It has been about five years since the coronavirus pandemic broke out. As there wasn’t much else I could do then, I went for lots of walks in the park around the corner. I always had my camera and a telephoto lens with me. This was the time when I started photographing birds. I’d like to briefly describe why that wasn’t the worst place to start.
Short distances
A decisive advantage of photographing directly in the park next door is that the distances are not short. You can grab your camera and set off whenever you have half an hour. The barrier to setting off is, therefore, very low. Another advantage is that you can also watch birds building their nests in spring when you are out for a walk or jog. Once you have found a nest, it is easy to return there and photograph the bird at your leisure.
Low costs
Of course, the short distances also mean low costs. A trip to a distant country is always associated with high costs. And you have no guarantee of coming back with great pictures. You might find some unusual birds in front of your lens, but the likelihood of taking great photos is relatively low if you haven’t practiced yet. In my experience, I had too much to do with technology at the beginning. The birds were often gone when I was ready to take the picture, even though the city has another advantage that should not be underestimated.
Less shyness
The birds in the city are much more accustomed to people. You can, therefore, get much closer to them than outside the city. This has the advantage that you can either get the birds to fill the frame or that a shorter focal length is sufficient. So you can save money here, too. Often, 150mm MFT or 300mm 35mm is enough to get good pictures. The reduced shyness has another advantage. The birds stay put longer, and you have more time to master the technique and choose the crop.
Conclusion
All in all, the park in a city is a good place to start photographing birds. Short distances and little to no costs allow you to practice and try out a lot. In addition, the birds are less shy, so you can get closer to them and have more time to take the picture. Once you have practiced a little, you can move on to other areas.
