Flash photography with birds (1 Viewer)

[Wookie1965]

I can totally understand that this is probably a sensitive subject, i have seen images using slow sync etc. on birds, and wondered what the consensus is on it.
nocturnal birds should be a total no for flash in my view.

 

[dixonlau]

I can totally understand that this is probably a sensitive subject, i have seen images using slow sync etc. on birds, and wondered what the consensus is on it.
nocturnal birds should be a total no for flash in my view.

It is very subjective, a no ending topic and yes, very sensitive. I am also aware some pro even licensed guide using strong powerful light source on noc birds and I don't see anyone disagree with them just because they are "pro" ? Not to mention those in high magnification macro photography, it doesn't do well without a powerful flash.

 

[Farnboro John]

The main difficulty in nocturnal photography (away from prepared ambushes at least) is focusing, for which the camera requires light. You can at close range get by with red but at any realistic distance this means white light from a torch/spotlight. This will cause the nocturnal bird's pupils to shrink shut.

In any case, when the flash goes off actually there isn't a physically deleterious effect, any more than there is when it's used on you. The bird may wait where it is till any dazzle subsides, but I can vouch for that not taking very long (seconds). Or it may just sit there if it is either in its roost or on a traditionally good hunting perch. In either case you should take your pictures quickly and leave it to get on with life.

Personally I always turn flash down a number of stops to minimise the flaring out of eyes backed by a tapetum lucidum. Nobody wants photos in which the subject appears to be fitted with headlights instead of eyes.

Finally, I was once driving down to Cornwall overnight when lightning struck very close to the line of the road. For an instant the entire countryside was lit up like day and then I was completely dazzled - couldn't see a thing - and did an emergency stop on the A303. Rarely been as scared. However, we were able to continue immediately thereafter. It's my belief that wild creatures think - if they consider it at all - that flash is quiet lightning, which will be familiar to them.

John

 

[dixonlau]

The main difficulty in nocturnal photography (away from prepared ambushes at least) is focusing, for which the camera requires light. You can at close range get by with red but at any realistic distance this means white light from a torch/spotlight. This will cause the nocturnal bird's pupils to shrink shut.

In any case, when the flash goes off actually there isn't a physically deleterious effect, any more than there is when it's used on you. The bird may wait where it is till any dazzle subsides, but I can vouch for that not taking very long (seconds). Or it may just sit there if it is either in its roost or on a traditionally good hunting perch. In either case you should take your pictures quickly and leave it to get on with life.

Personally I always turn flash down a number of stops to minimise the flaring out of eyes backed by a tapetum lucidum. Nobody wants photos in which the subject appears to be fitted with headlights instead of eyes.

Finally, I was once driving down to Cornwall overnight when lightning struck very close to the line of the road. For an instant the entire countryside was lit up like day and then I was completely dazzled - couldn't see a thing - and did an emergency stop on the A303. Rarely been as scared. However, we were able to continue immediately thereafter. It's my belief that wild creatures think - if they consider it at all - that flash is quiet lightning, which will be familiar to them.

John

Good info on the use of flash

 

[seaspirit]

• The use of a flash in TTL mode fires a pre-flash to assess the required output for the exposure. This brief pre-flash may trigger a response in subjects, that than can show in the real frame.
• The popping sound of a flash firing, just like the aperture closing down and shutter opening and closing, can cause a response in subjects. Best hummer shots I took a few years back were taking under a sound curtain of heavy metal and hard rock blasting from a boom box on the patio.
• Using flash a fill during daylight and using flash as main or only light source at night are two different beasts. The first scenario will not really affect vision of the subject. Shooting a flying owl in the dark night with a flash giving max. output will have a different effect that may result in injury or worse.

So use common sense and ask yourself how you would feel driving down a highway being "flashed" head on during the day and how it would feel in the middle of the night with vision adapted for no ambient light. In each case what would be your chances to respond to a suddenly appearing obstacle in your path.

 

[Farnboro John]

• The use of a flash in TTL mode fires a pre-flash to assess the required output for the exposure. This brief pre-flash may trigger a response in subjects, that than can show in the real frame.
• The popping sound of a flash firing, just like the aperture closing down and shutter opening and closing, can cause a response in subjects. Best hummer shots I took a few years back were taking under a sound curtain of heavy metal and hard rock blasting from a boom box on the patio.
• Using flash a fill during daylight and using flash as main or only light source at night are two different beasts. The first scenario will not really affect vision of the subject. Shooting a flying owl in the dark night with a flash giving max. output will have a different effect that may result in injury or worse.

So use common sense and ask yourself how you would feel driving down a highway being "flashed" head on during the day and how it would feel in the middle of the night with vision adapted for no ambient light. In each case what would be your chances to respond to a suddenly appearing obstacle in your path.

Interesting contentions worth considering.

I don't see any way round the first point. However, my actual experience is that it's not an image issue. If I encounter an issue in the future I'll let you know.

I've never heard my own flash firing, which may be because of other noises from the camera about which I can do nothing, so not really a consideration.

I've never shot at a flying owl in the dark but pictures of landing ones in prepared situations show owls arriving accurately onto the perches aimed at. In any case, as previously stated, I prefer to understate the flash and not use max chat. In addition I'm not talking about prepared situations but active birding/mammaling at night, so I'm not in a zero light situation and nor is the subject: quite a lot of mitigation of the risk to the animal. Usually there is a crossing component to their movement so not from directly ahead of them. On top of all that, as mentioned, lightning happens to these creatures at random times and can be in considerable intensity, so sudden bright light followed by darkness is not unfamiliar to them.

I'm all for the use of common sense.

John

 

[Denny Woodthorpe]

I use HSS flash in daylight and honestly believe it does no harm to the birds. I did have a problem with the birds being frightened off whenever I took a shot, but then realised that it was the sound of the camera shutter and not the flash that was startling them. When I moved the camera back as far as I could while still getting a decent sized image, I found that the birds would often stay for several shots. The flash units were kept at the same distance from the perch. I would however, be more reluctant to use flash with nocturnal birds, as their eyes are more sensitive to light. I imagine that if their eyes are ten times more sensitive to light than ours are, then the effect of a flash going off would be ten times as powerful. Makes you think.