Bird Photography with LF

As far as I know, Eliot Porter was the first (?) and perhaps only photographer who used 4x5 color film to photograph birds at the nest (though he moved to Hasselblad and 35mm later for this effort). Hoskin and other early Hasselblad nature photographers found MF more amenable to this task, though most shot B+W.

In early 2000 I reached out to Nikon to discuss use of T Lenses to photograph birds at the nest using a blind in upper Canada (Ellesmere Island). I was told that Plasmats (W series) would be better suited for closeup work and determined that the 360mm W as well as the 450mm F9M were insufficient focal length for this effort in natural light). There is also the issue of working apertures which means F11 - F22 with some front tilt.

I never contacted Schneider regarding their 800mm tele to see if this might be usable.

Given the imprecise variables I abandoned the effort.

Were there other photographers who tried this? Any notable results?

Other lens options (Rodenstock?)?

There was a guy (by the name of Carmichael?) who made wonderful color photos of hummingbirds with his hasselblad. But to do this with LF?

I would think that either working from a blind, set up very close to a nest, and attempting to be really quiet as you work, or perhaps rigging up a remote trigger (simple long pneumatic release would do) could work. Then the only issue would be to determine a point of focus (maybe watch the birds awhile first to establish this), and a decent balance of aperture and shutter speed to get at least a little depth while keeping things from getting too blurry from movement.

Another ingredient which could be added would be a powerful flash head...with the proviso that it first be tripped experimentally to see if the birds could become accustomed to it. I do believe that the Carmichael guy utilized flash with many of his Hasselblad/hummingbird photos - as he was also aiming to freeze the rapid wingbeats.

Given the low “frame rate” of LF it might be a very challenging exercise in decisive moment. But the results ciujj look s be spectacular.

I think you are right, flash would be necessary even if using 400 speed color negative film. Shutter speeds of 1/8 or 1/4 of a second are doable as long as there is no movement. Hit rate would be very low, but a good result would be astonishing.

Working remotely is impossible due to sheet film. Working very close to the bird/nest is impossible due to building a large blind so close.

The only option is working in a blind as close as possible -- which would not be that close -- so you need a long lens with a long bellows. Since this really would not be "macro" work, you don't need a "macro" lens. Working at a distance, telephotos should be fine -- but still very difficult.

For the type of bird photography I imagine, you need to work remotely with a motor-drive or digital camera -- which means not LF.

I've done a bit of it just for fun with the 8x10. Takes a lot of patience because the birds have to get to the point of ignoring your presence with that big gear. Sometimes, especially with mammals instead, it gets difficult to get the shot due to their sheer curiosity, coming too close. No way to make a living, that's for sure. I'm not a "bird photographer" anyway, but if I do see something interesting in that respect when I'm out with my 6X7 tele setup, I'll hazard that kind of shot. Sheet film is getting too expensive to goof around with. I've had better luck shooting wild mustangs with 4X5 and long lenses; but they spook real easily too, so moving around needs to be done very cautiously.

Apparently no one on here has heard of Richard and Cherry Kearton - or Eric Hosking...

I spelled Hosking’s name incorrectly, but I don’t recall his use of LF color, MF color occasionally, but mostly B+W. I’ll check out the Keartons.

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Originally Posted by pdmoylan

I spelled Hosking’s name incorrectly, but I don’t recall his use of LF color, MF color occasionally, but mostly B+W. I’ll check out the Keartons.

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He was using 1/4 plate Kodachrome & Ektachrome. There's a picture somewhere (Alamy?) of his hide setup with 1/4 plate camera & strobes. That said, he seems to have moved quite rapidly from LF to 35mm in about the same time period that he began to attract an international reputation.

So with a 720-800mm lens we are in the 200mm+ range in 35mm terms. Enough to be 10-15 feet from the subjects. We are talking shorebirds and maybe a gyrfalcon at say 20-25 feet. Maybe Snowy Owls and perhaps Arctic Fox. All static, still, sitting on the nest. You can’t focus on any moving subject.

The blind would be set up so that it was low to the ground to avoid shadows on the subject. Refocusing becomes a regular issue as one can’t depend on a constant plane of focus given a moving subject. I remember an Audubon photographer using 35mm film who obtained really beautiful images of Knots and other Shorebirds at the nest. Stephen Krasseman? He used a 400 Nikon lens if I recall. Thought I could do the same with LF.

Not impossible but ridiculously difficult.