5 TIPS and TRICKS I learned photographing Birds! 

Amen - comparison is the thief of joy is one of my favorite quotes.

ANOTHER STUNNING STORY

Well done Josh. You're not a teacher for a reason. Teachers just have the ability to train. You're a mentor. People look up to you and are inspired from your work. Cheers man.

Thank you Josh and Kathy. Its not the equipment that matters at the end. Its your loving each other and your love for nature and birds. Think you have a lovely life and your photography is just a wanting to share those love and excitement. Be happy every moment you enjoy yourself in common habbits. It's richness never loosing those warm feelings, those warm familiar welknown voices, warm as birdsongs. Keep sharing your love for nature where it's allowed to loose yourself in time in a rushing world.

I’m not so much birds, but whatever wildlife l encounter. Mostly fails, but still love being out more than anything! It’s all good!

I started bird photography before I started birding. I have learned that becoming a better birder, has made me a better photographer. I use to get so frustrated if I would go out and not get great images, but now I try to focus on the birding aspect of it, and the images will come as I mature and grow. I am trying to grow on instagram and it is extremely tough. Sometimes I get too caught up on followers and likes. I love to support others by liking, commenting and following. I especially like to support those local to me. I am learning to focus more on posting the images that I like. I am not trying to copy anyone, but yes there are techniques and shots that I wish to shoot that are similar to things I have seen, but I feel that is how we learn. We see what someone else is doing, and we try to do similar but tweak it to make it our own. You are so relatable and I very much enjoy following your journey. You and Katie are absolute life goals.

What I love is when I think I didn’t get any decent shots after a long afternoon out shooting only to find I got some incredible shots! Sometimes I get great shots in spite of myself!

The thing I've learned as a bird photographer wannabe is the importance of shutter speed. I don't care how good the IBIS is a fast shutter fixes a lot of camera shake.

Hi Josh: Not only do I enjoy your videos and advice, your narrator's voice and style can get you a job in films if you ever want to try that!

Inspire, Don't discourage... Awesome... We need this sentiment more than ever...

Josh, I will continue to maintain this is a life philosophy channel cleverly hidden in a photography disguise. Thanks for a great start to my day.

Bird photography is among the tricky ones but it's very rewarding when you succeed. Kind regards!

We all could learn alot from your tips and tricks Josh.. Thanks for sharing your daily travels with us..

"instant gratification society..." truer words have never been said. Nice vlog..

Just beautiful!!!

Thanks for sharing Josh!

Well put Josh ! We are all learning all of the time.. the key thing is to enjoy it ! The open air, exercise and occasionally a pleasing photo to add to your collection....

Wonderful video once again - and good thoughts. Thank you!

Perhaps the most well written peice on bird photography, that uve ever seen. Kudos and thanks.

Years ago, I worked for a golf company. So, I played a lot of golf. It is of course one of the most frustrating games on earth. I was talking to another guy there one day and he said you go out, work hard practice and you have a crappy day on the course, you consider wrapping that $500 around a tree and give up. Then you knock the living daylights out of one and it keeps you from giving up. “It is that one good shot that keeps you coming back.” It applies to our photography too. I go out, hike ten miles, summit a mountain, come home and you hate all your images and then, you get one shot you like or at least you don’t hate. Then you go back out and do it again. I try to create five a day I don’t hate and hopefully one that I like. It keeps me coming back.

So many true words. Thank you very much!

🙂I fully agree with you.

Hello Joshua, you bring it exactly to the point! Cheers

Very good advice. Thank you.

I've never been a golfer but have been told the only person you try to be better than is yourself the last time you played. I look at photography the same way, the only person I need to be better then is myself. I have a few mostly lucky shots that make other photographers want know everything about. All I can tell them is where I was and the time of year, I don't keep all the technical stuff, after all I just got lucky! When it comes to photography I'll take luck over skill any day of the week.

Regarding the aspect of patience and just to be happy to be surprised, I've lived by the wisdom of Ansel Adams when he said, "Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop." 📷 Thanks for the zen.

