Tip # 1 - Use your vehicle as a blind....

by Scott Fairbairn

It has been said that Canadians don’t like to get out of their cars, hence the proliferation of drive-thru’s in this country. If you are one of those people then this tip’s for you, and even if your not, this is a great way to get close!

This tip originally appeared on the “Ontario Birding Home Page” by Gord Gallant as part of a series of photo tips co-authored by myself and John Reaume .

Many animals get used to vehicular traffic along roadways in their daily pursuit of food and other activities. They don’t see the vehicle as a threat and will often tolerate close approaches.

Some wildlife areas have "wildlife drives" which offer excellent opportunities for photography. Ding Darling Refuge in Florida is famous for it's wildlife drive. A nice area in Ontario to try this is the St.Clair Wildlife Area near Chatham,Ontario. Depending upon the time of year, it offers good opportunities for Great Blue Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, Great Egrets and Pied-billed Grebes. In practice however, any roadway that parallels good habitat is a candidate. The trick is that you must scout the area to learn what is present and the best time of day. Early or late in the day is when wildlife is most active and is the best time to scout it.

Using a mobile blind allows you to cover more territory and to do it in style. The elevation gained helps in seeing over reeds and grasses, and you are protected from the elements. You can also have food and drink readily available and a variety of equipment at your fingertips.

As with any telephoto photography, stability of your equipment is paramount. There are many ways to achieve this goal. The equipment needs to be protected from vibration, as well as being stable. The simplest method is to rest your camera on a rolled towel or beanbag placed on the windowsill. However, it is difficult to use with manual focus or zoom rings, and as well you are not able to let go of the camera. More sophisticated commercially available devices such as those produced by Manfrotto, L.L.Rue and Kirk Enterprises solve these shortcomings by allowing the use of a standard tripod head. These devices are mounted directly to the window and/or door. They allow the advantage of using a cable release. I personally use a homemade beanbag over the other support devices as I find it very stable and quicker to use. I will post instructions on making your own beanbag before long, or you could check out the archived Photography tips by myself on Gord Gallant’s website, Ontario Birding Home Page.

A ballhead with quick release plate is ideal for use on the “Window Pods”.  In a pinch, you can even manipulate a tripod to serve the same function, although it might take 10 minutes to setup!

Regardless of which method of support you use, you must turn the engine off, as the vibration could blur your images. Try to maintain a shutter speed of 1/125 or faster for best results. As usual, pay close attention to the direction of light on your subject; avoid distracting backgrounds and carefully position the subject in the frame for a more interesting composition. As with any blind work you must position the vehicle carefully, as once you are in position, it is difficult to move without startling the bird or animal. In addition, slow movements of yourself and your equipment are essential to avoid scaring off your subject.

There are two main methods that can be used. One is to position yourself where you have seen the subject previously, and wait for it. It is often helpful to make a camouflage curtain to cover the window to hide any movements you make.  This is especially useful for wary critters. A simple curtain can be made from a piece of dark cloth, elastic straps, and a few suction cups with hooks. Cut the material to cover the window you will be shooting from(always add a few inches), sew the elastic strap into loops and position in the corners of the material. To use, place the suction cups onto the windows in front and behind the window you will be shooting through. Attach the straps to the suction cup hooks to hold the curtain up. Be sure to cut a hole for the lens and a few for observation.

The other method involves cruising slowly in suitable habitat with your camera and mount at the ready (or beanbag on the window ledge). When a subject is spotted, you shut the engine off and coast quietly into position. Be aware of the subject’s background as you will not likely be able to change position without startling your subject. I usually try to get off the roadway as much as possible for a couple of reasons. The first is so I can get an extra foot or two closer which is especially helpful with small birds. The other is so that traffic can pass by safely. With this method, be sure to obey traffic laws and use common sense(highways are a very bad place to do this!).

In summary using this technique will provide you with new photographic opportunities however, be careful that the local law enforcement doesn't hear about your "Drive-by Shootings!"