Freezing birds in motion

A female Common Flameback Woodpecker flying away from her nest in a tree trunk. To freeze this action, a photographer needs to set the shutter speed to 1/2500s to catch the moment. - Photo: Eddie Chua

IN photography, few subjects present as thrilling a challenge as capturing birds in flight (BIF).

The art of freezing these dynamic creatures in mid-air demands a blend of precision, speed, and technical know-how that few other genres can match.