Ambika Bone (@ambikangela on Instagram) is a Victorian-based birdwatcher and photographer. In this interview, Ambika shares the story of how that through her son, she rediscovered her passion for birdwatching and received the encouragement to start sharing her images on Instagram. Ambika also shares her fondness for the large Australian birdwatching community that both welcomed and helped her out so much, and that she is now an active member in. Ambika now travels all throughout Victoria and the rest of Australia on a mission to photograph and document as many Australian bird species as possible.

Hello Ambika, Thanks for doing this interview with us! Your beautiful Instagram feed on your main page is centred around birds. What first got you into bird photography, and when did you start photographing them on a regular basis?

Hi Jamie and the Culture of Creatives community, It’s my pleasure. My mother and her passion for conservation and wildlife had a big influence on me as a birdwatcher and on my interest in nature. As a child, I remember going along on field naturalist, and bird watching excursions. These trips usually involved attempting to locate small birds high up in the canopy with binoculars. At thirteen my father bought me an SLR (this was before the age of the DSLR). It was an old second-hand Pentax ME Super and I took it along to a local photography course with aspirations of becoming a nature photographer. Somehow, it fell by the wayside when I moved to the city and became caught up with university and my social life. It wasn’t until many decades later when my own son was about twelve that we re-found bird photography together, with the superior photography equipment that is available these days. I’ve been photographing birds on a regular basis for about five years now.

Rose Robin - O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, Queensland - Ambika Bone

What are some of the main challenges that you faced in the beginning when you were trying to locate, and then get a clean shot of your subject bird? How did you overcome them?

We are fortunate to own (but I’d prefer to call it care-take) a 39-acre property which is surrounded by bushland, some of which is state forest. We had our land declared as ‘Land for Wildlife’ with the Victorian government scheme to confirm our commitment to providing a safe place for wildlife to live and feed. We have an abundance of native birds and wildlife literally on our doorstep.

Nevertheless, diversity is important to any bird enthusiast. The best thing that we did was to join our local Birdlife Australia group. The group was heavily weighted with retired people, many of them extremely knowledgeable and willing to share, and pass on their passion about birds. Whilst birdwatching in a large group was not very conducive to photography, it honed our skills on bird identification, taught us about bird behaviour and showed us the best local places to find and easily access birds. Group meetings also brought member’s trips from further afield to our attention and alerted us to other possible locations.

There are some wonderful books out there about locating Australia’s birds and Australia’s best birding locations which helped us along the way. Online resources such as Ebird and Birdline still aid us enormously. These days, we also like to explore less frequented sites. Being able to recognise good habitat for a particular species enables us to find birds that others may miss.

Finding birds is one thing. Getting a clean shot is something else again. Photographing birds whilst they are feeding or drinking, whether it be on open wetlands or bushland, is a good place to start. Bird-hides or blinds often overlook wetlands but don’t always provide a great angle, as mostly you want to get down to eye level with your subject. However, I have visited some great hides in bushland where water troughs and perches are set up to allow photographers nice clean shots of the birds at eye level. I have my own portable hide which is made of camouflage material, this allows me to seemingly hide. Visiting places where birds are used to people such as local town lakes is a great place to start as the birds are more likely to be out in the open and less skittish.

White-fronted Honeyeaters - Victoria - Ambika Bone

What camera equipment did you start off with, and what are you using now? If some of our readers were interested in getting into bird photography, what would you recommend as must-haves in a basic hobbyist kit?

Discounting the days of my Pentax ME Super, in more recent years, I first came across a modern Bridge Camera or Super Zoom, a Nikon P900. At the time I was more of a bird watcher wanting a visual record of birds that I saw on my travels. The bridge camera, however, ignited a passion for bird photography and it soon became apparent that the shots that I wanted would not be possible with the gear I was shooting with. I took a step, which was in hindsight probably a bad move, but it was at the time, an affordable option without making a big commitment. I bought an ‘enthusiast-level’ camera, a Canon 80D with a Canon 100-400mm f 5.6 lens which I also often used with a Canon 1.4 lens extender to give me more reach or ‘zoom’. I have no complaints about the gear, it was great but I realised quickly that I wanted to take it to a higher level still. I then bought professional level gear a Canon 5D Mark IV body which I generally combine with a prime lens, a Canon 500 f/4L mark II. Depending on where I’m shooting, I often use the 1.4 lens extender with my current set up too and I use the 100-400mm for pelagic trips, close confine rainforests and when I want to carry less weight. I have both a tripod with a gimble head, and a monopod, but I really love the freedom of the monopod.

