A bird photography masterclass by Tim Laman · Beginner to intermediate
Right now, your camera sits on Auto and half the morning comes home soft, blurred, or one second too late. That's not a talent problem. Your camera is guessing. Follow Tim's simple framework, and you'll know where it guesses wrong and how to fix it, on the camera you already own.
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"I especially enjoyed Tim explaining his camera settings for many of his iconic shots."
You get home from a morning out, put the card in the computer, and start clicking through.
Soft. Soft again. An empty branch where the bird had been a second earlier. The one frame where something actually happened is blurred.
I know that feeling.
My name is Tim Laman. I photograph birds for National Geographic, where I've shot 25 feature stories, and in 2016 I was named Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
But I didn't start out anything like that. For years I came home with soft photos, and I had no idea what I was doing wrong.
At first I thought my gear was the problem.
So I bought a new camera, but barely anything changed.
Then the problem had to be me. Maybe photography was just too difficult for me.
It took me years to realize that neither of those things was true.
The real problem was that my camera was guessing.
Your camera doesn't know what you know. So it makes guesses. Brighten or darken the photo? Focus on this or that? Increase the shutter speed?
This might work well for a family photo. But when you're photographing birds, your camera often gets it wrong. It exposes for the bright sky and leaves your bird black. It grabs the leaf in front instead of the eye. Or it finds the focus a moment too late.
So what's the solution?
It's not just switching to manual mode and hoping for the best.
The trick is knowing when your camera is guessing wrong and how to fix it.
Say you're shooting a bird against a bright sky. Your camera thinks the whole picture is too bright and darkens it, so the bird comes out underexposed. That's when you need to adjust your exposure compensation.
Or you want a bird just as it lands on a branch. The camera can't find it in time, so the bird comes out soft. Then you focus on the branch before the bird arrives and lock the focus there.
There's a simple step-by-step solution to all of these scenarios. And that's exactly why I put together my masterclass:
Birds, Camera,Action
There, I've boiled down everything I've learned in nearly 30 years of shooting for National Geographic, plus films for the BBC and Netflix.
In eight easy-to-follow lessons, I'll show you how to choose the right settings, focus on birds, and handle almost any situation with your camera.
So you can consistently capture stunning bird photos.
Trust me, learning how to use your camera makes a huge difference. You won't have to feel like giving up every time your photos go wrong.
Instead, you'll feel more confident with your camera and be able to enjoy bird photography even more.
I hope this masterclass helps you as much as it has helped thousands of other photographers!
See you in lesson one,
Tim Laman
"I was able to watch a video then take your lessons straight out into the field and notice a big difference to the quality of photos I was getting."
"I had been looking for a course to help me graduate from Auto to Manual and this was it."
The settings I put on my own camera before I go out, so you're ready for any situation with a bird. Perfect for anyone who keeps getting soft shots, or keeps missing the moment.
How I hold and work the camera when there is action, plus more camera and lens settings for working with flying birds.
Back button focus, the single change that gets more birds sharp, plus the focus points I use and how I lock focus on the eye and reframe.
How I hold focus on a bird that is already in the air, and the settings and techniques behind it.
The auto-exposure modes, what each one actually does, and which one I switch to in which situation out in the field.
Exposure compensation and manual mode, for the times when the light fools your camera into getting it wrong.
My tips for the flight situations you actually run into, from takeoffs and landings to birds on the wing.
A bonus lesson on shutter speed. Once you start slowing it down on purpose, a lot of creative room opens up.
$64 instead of $99
More than 2,000 photographers have taken the masterclass. Here is a selection of their reviews.
I had been looking for a course to help me graduate from Auto to Manual and this was it.
Tim did a great job explaining why he chose the settings he did for the photos he showed in the video and also talked about other settings, like Back Button Focus, which I now use and love it!
Thanks Tim!
I am a beginning photographer who has worked hard to get familiar with a new mirror less camera. I had made a few attempts at bird photography with a newly purchased telephoto lens but been a bit disappointed with the results. This course has taught me numerous tricks to take to the field. It is magnificently presented by Tim who speaks directly to you sharing his vast experience with great examples. Thanks so much!
Verified studentTim does a great job explaining concepts and techniques, and I especially appreciate how he uses examples to really make the material come alive in a tangible way.
I'd heard of back-button focusing, but never really understood it or what it could do for me, and now I'm excited to try it!
There were a number of "big revelation" moments for me, and I'm anxious to put these things into my bird photography practice and get to that "next level."
Thanks Tim, you have helped me get better at bird photography and photography in general. I was able to watch a video then take your lessons straight out into the field and notice a big difference to the quality of photos I was getting. Keep up the good work!! Matt
Verified studentWhat a wonderful experience to learn and/or review the fundamentals of wildlife photography with one of the masters of the craft! I especially enjoyed Tim explaining his camera settings for many of his iconic shots.
Verified studentTim Laman does a great job in simplifying the leaning experience of bird photography (a touch subject even for pros!) giving you tips so you can start shooting and learning from lesson 1. I already started seeing improvements in my photography by adjusting to the lessons and I'm very excited to keep learning and enjoying the process with the current gear I have.
Verified studentBy far it is the best bird photography course I have ever seen with a lot of tips on different types of situations with different birds.
Also, thanks Tim for the great work you have done in this course explaining in a very simple way some concepts that are not easy to explain in photography. I would definitely recomment this course to anyone interested in wildlife and in particular in bird photography.
This course exceeded expectations. There is an abundance of practical information presented in a very clear, concise manner with ample examples.
At this point I am not sure if I am more enamored with Tim the photographer or Tim the presenter. It takes real talent to be able to distill this much information into such an exceptional presentation.
This is definitely the best "crash course" I've taken on the topic, and really helped me figure out how to get my camera set up properly for bird photography.
Verified studentAlthough I have been shooting for the last 5 years, this course both solidified my foundation and advanced my understanding of bird photography in a meaningful, efficient manner. It also inspired me to push beyond my current internal limitations of what makes a "great" image.
Verified studentBirds, Camera,Action
An easy-to-follow bird photography masterclass with National Geographic photographer Tim Laman. Here's what you get when you sign up today.
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Birds, Camera, Action
Regular price: $99
Right now
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Everything in this course comes from work I'm still doing. Here's some of it.
And when I'm home in Massachusetts I photograph chickadees, blue jays and woodpeckers in my own backyard.
$64 instead of $99 · 14-day money-back guarantee
Start with lesson one tonight. It's about fifteen minutes, and it ends with a set of settings you can use at the feeder tomorrow.
Birds, Camera, Action
Regular price: $99
Right now
Secure checkout · 14-day risk-free guarantee