Hey Josh, here I thought I was the only one driving for 3-4 hours wondering around then come back with nothing. You too! Now I feel normal.... ha... Greg

The last lesson is the most important and the least understood by many photographers. After spending two weeks in the Tetons, it's never been more apparent that etiquette is in short supply. I never understood why armature photogs can be so competitive. My photography partner witnessed a guy spook a long eared owl (after he took his photos) and walked over to where it was perched as more photographers started showing up. He then proceeded to snap the perch from the tree so the owl couldn't land there again so no one could get similar photos as he took... I thought that maybe it's a central CA thing but on this last trip to the Teton's, I saw local photogs deliberately blocking shots by walking in front of folks taking video and a few decided to set up right in front of me while I was photographing a huge boar.

I'm thankful for the lessons and advice I have received over my years of photography... it has made me a more humble photographer

So relatable! I am in year 10 and I can whole heartily agree with so much of your philosophy. I came into birding from photographing flowers and gardens and I sometimes find the birding aspect (listing) messes with my photographic efforts. Yes I do share my sightings on Ebird, I feel I need to pay back to all those people who shared the sightings and locations which allowed me to find new birds and locations. But sometimes I want to say screw it and I will not report these sightings! But I mostly do and Saturday (May14) is a World wide Big Day of birding on Ebird where the focus will be to see as much as you can. And I will participate not to win any prizes but to increase my own personal bird list ( see I am stuck!) I am comfortable with your philosophy and I believe that most of us get there if we just put in the time. Happy Birding!

That last bunting image can be one of the best 5 or 6. Today I just drove an hour, spent 6 hours trying and came back with nothing exciting... Totally agree with you said here.

Very good advice. I start by trying to remind myself that I'm lucky just to have places to get out to nearby and the health to enjoy them, to be into the outdoors. When I'm "out there" I see and learn something new almost every day and, if I'm really lucky, what I've learned prepares me for the opportunities to capture what I see so I can hold it for a moment in time and, perhaps, to share something of the wonder I find in those moments. That's a good day.

Hello Josh, great video. Thank you for sharing your lessons. Have a great weekend out in the fields. Best regards from Germany.

Great as usual Josh! The first one is so true…if my camera broke down, I wouldn’t even go out any more.

Wonderful and inspirational advice. Thanks so much

Thanks you Josh. Just the video I needed today. Cut right through the clutter in my head. And I'm gonna borrow your dad's quote if you don't mind.

Great video Josh !!! Keep them coming

"Sniff, sniff, WAAAAAH!!" That, Mr. Bayou is the call of the immature Photographus newbieus! I see this bird every morning even before I have my first cup of coffee. I see it when I look in the mirror. I see scores of them when I open a folder of the day's shots. I've only been doing the animal photography thing for about two years and it surely is engrossing! It is quite a change from my beginnings when I started shooting pictures of rare plants and landscapes for scientists. I find myself obsessed with the gear. I'm almost positive, maybe, that better gear will make me a better photographer (after all, I only have mid-grade gear). But when I take a better picture, I dip my head, inhale deeply, and let out my series of calls, "But I still have the same gear! How did I do this? Why this time and not when I thought the shot was going to be a winner? Sniff, sniff, WAAAAAH!" For solace, I watch your videos. You keep me grounded. Your genius only can be perceived (by the challenged like me) over a broad timeline that allows for comparison and synthesis. Thank you, sir! This video brought me back to the lessons in my memory (so easy to forget). Thank you!!

Very wise words 👍

Wise words Josh, thanks for sharing.

Great tips

Wise words thanks.

Well said, enjoy the experience.

Great work advice! I found myself in the words you said personally and professionally. I'm a beginner in the bird photography but someday I will be someone!

