Why I don’t take photos of birds

If you’re a social media user and birder, your feed is no doubt full of images of birds from birding groups and friends who get out several times a week and shoot images of birds. Many of these images are breath taking in clarity and sometime creativity, capturing moments which inspire us with nature’s beauty and perhaps evoke some of the aspects of birding which mean the most to us. These images also help to expand the popularity of birding and help to raise voices for their conservation, they’re useful references for artists such as myself and for various birding and conservation websites. I’ve drawn upon some of the better local photographers for images to promote some of by bird tours from time to time and yes, I’ve dabbled in it a little and I guess I enjoy having the record and the moment to share, but I’ve found that to be to the detriment of what I truly love about birding.

Yes, I have dabbled: Superb Fairy-wren on fence post, Tyalgum Village NSW. © 2014 Ricki Coughlan

Bird photography is certainly the major aspect of growth in birding these days and I guess most of us have noticed this as a big trend among the Indian and Asian communities. It seems like everyone’s doing it, so why wouldn’t I? I always take my iPhone into the bush, as I love to capture panoramas of habitats and butterflies – yes, I sneak up on them and shoot my images from mere centimetres away. I also take a Canon M50 Mark 2, generally with the standard 15 to 45mm zoom as the image quality far exceeds that of an iPhone. I carry a 55 to 200mm zoom, but I seldom have it attached to my camera. I use this only when I need to shoot footage of bird behaviours which I will use when I’m studying birds or which may help me to share information about behaviour on social media.

For me, birding is entering an environment and becoming absorbed in it, learning its stories, absorbing its sounds and fragrances, scanning for birds and then, upon finding a bird to go completely into the moment: taking in all its features, savouring its beauty, diving into its fascinating behaviour, pondering its life and ecology, delighting in the sheer presence of such a wonder of nature – of the story of evolution of life on earth. These are the things which light up my imagination in those moments and energise my love of nature. I can do none of those things if I’m focussed on capturing an image of the bird. The moment is completely lost and after it all, to quote Ringo Star, ‘all I’ve got is a photograph’.

Some of this is illustrated in my memories of capturing the above image of the Superb Fairy-wren. I remember being astounded by its beauty, and that of a nearby Red-backed Fairy-wren at the time. However, most of my memory of the moment is struggling to digiscope this bird – I shot it with a Nikon Coolpix through a Swarovski scope – and being concerned about missing the capture. It was not an enjoyable experience.

Birding at Cheese Tin Creek in North Western Australia. Image: Nicholas Bishop

So, clearly I am caught up in a different set of motivations to those whose primary birding tool is their camera. I am totally intrinsic in my enjoyment of birds and birding. I’m mostly rapt in birds per se, but also their ecology, behaviour, evolution and biogeography. I also love the art, craft and science of birding in and of itself. If I share anything; if I’m seeking any extrinsic reward, it’s the sharing of the story of birds in this blog (until recently directly into social media) and through the running of birding tours. But, if you want to know what that bird looks like, I may share an illustration or advise you to get out and see the bird yourself.

One reason for this is that birds may appear beautiful in a photo or illustration, there’s no context. It’s like visiting a zoo. Our love of the bird or animal itself is fulfilled in its presence or depiction and this is an important starting point. However, for me our experience of the bird or animal is not complete unless we have the reference or context of the environment in which it has evolved. Only then is our story complete and only then can we get a small glimpse of the true wonder of this majestic biosphere where we’re so fortunate to be conscious and aware, if only for a brief time.

So, whilst I adore the work of so many fine bird photographers and I’m grateful for their dedication to their patience, persistence, art and craft, I am a dedicated ears, eyes, imagination and binocular user when it comes to birding . . .

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