nikonlightbirding – lightweight bird photography

In our lightweight bird photography we always:

Use camouflage, recognise birds timely and try not to disturb them.
Use exclusively high quality Nikon (compatible) lenses maximal weight 1500 gram, preferably handheld.
Set camera in optimalised “APERTURE Mode Birds“: minimal resetting camera during actual photography.

Enjoying photographing of the unlikely beauty of birds, but also their behaviour and environment: flying, fighting, foraging, singing, swimming, diving, displaying, mating, nesting, feeding their young:

*Spain sun Bee Eater (Bijeneter), size 28cm distance 25m, equivalent 1260mm.* *Notice black feathers wing tops*!

Holland sun in shadow, Little Owl (Steenuil), size 22cm distance 12m, *stretching wing*.

goosander — *Holland 2024, Goosander (Grote Zaagbek), size 62cm **distance 60m**, D500 Nikkor 500mm F/5.6E PF VR.*

*Holland sun 2025 White Stork (Ooievaar), size 101cm distance 65m, equivalent 1050mm. Caressing her like Storks do.*

red kite — *Holland sun Red Kite (Rode Wouw), size 63cm distance 55m, equivalent 1050mm, D500 Nikkor 500mm F/5.6E PF VR*.

*Holland IJssel 2025 sun, Black Tern (Zwarte Stern), size 25cm distance 75m, Nikon Z7 II Nikkor 500mm F/5.6E PF VR.*

*Holland winter 2024, heavy overcast strong wind, Kingfisher (IJsvogel), size 22cm distance 25m*.

*Lesbos 2011 Monarch (Koninginnepage) distance 15m, Nikon D300, **optically excellent** oldtimer Nikkor 300mm f/4D.*

*Holland 2025 cloudy, Parasolzwam, splendid detail, Nikon Z7 II our **favourite ideal lightweight Nikkor 500mm F/5.6E PF VR**.*

Holland 2025 sun Hare, distance 40m, Z7 II. **Stellar** **detail (snorharen!)** **Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR**.

Holland 2025 cloudy, Squirrel (Eekhoorn) **Z7 II Nikkor F5.6E 500mm PF VR**, equivalent 1050mm.

*Holland **2020 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker** size 15cm, distance 25m, D500 **Nikkor 300 mm F/4E PF VR** up to 2020 regular guests in our garden! **Today alarmingly decreasing numbers**!*

White-tailed Eagle (Zeearend) 1st year size 80cm, sun, distance 75m **D500, Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF VR eq. 1050mm**.

Interested in this kind of “photography? Everything you need to know at 6 pages this site:

Workshop “Lightweight Bird Photography”

WS 1 Reach (bereik) (camera’s, lenses, settings, tripod)
WS 2 Estimating reach (when photographing)
WS 3 APERTURE mode, ISO, EXPOSURE TIME (light/contrast, back/front-light, autofocus, color)
WS 4 APERTURE (optimal depth of field)
WS 5 ISO (minimal noise, maximal detail)
WS 6 EXPOSURE TIME (in-focus pictures, frozen action).

HOME (back to top this (!) page)

Legenda:

Some pages are translated in Dutch, marked “Dutch”, originals being marked “English”.
Distances up to 45 meter are more or less measured, otherwise estimated.
Pictures by default created using tripod or tribike for some stabilisation, otherwise marked “handheld“.
Contact: amevanbaren@gmail.com (Annemiek) or dikbaren@gmail.com (Dik).

NikonLightBirding base version 31 aug 2024 updated through 10 august 2026.