Using a Blind And Perch (Connor Stefanison)

I'm sure a few of you have tried using a blind and perch setup for wildlife images. If not, it's something to think about for the future. You can build your own blind, or buy one. The easiest way to buy a blind is usually from a hunting store. Basically you want something that will hide you from your subject.

For the best results, an interesting looking perch is key. A dead stick is usually not very pleasing. An interesting plant, or moss covered branch are usually fairly nice perches. Also, setting up your perch in a vertical, diagonal, or wavy position is more pleasing to the eye than a horizontal perch.

Many photographs you will see of a "perfect perch and background" are usually set-ups. Putting a bird feeder on the ground, or food on the unvisible side of a perch are some ways to attract your subjects. The idea is to make your image look as natural as possible. One thing to look out for is if your perch matches the subject's environment. For example, it may not be the most "natural" idea to have a tropical plant as a perch for a bird found in the pacific northwest. Using a distant background is also a good idea since you will get a blured background so the focus of the image is on the subject.

For the image above, I used a blind from a hunting store, and put some peanut butter on the back of the perch. For the perch, I just used a branch extending off a dead log.

http://connorstefanison.zenfolio.com/p289034463/h11fb11bb#h11fb11bb There's a link to the picture for a larger view.

Thanks for reading