From the art of the ancient Egyptians to modern-day currency, birds have long captivated the interest of people with their unmatched beauty and grace, their song and their ability to fly. They inspired Leonardo da Vinci to create designs for a flying machine. And birds continue to be used as symbols, images and metaphors in both literature and poetry. Whether one photographs songbirds in the backyard, or travels to wildlife refuges to observe them in their natural habitat, this hands-on guide to capturing gorgeous images of avian subjects covers all the bases, from buying the right camera equipment to composing the perfect picture. Readers will discover practical guidance and professional advice on such topics as making correct exposures, capturing bird behaviour and action and evaluating and selling work. They'll learn some of the ethical issues related to bird photography, including guidelines on the proper conduct for working in the field and tips for approaching wild birds without causing them undue stress. They'll also find complete information on the best bird-watching spots throughout North America, with advice on the best times to visit and the types of birds that flock to each location. Finally, this source book is filled with more than 200 colour images of egrets, herons, pelicans, ducks, gulls, terns, hawks, falcons and dozens of other remarkable birds in action.

Arthur Morris is an acclaimed freelance nature photographer and writer specializing in avian subjects. Over 6,000 of his images, along with numerous photo-illustrated articles, have been published in such magazines as National Geographic, Natural History Birder's World, and Ranger Rick. He lives in Florida.