Thank you for this beautiful video ... looked forward to it. Love your line " Surround yourself....and be a good person to be around" I chuckled as I was listening and reading the text on screen and noticed you were standing "alone."... Just found it entertaining....the imagery lol

In your 5 Tips and Tricks you mentioned an aphorism about comparing yourself to someone else. It was very good advice. I have another one on the same topic: "Don't compare your insides to someone else's outsides." .I love your blog. Alex

Well put and so true. Just do it for the fun and pleasure of the process

Fantastic content, bayou josh

Some good lessons. Keep them coming

I think we embrace the challenge of photography. I know what I want in a shot, and if not available, I just look in the binoculars and enjoy. I hope you can come to Magee Marsh someday for warblers. Kenn Kaufman lives nearby, and you have a good chance of meeting him. Oh, and I want it delivered!

Wise words

What the heck!?! Did you switch the type of shoes, coats, and glasses you use? Hahahaha!!!! Some good hearted humor poking fun at your last two vids.

Excellent as usual.

Loving every word you spoke. The photography is more than 5 amazing photos a year! :+)

Needed that today - thanks, Josh!

What can I add to this, not much.Good Stuff Josh. Words of wisdom. Cheers!

Amen to that.

Birding for 3 years. Just got a camera. Hope I can enjoy both hobbies

Lovely lessons and well drafted. Thanks for sharing Josh!

Remarkable how much your lessons resonate with me. Getting into the hobby in much the same way as you, I find it's a struggle sometimes to get up, get out and go but a little effort goes a long way and a lot of effort gives a lot of joy and often good results. It's difficult today to take a step back.. realise why you do what you do and remember to enjoy it. Do you ever have days where you feel deflated and defeated because you've seen someones fantastical images on instagram and you've spent the whole day getting a whole lot of nothing?

Some great advice.. Thank You!!!

Wonderful video Josh. Thank you. I am a keen follower of your sage advice as I wrestle with the highs and lows of bird photography. Thanks for doing what you do.

I’m always amazed about how tell a story and they way you connect the beginning, middle and the end. You are an incredible storyteller, as well as an exceptional photographer. Your videos are a delight to watch and listen to. Thank you for years you put in as a photographer. You got us all on the way to some perfect moments. But as you said, it’s the moments in between that creates them.

You videos are awesome!!

Bravo !!!! Un saluto da Roma ( Italia )

Love those Buntings! We actually had one in our backyard here on the Oregon coast the other day! If you look at their summer range in your bird book, you will see it was not suppose to be here. But for the past two years, the little bunting has made it to Tillamook County. The world is slowly changing. It has been for billions of years. Thanks for the inspiring video Josh!

Wise words, specially “competition ends the joy”. - Something completely different, a very good hint from a mechanical engineer, at 8:02 I always switch into panic mode in awareness of such things (my heart bleeds); on an emergency break (or crash) that lens and camera, including the jackets you used to fix it, will smash unstopped into the backside of the seats, then fall down to the floor, first is mich worse and will probably might end by a destroyed a1, the lens is much more fragile. Put it into a backpack large enough for the 600 the a1 attached (ask Mark he once showed his in a video) and seatbelt the backpack. Or make a bed on the floor and fix it with that jackets in a way it can not move, like it’s damped in a box 📦 for shipping. I totally get it you have it there for quick access out the the car window “drive by shooting”. I recommend to build yourself a solution for placing it securely on the backseats.

Very nice video and wonderful tips. Thanks Bayou.

Inspiring and encouraging! Thank you!

Hello, nice to see your videos, they are awesome :)

Great lessons 👌 I do also photography as hobby but I really enjoy every moment.

This is the third video that I've seen of yours and I have to say, they are top notch!

Wonderful advice regardless of your skill level. Glad I found your channel.

Really nicely done Josh. I just found your channel. I started bird photography late in 2021. It really is an addicting pursuit.Thank you for what you are doing.

I enjoy your photography. It is a pleasure to see a photographer as yourself who has been a birder for a long time and knows and understands bird behavior. I worry about all of these new photographers that push the birds to the point of chasing them; the photos being most important. Locally (in PA) the sighting of a Snowy Owls has been terrible with photographers in particular. I am also a photographer (male) and a birder for 47 year. However, I almost never do bird photography, not wanting to drag around the equipment, nor do I have the funds to buy equipment to do it at a level I would like. My efforts are directed more toward landscape. Just doing landscape place me outside where my ears are always listening for bird song. I just subscribed to your RU-vid channel and look forward to future videos, as well as looking at previous ones. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, photos, and your knowledge of our great outdoors.