I’d shoot more handheld if I could, but the weight of the big lens is too much for me to walk about with for long. Buying pro gear is a big commitment and a big expense. To start off with a bridge camera might be the best step or if you already have some skills then a mid-range camera like the Canon 90D with a Sigma, or Tamron 150-600 lens might be a good place to start. A lot of the young Australian bird photographers that are really making their mark at the moment are using this sort of gear, or the Nikon equivalent. Mostly I take bird portraits so my camera body is not what I’d be recommending for the best bird in-flight shots.

An exciting aspect of bird photography is that almost anyone can do it! Birds are all around us and the more you start looking for them the more you start seeing them. Could you offer some advice to someone who might be thinking about photographing birds in their local area?

If you have your own garden, this a great place to start. Creating a bird-friendly home brings the birds to you. A birdbath is a great starting point. By strategically leaning a stick over it you can create a perfect place for a bird to perch, and bingo! - There is your clean shot. Leaving out food is controversial, but if it is in accord with your ethics, then some fruit or wild bird seed can also attract native birds to your garden. The most important thing is to ensure that the birds don’t become dependent on human suppliers and still mostly forage for themselves. Secondly, local town parks and lakes where birds are more used to people are great for getting close to some species and thirdly explore your National Parks and beaches.

When you go out to look for birds, remember to ‘switch your ears on’. Seriously, when you consciously listen to the bird calls, they will lead you to the birds. From the raucous feeding calls of Lorikeets to the cackling calls of Crakes and rails, listening will both lead you to the birds and help you to identify what is in the local environment. Worldwide there are published bird apps that you can get on your phone, that not only have visual images and information about the birds of a certain country or region but also have samples of the bird calls so that you can learn to identify them.

Golden-headed Cisticola - Lake Corangamite Lake Reserve, Victoria - Ambika Bone

Location and landscape are usually huge factors to consider when trying to photograph nature. For example; wetlands have always been popular for bird watchers and photographers alike. What are you looking for and taking into consideration when you are finding somewhere to shoot your feathery subjects?

Diversity and photographing a range of species relies upon visiting a range of vastly different habitats. Deserts, islands, grasslands, mountainous regions, rainforests, open heathlands, seashores, wetlands and even pelagic boat trips to the edge of the continental shelf are all part of my great plan to photograph as many Australian bird species as possible. I generally plan three or four trips a year to places outside of my local area. The seasons need to be considered, and the light varies vastly in different habitats. Most weekends I’m also out photographing local species. We are lucky to have the Western Treatment Plant (a vast water and sewage treatment facility) within an hour and a half’s drive from where we live. Access is granted to birdwatchers to visit the ponds of treated water that are home to hundred’s of species of both resident and migratory birds. We have the Great Otway National Park to our south where we love to visit the birds that inhabit dark ferny gullies such as Pink and Rose Robins and to our north-west, The Grampians where dryer bush attracts a vast array of Honeyeater species. In summary, I suppose a good variety is most important to me.

Eastern Yellow Robin - Lake Elizabeth Forest, Victoria - Ambika Bone

Do you find a particular time of day preferable for bird photography? Seasonal changes govern the flowering of native flora, bird migrations, etc. How much does this factor into your decision making and planning?

I definitely love the soft light of early morning, and late afternoon merging into the evening for bird photography the best, but as I have a full-time job and generally only have weekends for photography, I utilise any light at any time of day if possible. In the harsh midday light, I try to seek a shady spot to photograph birds to avoid harsh shadows. Around August (the end of Winter merging into Spring in Australia) the birds begin to become more active where I live, as they begin their springtime antics to attract a mate. Whilst they are a little bolder and are adorned in their brighter breeding plumage (some species such as Fairy Wrens) it’s a great time to capture them on camera. Flowering plants make for a beautiful setting for birds in Spring, as do coloured leaves on deciduous plants in the Autumn. Spring is also a time when we look forward to the Cuckoos, Orioles, and other migratory birds returning to our area. It’s also a great time to visit the Western Treatment Plant, and also beach-side towns to photograph the migratory waders.

