If you’d like to try your hand at shorebird photography, why not do so with a little guidance. This Summer, join me, Matt Malwitz, for an in-the-field photography workshop at a nesting colony of shorebirds. During this outing, you'll learn how to maximize your chances of success. We'll do so by covering composition, fidsning the right settings for the situation, proper panning techniques for flight shots, and the ins and outs of moving around the birds at a nesting colony! All this while caoturing stunning images of the birds.
The location we'll be shooting at, Nickerson Beach, is home to thousands of nesting shorebirds. Our goal will be to capture stunning images of two or three species, prioritizing quality shots over quantity of birds. We won't get good looks at everything, and some birds are trickier than others, but that's all part of the fun. As the saying goes, "if it were easy, everyone would do it". So, why not give bird photography a chance.
This workshop begins at sunrise (unless overcast), meaning we want to arrive before then as to get onto the beach for silhouette shots and pan blurs. (5:00am).
This location requires walking a short distance on sand and getting low. Crawling on, or at least sitting on the sand will be required to get close enough to the birds.
We will do most of our photography up the beach, but the opportunity to shoot closer to the surf may present itself. Be prepared to potentially get wet.
*This workshop is available for small groups/individuals
What's Inlcuded:
Workshop includes: 4-hour in-the-field instruction
(* $75 per additional hour(s) of instruction if you choose to do so)
Where?:
Nickerson Beach in Nassau County, NY
What We're After:
- American Oystercatcher
- Black Skimmer
- Common Tern
- Least Tern
- Piping Plover
What to bring:
Photography gear:
- Your camera and lens of choice. I recommend a lens with a maximum focal lenght of 300mm-600mm
- Plenty of extra batteries and memory cards
- Support. I don't recommend a tripod unless it can be lowered to the ground. A bean bag, or ground pod is ideal as we want to shoot from the birds eye level.
Non-photography gear:
- Fast drying, lightweight clothing.
- Water shoes
- Brimmed Hat
- Sun protection
- Food and water of your choosing.
*We cannot guarantee any particular bird. We will do everything we can to capture a variety of birds, but at the end of the day, these are wild animals. If a bird isn’t cooperating, we’ll move on to the next.
*This workshop runs rain or shine. Refunds for extreme weather and instructor cancellation only.
* You must be 18 years or older to attend this workshop
* Email Matt with any questions at matt@bergencountycamera.com
