Before taking photographs Julie Chen told me about the behavior of these Turns. As an expert bird photographer she knows her birds well. She explained their behavior before the dive into the water, what they do with the fish as they take off again, and so on. She was not telling me about the birds because she wanted to make small talk and be interesting. She was telling me what I needed to know in order to be success at shooting these birds. They dive into the water at great speed and fly off quickly again. Knowing their behavior enables the photographer to predict their dive. That helps you to be ready to shoot them. Without such knowledge it is very, very difficult to get images. By the time I lifted my camera up it was too late. When I got used to their behavior I could anticipate their movements, be ready, and I got the shots I wanted. Tip one: Get to know the behavior of the birds you are shooting.

Tip two: Fill the frame. Having to ask for binoculars or a magnifying glass to look at bird images probably mean that the subject matter is just too small in the frame. An empty frame with a little bird taking up 3% of the image is no good. That is why a long lens is needed and why a crop camera is probably better for taking bird images. Get as close as you can. Zoom quickly. Sit in a blind, do whatever it takes (without harming the birds), but fill the frame.

Tip three: Practice. It just takes practice. My hit rate started climbing as I got to know the birds' behavior better and as I shot for hours. Julie did not become the bird photographer she is today be spending one afternoon shooting. She has been shooting and practicing and shooting for a long time. She does not even have to think about what she is doing anymore which helps her focus on the birds and getting the shots. Shoot regularly. Shoot for long periods of time.

          Tip four: Shoot much. No, this is not the same as practicing. What I mean with shooting much is that in order to end up with a few good bird images you have to start with many. Even a seasoned pro will end up with a lot of images with clipped wings and the sort. Shoot in bursts at a high frame rate and take thousands of images. From the thousands you may have a few really good shots. Don't be afraid of shooting by the thousand. This is the beauty of digital, shooting does not cost much once you have your gear.

          Tip five: Use a camera support system. Even a monopod is helpful. My arm hurt after a while. Long lenses are heavy. The bigger the F.Stop the heavier. Using a support for your gear will help you to focus on the birds rather than on your discomfort.

          Enjoy the birds.