What are some of your favourite birds to watch and photograph and why?

I love to watch and photograph all birds, however living in the Australian bush, surrounded by eucalyptus forests, does tend to direct my focus to the small bush birds around me. I do have a soft spot for our Australian Robin species, Fairywrens and little bush Pardalotes. I am drawn to their colours and their vulnerability. I find our shy and very elusive Australian Grasswren species fascinating, and they are a big drawcard for me. However, they are generally located in remote arid habitats that require significant travel. At the other end of the scale watching and photographing Brolgas in their mateship ritual dance, and Raptors such as our Wedge-tailed and Sea Eagles at the Western Treatment Plant can be a truly breath-taking experience. Bird watching and being outside in nature is deeply inspiring for me. All of my senses become honed, the stress falls away, my heart opens and I find myself very present in the moment. I used to teach yoga and meditation and I find that many birdwatchers have similar experiences to those who meditate, it’s a past-time that can be conducive to a deep inner experience.

Pink Robin - Great Otwar National Park, Victoria - Ambika Bone

Is there an Australian bird species that has so far eluded you? Where are some of your favourite spots in Australia for bird photography?

There are many Australian bird species that I am yet to photograph, and certainly a number that has eluded me. On a recent trip to South-east Queensland, we spent a couple of days searching unsuccessfully for Black-breasted Buttonquail. We had a second trip booked to the area to search for them further but had to cancel due to the COVID epidemic. I’d love to go back there one day to find and photograph one. There are a couple of species that I’ve come infuriatingly close to, but not managed to get a clean shot of as well. I think I have an out of focus shot of a tail of a Chestnut rail from Darwin, and a photograph of a bush where a Thick-billed Grasswren had just hopped inside from the Strzelecki Track in South Australia.

Last year we had an inspiring trip to Mount Ive Station in the Gawler Ranges and Whyalla, and the year before to Arkaroola and the Strzelecki Track. I love the arid landscapes the best. I love the colours, the red sands of the desert, and the creamy browns and greens of the heathlands, saltbush and stunted vegetation.

Rose-crowned Fruitdove - Mount Glorious, Queensland - Ambika Bone

What is your attitude towards using Instagram? The good and the bad. What have been some benefits for you as a photographer using it? Do you showcase your images anywhere else and have anything exciting planned for the future?

In the past, many bird photographers have gained renown through entering and winning photographic competitions. Competitions just aren’t my thing, but I’d hate to leave my work sitting inside a hard drive unseen gathering dust, and I really enjoy putting images up on Instagram. My teenage son initially introduced me to Instagram and I found (after beginning to put up some images) that I had discovered a community of like-minded people. It was really exciting when photographers such as David Stowe, Heather Thorning, Shelley Pearson, Jan Wegener and Karl Seddon (just to name a few, so many more), who I deeply admired for their work, began to take an interest in my work. This helped encourage me to step up my game, and to upgrade to professional level gear. It has also been great to form friendships and meet up with people who I’ve met on Instagram to photograph birds together. Scientists such as Barry Baker and Josie Styles, and generally people who I would otherwise not have met.

Instagram has been kind to me, and my account has grown rapidly. Instagram has really put my work out there, and I’ve had international magazine feature articles, provided images for Birdlife Australia magazine, local Birdlife brochures and a field guide that will be published by the CSRIO in the next few years. I also recently had the honour of providing images for the international launch of Jennifer Ackerman’s new book The Bird Way. I think for me there is always a bit of an internal tug of war with choosing my posts for Instagram. I find myself torn between what gets more coverage and viewer likes, and my own need to display my creative work. With the small phone screen, I personally have found that I get more exposure and positive feedback for close-up portraits of colourful birds, so my way has been to put these out there but to sneak in a few more interesting, creative shots in between. Sometimes it feels like a game!

I’d love to set up a web page sometime but my big love is being out in nature enjoying the birds, the landscape and the wind in my face, so, for now, it’s Instagram.

Rainbow Lorikeets - Brisbane, Queensland - Ambika Bone

Thank you so much for doing this interview Ambika! Where can people go to follow your photographic journey and see some more of your beautiful work?

Thanks, Jamie, and thank you to everyone for joining in. People can enjoy my bird photography by following @ambikangela on Instagram.