Great video as always, I appreciate your kindness very much.

You've outdone yourself in this one, Josh! Loved it!!

Cool video and images

Thanks Josh for another great video. And I agree with everything you said, which is rare these days. Especially the part about using only about 10% of my photos when I go out to shoot. That’s just about it for me too. One thing I have learned lately after starting to use Lightroom and do more editing. Finding and shooting the pictures is where the photographer in me comes out. Editing is where the artist in me comes out to create something nice to look at or maybe hang on one of my walls. But like you said I average about maybe 5 photos a year that I would spend money on i to print and hang on a wall.

Nice work as always Josh, my late Dad use to say "Take what you hear with a grain of Salt", still trying to figure that one out. To say "chill out" is great advice, once I get a few shots of the subject I choose at times to lower the camera and watch with my eyes what is going on around me, your eyes are the best lenses out there. I shoot with a friend at least a few times a week and we laugh and accuse each other of stealing one another's images because we get a lot of the same thing. We share settings and share info with newbies if they ask for help. We have also run into the photographer who never discusses what he/she is shooting at or what settings they use like it's the secret recipe to Grandma's BBQ sauce and won't be kind enough to say, if you go over there you might see a Red Headed Woodpecker, it was there a few moments ago, guess they want to keep the images to themselves rather than share the experience of nature and photography with others. Sorry to say kinda feel sorry for them, guess they are the ones that are always entering photo competitions to satisfy themselves, to each their own, who am I to criticize, I just choose to share with others as much or a little information that they want. You and Katie keep up the great work and keep sharing, you give me something to look forward to every week and I appreciate it.

another great video, you now have the toyota and the sony it doesn't get any better lol thanks again from canada...

Thank You Ma Brotha. You inspire me.

Great lessons...as always I enjoy watching your channel. Looking forward to your next video.🎞

Be kind. A manifesto we would all benefit from. That f RW Blackbird though ... Please keep on this tangent.

Great video!

Awesome video. Great lessons to live by. Thank you.

I think we're watching the same wildlife photography videos!

thks for your tips 😉

Hello, magnificent images and beautiful words, your reflection shows your honesty as a person. Thank you very much for sharing them with community. His work inspires me and his reflection encourages me to continue on the path. Congratulations from Extremadura, Spain.

Great stuff as always. I really appreciate your perspective on things. There really is no substitute for time and effort, both in terms of capturing better images with our cameras as well as in gaining a greater appreciation for the world around us.

My favorite bird photographer switched to a brand like me. I am happy . Just that I don't have A1 + GM: D

"What I'm really looking for is just to be surprised." That speaks my heart too. It reminds me of one of my favorite poems "Pay attention. / Be astonished. / Tell about it." (Mary Oliver)

Love this content..... So trueeee

Bayou Josh - you have inspired me...and because of you I sold an organ to buy the Sony A1 and 600mm lens....I'm starting out, learning much from you and Mark Smith's channel...thank you!

Looks like we were in many of the same locations recently, very beautiful this time of year. Someday we may bump into each other. Nice video, sure enjoy your work and always with a great story line!

Thanks for sharing another wonderful video like always, now I want to get a sony camera 😂

In addition to your cool videos, your background choice of music are quite soothing. link?

Great lessons , Thanks for sharing it with us Josh ! I recognize myself in much of what you say not to do often disappointed when I come home and look at the pictures in the memorycard and you quickly forget how nice and nice it was to just get out for a turn in nature, and what you remember of the day are the bad pictures or the missing pictures , Hmm much to think about Awesome video and wonderful storytelling my friend :) always look forward to these 8-10 minutes every Friday when you upload new video You and Katie have a great weekend Ronny

Such great videos, love your perspective. Your sound quality is pristine, can you share how you approach this part of the process?

Danke!