David Tipling

More and more birdwatchers are capturing images of their favorite subject using digital techniques. But having the equipment is only half the battle to achieving stunning bird images. A good knowledge of your equipment, an understanding of both photography and field craft, and a firm basis in postproduction techniques are also essential if you want to capture and create high-quality bird photographs. All these topics are covered in this portable guide to bird photography. Although small enough to fit in a jacket pocket or camera bag, The Bird Photography Field Guide introduces and instructs on each stage of the digital photography process, describing all the necessary equipment, discussing specialist field-craft techniques, and showing you how to manipulate and enhance your photos. In this excerpt David Tipling shares his thoughts on perhaps one of the most important aspects of the craft—seeing and using light.—Editor