The Bird in Flight System
A Field-Tested Method for Consistently Great Bird-in-Flight Images
Get Instant Access — $99 USDStop Guessing. Start Understanding.
Most bird photographers eventually capture a good bird-in-flight image. The frustrating part is not knowing why it worked, or why the next attempt failed, even when the camera, lens, and settings seemed almost identical.
That uncertainty makes it easy to blame the equipment. Perhaps the autofocus is not good enough. Perhaps the lens is too short. Perhaps a newer camera will finally make the difference.
But consistent results rarely come from one setting or one upgrade. They come from understanding how bird behavior, positioning, timing, autofocus, exposure, light, wind, backgrounds, and technique work together.
I Had the Same Problem
For years, I tried the same things most bird photographers try. I changed settings, watched videos, read books, studied other photographers, and kept hoping the next piece of advice would solve the problem.
Sometimes I came home with photographs I was proud of. Other times, using the same camera and lens, I missed almost everything. I could see when an image worked, but I could not always explain why.
The turning point came when I stopped treating each problem in isolation. Shutter speed was connected to the species. Light was connected to position. Timing was connected to behavior. Every decision influenced the next.
So I Built a Complete System
The Bird in Flight System brings those decisions together in one practical, field-tested method. It gives you useful starting points, recommended settings, and quick-reference tables, then explains why they work, when to use them, and how to adjust when the bird, light, background, or conditions change.
Nearly every concept is shown with real photographs of actual birds in flight. You see the camera settings, the photographer's position, the light, the background, the behavior, and the result. When one element changes, you can see what that change does to the photograph.
This is not a collection of isolated tips. It is a way to understand cause, effect, and solution, so you can make better decisions while the action is unfolding.
✓ Know what to change when birds, light, or conditions are different.
✓ Recognize opportunities before they become missed photographs.
✓ Develop skills that improve every bird-in-flight photograph you take.
Look Inside The Bird in Flight System
These sample pages show how the book combines clear explanations, real field examples, annotated photographs, tables, diagrams, and practical decision-making you can apply in the field.
Understand Your Camera Settings
Learn how exposure decisions affect the look of every bird in flight photograph. Discover when different shutter speeds create the strongest results, how to balance sharpness and wing motion, and how to choose the right settings for different species and situations. Practical examples and quick-reference tables show not only what to use, but why.
Is Your Autofocus Grabbing the Wrong Subject?
Learn how Canon, Sony, and Nikon autofocus systems really work, which AF settings suit different situations, and how to stop your camera from locking onto reeds, branches, or the background instead of the bird.
See Opportunities Other Photographers Miss
Learn how light changes as you move around your subject, and discover how a small change in position can completely transform the mood, background, and impact of your bird photographs.
Work the Habitat
Every habitat rewards a different approach. Learn how to read the environment so you can recognize where the best opportunities are most likely to unfold, wherever you shoot.
Stop Missing the Action
Learn to recognize the behavioral clues that often reveal when a bird is about to take off, which direction it is likely to fly, and where it is likely to land, so you're ready before the action begins.
Get Species-Specific Flight Tips
Different species require different techniques. Learn how to adapt your shutter speed, autofocus, framing, and field approach for ducks and geese, fast erratic species, hummingbirds, raptors, and slower predictable birds.
The Secret Is Often Behind the Bird
Learn to see backgrounds differently before you raise the camera. Use distance, perspective, and natural surroundings to help your subject stand out.
Create Photographs People Remember
Most flight photographs capture attention for a moment. Those that reveal behavior are the ones people remember. Learn to recognize the behaviors, interactions, and split-second moments that transform ordinary flight photographs into memorable images.
Modern Cameras Can Do More Than You Think
From Pre-Capture to subject detection and other advanced technologies, learn which mirrorless features genuinely improve bird-in-flight photography and when they make the biggest difference in the field.
Buy Smarter
Compare full-frame, crop-sensor, and Micro Four Thirds cameras, understand focal lengths, lenses, and accessories across Canon, Nikon, Sony, and OM System, and learn how to invest with confidence while avoiding costly marketing hype.
What Readers Are Saying
“I've owned several books on BIF photography over the years, and most cover the same basic topics. This one is different. Instead of isolated tips, everything builds into one logical system. For the first time, I understood why things worked, not just what to do. That completely changed the way I photograph birds in flight.”
— Michael T., TX, USA
“I spent far longer looking through the sample pages than I expected because they were genuinely useful. What surprised me most was discovering the rest of the book is written exactly the same way. Nearly every topic includes real photographs, annotations, and explanations showing why the shot worked, not just the final image. It's incredibly easy to learn from.”
— Linda S., NY, USA
“The equipment section alone probably saved me thousands of dollars. I was very close to buying a new camera because I assumed better gear would solve my problems. Instead, the book explained exactly what actually matters, what doesn't, and which upgrades are genuinely worthwhile. That chapter alone was worth many times the price of the book.”
— Richard B., NC, USA
“I've already read the book cover to cover once, but I still take it into the field with me. The quick-reference tables, camera settings, and troubleshooting sections make it incredibly easy to find exactly what I need before I start shooting. It's become the first place I look whenever I'm trying something new.”
— Patricia H., ON, Canada
“I've watched hundreds of bird photography videos over the years. Most teach one setting, one trick, or one situation. This book finally connected everything together. Instead of memorizing tips, I now understand how the pieces fit. I've learned more from this one book than from years of jumping between videos.”
— John M., NSW, Australia
“What surprised me most wasn't that I learned new camera settings. It was how differently I now approach every bird. I'm thinking about light, wind, backgrounds, behaviour, and positioning before I even raise the camera. The book completely changed the way I work in the field, and my results have improved because of it.”
— Robert H., CO, USA
Everything in One Place
By this point, you have seen only a small part of what the complete system covers. Inside the book, all of these subjects are brought together so you can understand what decision to make in the field, and why.
Exposure and camera settings
Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, wing motion, sharpness, and practical starting points for different species and situations.
Autofocus and tracking
AF areas, subject detection, obstacles, camera-specific settings, and techniques for finding and following moving birds.
Light, wind, and heat haze
How changing conditions affect image quality, flight direction, positioning, exposure, and the opportunities available to you.
Behavior and anticipation
How to recognize the signals that often reveal takeoff, flight direction, landing, interaction, and sudden changes in movement.
Backgrounds, habitats, and composition
How position, distance, perspective, and location influence the clarity, mood, and visual impact of every photograph.
Species-specific field techniques
Different approaches for ducks and geese, fast erratic birds, hummingbirds, raptors, and slower predictable species.
Modern camera features
Pre-Capture, subject detection, mirrorless advantages, DSLR differences, and when new technology genuinely helps.
Equipment decisions
Camera formats, focal lengths, lenses, accessories, and practical guidance across Canon, Nikon, Sony, and OM System.
Real field examples throughout
Annotated photographs, diagrams, settings, quick-reference tables, and behind-the-scenes explanations showing cause, effect, and solution.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
I know this book will help you improve your bird-in-flight photography. But if you genuinely feel it didn’t, email me within 30 days and I’ll refund your purchase.