Photo trick for our backyard bird photography studio
Jun 10, 2013 19:33:12 GMT -5
Post by Ira Runyan on Jun 10, 2013 19:33:12 GMT -5
Many of us have set up bird feeders in our back yards to attract the local birds so that we can photograph them. Since we do not like photographing the birds on the wild bird feeders, preferring a more natural setting for our photos, we have placed logs and tree branches near the feeders to provide a perch for the birds that in a photograph looks like a natural setting. The birds will land on the branches before going to the feeders.
At first, our little artificial bird studios work fantastic allowing us to photograph our birds in what looks like a natural setting. The problem is that over time the tree branches dry out and then the bark falls off leaving a sun bleached cream or white colored peace of wood that always seems to get blown out by our camera sensors when photographing the birds.
In the past I have tried using wood stain or paint on those old tree branches, but the results were always disappointing. The uniform colors of the stains or paint did not look natural, and often they would have a sheen that would reflect sunlight resulting in an unpleasant glare in the photograph.
I have now found an answer to this problem....... a propane torch! Light your propane torch and run the flame across the cream or white colored branch. A little heat will turn the branch a light brown color, a little more time will result in a darker brown color, and burning the wood results in a charcoal color. By varying the time you heat different sections of the wood gives you a very natural looking branch.
At first, our little artificial bird studios work fantastic allowing us to photograph our birds in what looks like a natural setting. The problem is that over time the tree branches dry out and then the bark falls off leaving a sun bleached cream or white colored peace of wood that always seems to get blown out by our camera sensors when photographing the birds.
In the past I have tried using wood stain or paint on those old tree branches, but the results were always disappointing. The uniform colors of the stains or paint did not look natural, and often they would have a sheen that would reflect sunlight resulting in an unpleasant glare in the photograph.
I have now found an answer to this problem....... a propane torch! Light your propane torch and run the flame across the cream or white colored branch. A little heat will turn the branch a light brown color, a little more time will result in a darker brown color, and burning the wood results in a charcoal color. By varying the time you heat different sections of the wood gives you a very natural looking branch.