About this Event
Led by award-winning photographer Georgina Steytler, learn how to take beautiful bird photography amongst stunning vistas and abundant birdlife in O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
Georgina Steytler is a nature photographer with a passion for birds who participated in the international campaign launch of the Nikon Z8. She is a judge of several national and international photography competitions including the Australian Birdlife Photography Awards and WildArt Photographer of the Year. In 2021, she published her first book with Australian Geographic titled “For the Love of Birds”.
In this one-day action-packed class, Georgina alongside Nikon School lecturer and nature photographer Michael Snedic, will teach you everything you need to know to take beautiful bird photography. The day will be a combination of lectures on ideal settings and techniques, as well as practical exercises to reinforce concepts.
It will be followed, in the afternoon, with a chance to practice these techniques under Georgina’s guidance on some of the amazing birdlife in and around the retreat. Birds commonly seen in and around the retreat include the incredibly beautiful regent bowerbird, satin bowerbird, green catbird, crimson rosella, Australian king parrot, Lewin’s honeyeater, eastern whipbird, Australian logrunner, paradise riflebird, wonga pigeon, among many others.
Skill Level Required:
Beginner or Intermediate photographers.
Topics Covered:
- Settings and techniques for bird photography.
- How to get close to wild birds (ethical birding).
- Understanding depth of field: How to get pleasing backgrounds and foregrounds.
- Shooting in manual mode/Exposure compensation.
- Autofocus modes – which to use, when and how.
- Manual focus and focus peaking (mirrorless only).
- Birds in flight.
- Pre-release mode (some mirrorless models- eg Nikon Z9 and Z8).
- Getting creative - beyond birds on branch images (high key images, ‘blackgrounds’, pleasing blurs).
- Composition essentials.
- Low light (rainforest) photography (without a flash).
- Basic settings for video.
What to bring:
- Mirrorless or DSLR camera
- Fully charged camera batteries
- Your camera's Instruction Manual
- Memory cards
- Lenses (with the longest focal length you have). Macro lens optional as you may have the opportunity to do some macro photography as well (time permitting)
- Pen and Paper
- Mat (e.g. yoga) or old towel (for lying on the ground)
- Tripod/monopod (optional)
- Comfortable walking shoes, a bottle of water & hat. If raining: bring a raincoat, camera or lens rain covers (or if you don’t have any, bring plastic zip lock bags big enough to cover the camera and lens).
- Food and drinks (there is a café nearby to buy lunch/refreshments)
I mages by Georgina Steytler
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, 3582 Lamington National Park Road, Canungra, Australia
AUD 155.29
