Why You Should Photograph Birds From a Floating Hide

Getting close to birds is forever a problem, the closer you get the more likely it is that the birds will notice you and fly away. However, a floating hide can transform your ability to get up close and personal with birds on the water.

Bird photography is notoriously difficult. Long, heavy lenses are often unwieldy and are difficult to use without some kind of stabilization such as a monopod or a tripod. So what do you do when you want to shoot from a position that won't allow for a tripod? Or perhaps you want to get close to waterfowl and other birds that live on the water? That's where a floating hide comes in handy.

Using floating hides, Gudmann and Gyda, two Icelandic photographers, take to the water and capture stunning bird photographs thanks to the buoyant design of the hides. Nestled in a camouflaged enclosure, the two photographers wade through the water in search of high-end wildlife photography. But it's not as simple as just rocking up to a lake and taking some snaps, careful decisions about composition, angle of shooting, and style of approach to the wildlife makes a huge difference. Of course, safety is always paramount for floating hide photography and they talk about when it's okay to get out of your depth and when to keep your feet firmly planted on the bed below. Not only does the floating hide get Gudmann and Gyda closer to their wildlife subjects but it also protects their camera and audio equipment from plunging into the water below due to the stable bouyant surface from which to shoot.