A Couple of Hummingbirds

[Mike4AU]

It is absolute torture trying to shoot these little guys, but I think I have finally figured it out. These turned out OK, but I am going to continue my quest for the perfect shot(s). I find hummers to be fascinating and terribly cute. Hope you like.


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#2

[jephdood]

Damn, these aren't perfect??

Nice work!

[arthurs]

WOW! These are exceptional Mike! I can't wait to have my mind boggled by perfect....

[Mike4AU]

Thanks, guys!

These were shot at f/8. I am going to shoot some at f/11 to get more detail in the feathers. I am also going to shoot some with my macro lens if the little guys will tolerate the intrusion of the lens being so close to them. We shall see.

Thanks again.

Mike

[Ajax]

I always forward your photos to my sister. She's awed by them. Me too.

[Jason]

Cool stuff Mike. Those are very, very similar to a couple of shots I took while taking an intro to photography class (9 years ago). I had a bird that cooperated and let me play with shutter priority (I think that's what it's called) and got some neat shots.

Good work.

[spl_nut]

I can't get a decent shot of my system and those aren't perfect! Mike, you sure know how to use a camera :yes:

[etcarroll]

And what have you figured out - I have a handful of them, can't get a decent shot of them.

[dane]

These were shot at f/8. I am going to shoot some at f/11 to get more detail in the feathers. I am also going to shoot some with my macro lens if the little guys will tolerate the intrusion of the lens being so close to them. We shall see.

What is your shutter speed? I assume you have some sort of massively bright light behind/beside you to illuminate them so well with a shutter speed fast enough to still-image their wings?

Great shots, btw ...

..dane

[Mike4AU]

Here is how I did it:

Shutter speed is important, but not nearly as important as using multiple flashes to "freeze" the little guys. SS was 1/250, 3 flashes set on 1/16 power and flashes were on tripods in a triangle shape around a feeder. More flashes would be even better.

I am sitting a lot closer to the feeder this year and that was making it almost impossible to move the camera to focus on the HB's when they came around, so I changed tactics. I prefocused on an area where I thought they would hover then changed to manual focus. I then went back into the covered part of my deck and used my wireless remote shutter release. When the HB's came into the expected FOV, I fired away...on high speed burst.

I used my 70-300 VR lens for these shots, but I am not satisfied with the bokeh, so I am going to use my 70-200 pro lens and my 105 macro lens (with a 1.4 TC). Both of those lenses produce wonderful bokeh.

If I get any good shots, I will post them.

Thanks for all the kind words.

[Stereodude]

I'd rather take pictures of warbirds myself. :rock:

[dane]

Here is how I did it:

Shutter speed is important, but not nearly as important as using multiple flashes to "freeze" the little guys. SS was 1/250, 3 flashes set on 1/16 power and flashes were on tripods in a triangle shape around a feeder. More flashes would be even better.

I don't want to undervalue the shots you posted, but I would also be interested in a picture of HOW you take the pictures ... the birdfeeder, the tripods, the flashes, ... I'd be interested to see that..

good luck with your other lenses, too!

..dane

[Mike4AU]

Check this thread on dpreview:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1005&thread=32845914

Wallmart has a good feeder...make sure to get a red one. Sugar water...4 to 1 part sugar....cheap tripods...had for years...flashes ain't cheap...I have an SB-800 on the camera and 2 SB-600 on tripods. D300 camera.

My setup is like the one shown in the thread.

[lngbruno]

Mike,

You did an outstanding job of photographing my favorite bird. I took some photos a couple of years ago on my little Sony Cybershot just for fun. The HB's now let me get within a few inches of the feeder and a few times they have actually landed on my finger when I am in the process of refilling the feeder. Maybe next year I'll try getting closer and see what they will allow me to do with my camera. Currently, the HB's are aggressively stocking up on calorie food supplies for their long trip back to Mexico. Next to the Monarch Butterfly, these little birds are truely amazing migrators.

My next favorite birds are the Redtail Hawk and the Northern Mockingbird (I have to remember my camera when I take my next walk). Mike, let's see you get a Hawk or a Falcon up close and personal...now that would be a challenge.

Lou

[SoCalWJS]

Check this thread on dpreview:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1005&thread=32845914

Wallmart has a good feeder...make sure to get a red one. Sugar water...4 to 1 part sugar....cheap tripods...had for years...flashes ain't cheap...I have an SB-800 on the camera and 2 SB-600 on tripods. D300 camera.

My setup is like the one shown in the thread.

Interesting setup in the link - don't think I have quite all of that equipment though........:crazy:

I tried taking potos a while back w/o much success. I am fortunate enough to live where they are thick. I had to fill 6 (SIX!!!!!) feeders back up last night - probably have to fill 4 or 5 when I get home tonight. May have to try again - but it will be a single flash:hissyfit: