Bird Photography Pro Tips

Black-capped chickadee, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio.

© Jim Roetzel

Wildlife photography is a popular activity at many national parks, including Cuyahoga Valley. Birds make appealing subjects because of their beauty and variety. As part of the Wings and Voices of the Cuyahoga project, nature photographer Jim Roetzel offers this advice on how to make your wildlife photos sing. Jim is an author and a long-time leader in the Cuyahoga Valley Photographic Society.

Capturing Personality

Begin by looking closely at the portrait above of a black-capped chickadee. As regulars at bird feeders, they are familiar to many people. What do you see in its expression? Jim Roetzel commented, “I am very impressed by small birds. They don’t get photographed nearly as much as top predators such as hawks, owls, and eagles. However, they deserve to be photographed with the same zeal and craft as the larger stars of the avian world. What I particularly like about this image is the pose. There is a suggestion of movement—just before the chickadee flies off—and the look in the chickadee’s eyes. I don’t remember what made it look up, but I think this makes the shot.”

Canada goose, Kendall Lake.

© Jim Roetzel

Anticipating Behavior

Chickadees are known for being bold and curious. Their habits don’t bring them into conflict with people. In contrast, Canada geese are big and aggressive and often hang out in large groups. We might enjoy looking up at their honking V-formations heading south in autumn but stepping through goose poop is no fun. In the second portait, the goose is running off a rival at Kendall Lake. “You can usually anticipate a charge by noticing its head and neck going down almost level to the ground or water. That is a warning sign,” noted Roetzel. Tensions are especially high during spring courtship.

Keeping Wildlife Wild

If you could photograph a favorite bird, consider what would make the character of the bird shine. Remember the animal comes first, not the photograph. Respect its wildness and follow each park’s rules of distance and approach. In general, don’t do anything that makes wildlife change its behavior because of your presence.

Learn More

If you are just starting out, explore the birding and photography guides listed below. You can also find more pro tips and safety guidelines from the National Park Service for wildlife watching in the parks.