Expressive Bird Photography with David Cook

Join photographer David Cook for an in-depth, online workshop to learn how to create imagery that shows the magic of birds in flight, the brilliant colors of their plumage, and the details of their feathers. Expressive Bird Photography will illustrate key principles of photographing our feathered friends, but more importantly, it will introduce you to new and interesting ways capture avian wildlife.

This workshop will begin with a discussion about the qualities and characteristics that make an excellent bird photograph. Cook will then explore technical elements such as focus and exposure, and visual elements such as composition, lighting, and background. The topics to be covered include how to capture the graceful motion of birds in flight through multiple exposures and slow shutter speeds; how to emphasize the unique colors and patterns of bird feathers and plumage; and how to emphasize different elements of a photograph through post-processing.

While photographers using only smartphones are welcome, the class will focus primarily on photography with digital SLR and mirrorless cameras. Students should be familiar with basic digital workflow: loading photos on a computer, performing basic edits, and saving or exporting images as JPG files. There will be two opportunities to share photos for critique during the class during the second and fourth sessions.

David Cook’s photography is inspired by his training as a Texas Master Naturalist, a passion for the natural world, and by Rachel Carson’s book, The Sense of Wonder, in which Carson describes a sense of wonder “so indestructible that it would last throughout life.” With his photography, Cook hopes that he can inspire others to find and nurture their own sense of wonder. For more information about David Cook visit his Website.