Bird photography tips: how to shoot pin-sharp pictures of birds of prey

Bird photography tips for perfect bird portraits: steps 7-8

07 Focus on the eyes
Manually select your focusing point and aim to get the bird's eyes pin-sharp. Zoom in close and aim fill the frame with the animal's head and shoulders. Once you get the headshot in the bag, frame up again so you can get a full-body shot of the bird.

08 Take the bait
Struggling to get that perfect head-on stare? Have the bird handler stand behind you and offer your model some bait. You may only have a few seconds before the bird takes off to grab its treat, but you should be able to grab the shot when the bird's full attention is towards you.