Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48943 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Amateur Photographer, July 1, 2005
If it's birds that tickle your photographic fancy, then look no further.

Synopsis
The practicalities of working in the field are the fundamental skills for any bird photographer. Here the author's many years of professional experience allow him to explain clearly his methods for stalking, using hides, and photographing rare birds, even in tough conditions, as well as advanced techniques such as using decoys or tapes. Each section contains a feature interview with leading international bird photographers showcasing their work and the techniques or subjects with which they are associated. An extended section of case studies shows how field techniques are put into practice to capture stunning images of many birds. Introductory chapters on equipment and creative camera techniques, and concluding chapters on post-production, including digital storage, complete this comprehensive guide.

Customer Reviews

Great Book for the Bird Photographer
As with the other reviews, I agree that this is a great book for the bird photographer enthusiast. Packed with valuable hints and tips, in-depth discussions of techniques and equipment, and many great photos, with details of how they were taken. I like the fact that different photographers contributed images, it adds to the variety of images and photography styles.

Highly Recommended!

Buy it for the photos
I bought this having just started getting interested in birds after years of interest in photography, and certainly don't regret it. Gomersall knows his subject, and happily includes contributions by other excellent photographers. He's also concerned to get across the message that good photography must not come at the expense of the creatures and their habitats. The book is written primarily with film in mind, and I'm now a digital SLR user. Also, while the talent of the photographers is beyond question, the equipment and time at their disposal is greater than most of us amateurs will ever enjoy, so with the best will in the world, we will not become Chris Gomersall. However, it's extremely readable, and there's plenty in here to improve the technique and composition of we mere mortals, and if I never took another photo I'd have paid the money to look at the pictures.

Informative and well written
I bought two books at the same time - the much praised "The Art of Bird Photography" by Art Morris, and this book, the "Photographing Wild Birds" by Chris Gomersall. In my opinion, this book is by far the better! But then, just like Chris Gomersall, I am a Nikon photographer living in Europe. If, like Art Morris, you are a Canon photographer living in America, then maybe his book is a better choice. But, while Mr Gomersall is a Nikon photographer, he doesn't go on and on about it, like Mr Morris does about his Canon stuff. It seems being a bird photographer in Europe is a bit more complicated than it is in America. Firstly, European birds are really wild and not keen on having humans at close quarters, so getting close seems to be more of a challenge here. Secondly, most European birds are less bizarrely colourful than their American relatives, and so take a bit more creativity to make interesting images of. One excellent feature of Gomersall's book is the invitation of several other photographers to share some of their images and thoughts on bird photography. It gives a broader view on the subject than the work of one, albeit fantastic, photographer alone. I would recommend this book to anyone seriously interested in bird photography, especially if you live in Europe. If you choose between this book and Morris' book, buy this one. It's not that Morris' book is any bad really, it's just that this one is better - in my opinion.