment.

M.Zuiko ED 7-14mm f2.8 PRO

M.Zuiko ED 300mm f4.0 IS PRO

M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm f4.0 IS PRO

M.Zuiko Digital 1.4x Teleconverter MC-14

Power Battery Holder HLD-9 for E-M1 Mark II or Mark III

EE-1 Dot Sight

VIEW PHOTOS FROM OLYMPUS USERS

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Additional Photo Credits

All bird photos by Olympus Visionary Scott Bourne

Page Header: OM-D E-M1 MARK II | M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150MM F2.8 PRO | F8.0 | 1/8000s | ISO400 ; Tip 1 OM-D E-M1 MARK II | M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-100MM F4.0 PRO | F5.6 | 1/1500s | ISO400 ; Tip 2 OM-D E-M1 MARK II | M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 300MM F4.0 PRO plus MC-14 1.4X TELECONVERTER | F5.6 | 1/80s | ISO400 ; Tip 3 OM-D E-M1 MARK II | M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150MM F2.8 PRO | F6.7 | 1/1500s | ISO400 ; Tip 4 OM-D E-M1 MARK II | M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150MM F2.8 PRO | F4.5 | 1/2000s | ISO250 ; Tip 5 OM-D E-M1 MARK II | M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150MM F2.8 PRO | F2.8 | 1/160s | ISO800 ; Tip 6 OM-D E-M1 MARK II | M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 300MM F4.0 PRO plus MC-14 1.4X TELECONVERTER | F5.6 | 1/320s | ISO200 ; Tip 7 OM-D E-M1 MARK II | M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 300MM F4.0 PRO | F10.0 | 1/250s | ISO320