Join the volunteer-led Nature Guelph Bird Wing group for a birding photography workshop with local photographer Stu McCannell.
Location – University of Guelph Arboretum (meet at bird feeder next to Arboretum Centre), expect to walk an estimated distance of 2km
Pre-Registration Required. Workshop is limited to 20 people.
Register for the workshop: https://forms.gle/8jEiifCfFoPxSxLj6
Stu McCannell Bio
Upon graduating from the workforce in 2016, Stu decided to learn photography as a hobby, since it could be practiced year round and would connect him with a community of active and enthusiastic people while learning this craft.
Stu and his wife Linda both grew up on dairy farms and have an affinity for open spaces and nature.
His photography not only satisfies a drive to learn new skills but also allows him to share the natural world with others who may not have even noticed it. Stu feels that done well, it is a chance to amuse and amaze folks and perhaps even motivate some to do the same.
Besides serving as President of the Guelph Photographers Guild, Stu is an avid cyclist, fly fisher, kayaker and gardener. He is also a competent operator of the vacuum cleaner.
Workshop Description
The target audience for this workshop includes birder/photographers who have had some experience trying to photograph birds and could use some guidance to improve the quality of their images. While some may wish to only be able to document the sighting, others may also wish to create an artistic image with some consideration for composition. Any type of camera will do the job as long as it is equipped with a lens that has the reach to mostly fill the frame with the desired image (i.e., does not have to be severely cropped). This not only allows us to compose in camera but also allows us to remain at a respectful distance from our subject.
Stu will cover bird photography basics: composition, camera settings, lighting, bird patterns and behaviour, patience/persistence/ethics.
Topics to be discussed may also include:
· Various focus settings as well as shutter speed and F stops for the results we expect
· Photographing birds in trees with a bright sky back drop; how to deal with that with metering modes and or exposure compensation.
· Birds in flight – shutter speeds and the value of fast burst shooting
· Tripods and monopods
· Shooting jpeg or RAW
· Post processing thoughts
Local volunteers will also be on hand to help find and identify the birds being photographed.
Email [email protected] if you have any event-related questions. Please do not request assistance with registration through our social media accounts.
Photo Credit: Stu McCannell