Capturing Hummers

[bob williams]

Well, The birds haven't been as active as I'd hoped the last couple of weekends, But I did manage to get a couple. This morning (before sunrise) I tried something a little different. I had read somewhere that the key to lighting up the irridescent feathers was to get your flash as close to the axis of the lens as possible, So I decided to try my ring flash mounted on my 100L macro and place it about 24 inches from the target. I shot several shots with the bird at the feeder and found that the ring light simply didn't have enough power at 1/32---at least not enough to balance with the 580 and 430s I was using with background and top/bottom lighting. I eventually had to move another speedlight up near the lens before I got a fairly well lit shot. I still couldn't manage to light up that beautiful purple gorget of the blackchinned.---Here it is:

[conropl]

Another nice one.

... I eventually had to move another speedlight up near the lens before I got a fairly well lit shot. I still couldn't manage to light up that beautiful purple gorget of the blackchinned...

Have you ever though of making your own higher powered in-line flash? Take a couple (2 or 3) of your 430's, straighten them out (in the pointed up / bounce flash configuration), then use a band clamp to clamp them to your lens hood. Basically, lay them parrellel along to the axis of the hood. Use some foam to protect your equipment and to prevent slippage. Your macro has a pretty good sized hood to be able to do this, and so does your 500mm if you want to get farther back.

If you do not want to go with the hill billy set up, you could try a Better Beamer on a camera mounted 580. They do not cost very much (about $40). I was thinking of trying this myself, and Joel has said that he has been using one. Basically it will focus your light to a tighter circle when you are back off your set up with the 500mm.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...r_beamer.shtml

Pat

[ddt0725]

I used my Better Beamer yesterday on my backyard birds. Photos turned out well but they did get a tad startled with each flash.

[bob williams]

Another nice one.



Have you ever though of making your own higher powered in-line flash? Take a couple (2 or 3) of your 430's, straighten them out (in the pointed up / bounce flash configuration), then use a band clamp to clamp them to your lens hood. Basically, lay them parrellel along to the axis of the hood. Use some foam to protect your equipment and to prevent slippage. Your macro has a pretty good sized hood to be able to do this, and so does your 500mm if you want to get farther back.

If you do not want to go with the hill billy set up, you could try a Better Beamer on a camera mounted 580. They do not cost very much (about $40). I was thinking of trying this myself, and Joel has said that he has been using one. Basically it will focus your light to a tighter circle when you are back off your set up with the 500mm.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...r_beamer.shtml

Pat

Pat, that's a great idea, and I have thought about it---The problem is two fold---1. If I used my lightpower at or near the camera, then I would lose the top and side lights which really help to give depth to the bird and prevents shadowing. I have also used my better beamer on camera mounted flash, but still just isn't enough light at 1/32. at this speed, the lights have to be fairly close or you have to have a bunch of them.

What this doesn't rule out is ganging my lights together and placing near the axis of the lens, but just out of frame. I may try that this week.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Bob

[Joel Eade]

Bob I think the iridesence of the gorget is sort of like a mirror .... you have to flash it with light that reflects back to the camera. So the flash has to be low and aimed at the gorget with bird angled toward the camera. You could try facing the target flower away from the camera so the bird has to face you in order to feed, then place one of the speed lights below the flower aimed up at the bird's position.

[Joel Eade]

Well, The birds haven't been as active as I'd hoped the last couple of weekends, But I did manage to get a couple. This morning (before sunrise) I tried something a little different. I had read somewhere that the key to lighting up the irridescent feathers was to get your flash as close to the axis of the lens as possible, So I decided to try my ring flash mounted on my 100L macro and place it about 24 inches from the target. I shot several shots with the bird at the feeder and found that the ring light simply didn't have enough power at 1/32---at least not enough to balance with the 580 and 430s I was using with background and top/bottom lighting. I eventually had to move another speedlight up near the lens before I got a fairly well lit shot. I still couldn't manage to light up that beautiful purple gorget of the blackchinned.---Here it is:

Fabulous awesome wonderful shot!!! Needs a little room around it....print it and hang it on the wall

[Dave Throgmartin]

We had our first hummingbird come to the feeder last night.

Dave

[Joel Eade]

Love the Better Beamer.....they will startle, some birds worse than others.

Keep your flash at a low setting like 1/32 or less and it doesn't seem to bother the birds as much. You really only want it for fill flash.

[ddt0725]

Yesterday, I saw orioles in my backyard so I was sitting in the backyard to try and get some shots if they return and within 2 feet of me flew the most beautiful male ruby-throated hummingbird trying to feed off my flower bush! It completely startled me so I did not get a shot of him but hopefully he will return!

[bob williams]

Bob I think the iridesence of the gorget is sort of like a mirror .... you have to flash it with light that reflects back to the camera. So the flash has to be low and aimed at the gorget with bird angled toward the camera. You could try facing the target flower away from the camera so the bird has to face you in order to feed, then place one of the speed lights below the flower aimed up at the bird's position.

Actually, I had planned to do this exact thing this weekend, but the birds just weren't hitting very often---It was basically all I could do to get them to hit the feeder, much less a "loaded flower"----Which is also a problem with this idea---with a downward pointing flower, the sugar water runs out which means I may get one or two shots and they lose interest---But I am going to try it anyway in hopes of getting a different perspective and maybe lighting the gorget.

But I did have another engineering brain storm you may like. I am thinking about getting a small used IV bag (250ml) and microdrip setup. cut the tubeing to desired length and attach a small guage needle to the end. Then I can just slide the downword pointing flower on to the needle and maybe clamp the flower on it with a small alligator clip---this should allow me to keep the sugar running at a slow but adjustable rate. It would also work with an up pointing flower.

So, Have I lost my mind????????????

Wait, I'm not done, thanks to you Joel, I had another epiphony. I was frustrated with the difficult operation and unsightliness of my PVC contraption seen below:


So I started thinking of a replacement---and came up with this (thanks to Joel and his many other talents):



A simple microphone stand. Heavy base, 30-60 inch telescoping, 19 inch flexible gooseneck with a clamp attached to the end of the gooseneck---Total cost---$21.00 New. You could probably find a used one at a music store or pawn shop for $10 bucks. This is only a couple of dollars more than what I had invested in the PVC contraption----Lesson learned---If it doesn't have "Photography" attached to the name or nomenclature, it's 1/3 the cost.

Anyway this microphone stand allows me to hang a feeder or hold a flower in almost any position. The heighth is adjustable and it doesn't blow over when the wind does. Finally, it doesn't look tacky and my wife is more accepting of it sitting on the back porch and I don't even need her Christmas tree stand.

Happy Humming,

Bob