Although I have only recently taken up bird photography in earnest, I have for years viewed images that have been posted on the Internet by other gifted avian photographers. There is a tremendous number of outstanding images to be viewed and much to be learned from them all. In deciding how I am going to approach bird photography I have split the various avian photographers into two camps: 1) Those photographers who make images of birds isolated on smooth, textureless backgrounds and 2) those photographers who make images of the birds within their natural habitat.

The first group of photographers make what is commonly referred to as "bird on a stick" images. These images showcase just the bird with little or no competing elements in the image. Quite commonly, these photographers will erect sticks for perches in areas where birds frequent (such as around bird feeders) and will erect the perches to take advantage of the best lighting during the day. In fact, many of these photographers will carry "extra" perches with them on outings to remote locations just for the purpose of enticing birds to pose in areas where the lighting can be controlled. As beautiful as these images may appear, these images tell me little or nothing about the bird, itself, and I find these images to be unnatural.

The second group of photographers venture forth to capture images of birds as they exist in the bird's natural environment. Images may be made of birds against a "clean" background or the images may include varying amounts of the bird's natural habitat. It is these images I most enjoy. I want to know about my subjects. I want to know the perches the birds naturally use and I want to know how the bird interacts within its habitat and environment. When I do view a "bird on a stick" image made by one of these photographers I know it was a perch chosen by the bird and not one planted by the photographer.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that the second group is more ethical than the first group. This is not a matter of ethics but, rather, a matter of personal preferences and personal choices.There is much to be admired by both groups. My personal choice, however, is to align myself with the second group. I want my images to represent to my viewers how the bird naturally appears and interacts within its environment. I do not bait birds with bird feeders and I do not erect artificial perches to control the bird's behavior. (Very rarely I will scatter a little seed in an area where I have observed a particular bird foraging. I do this to hold the bird in the area a little longer for photography. I do not scatter bird seed in places where I have not already observed a bird foraging. Doing so may force a bird to forage in an area where it may subject the bird to a greater risk of predation. I let the bird choose the area in which it is most comfortable foraging.) I prefer to approach the birds within their own homes, so to speak, such that I produce as natural of an image of the bird as I can produce. I will often wear full camoflage clothing and I will, sometimes, use a blind. More often than not, I will spot and stalk a bird or photograph birds while on a liesurely ramble. The excitement of bird photography, for me, is capturing the bird doing what the bird naturally does. That's my philosophy and I'm sticking to it! :)