Capturing Hummers

[Bill W]

Thanks Bob....all my pix are taken w/natural light. Fortunately when I shoot in the morning, the sun shines perfectly into the garden. I adjust the feeders

[ddt0725]

Wow, Bob! That last one is my favorite! Very nice, job! Is the background real flowers or is it a fabric you picked up?


Denise

[bob williams]

@Denise, Thanks. Nope thats real---A combination of elm leaves, some roses I plucked from my wifes garden and some potted plants. The elms and roses were just to fill in the holes between the potted plants.


Bob

[bob williams]

Just in case anyone is interested, this is my new humming bird studio--Built it last weekend, but still have some ideas for add-ons.


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Note: this is still pretty early in the AM, I usually wait to shoot hummers until my "studio" is shaded.

[Bill W]

Pretty elaborate set up Bob....I like it.


Bet you and your wife fight over it

[bob williams]

Pretty elaborate set up Bob....I like it.


Bet you and your wife fight over it's use....looks like a great potting bench. LOL

Bill, You are correct, she already has me planning a deck at the bottom of it and a middle shelf so she can put her flower pots, hand shovels, clippers on it. [:-*]

But I do have to ask; why don't you take advantage of your natural light (no flash)?

Actually, I like to see detail in the wings but not completely frozen. I like just a little wing blur but not too much--so flash is the only way I can really adjust and achieve that. However, I will use natural light if the birds are perched in a tree.


Another reason is that I just like the challenge of working with flashes---literally, every day is an experiment


I do like your idea of a humming bird garden---But I have been slow in planting this year. I did put out two Oleanders, two Trumpet Vines and a Hibiscus---so hopefully they will attract more birds. and provide a different shooting environment for me.





Bob

[Bill W]

Bob....she hasn't requested more width and asked you to remove your junk? LOL


We're at opposite ends of the spectrum Bob....I'm turning my shutter down as low as possible now. When the afternoon sun (if it ever comes back....another cloudy day) comes thru as back lighting, their wings are painted, showing multiple positions.


This pic was taken at 1/60th, f9, ISO 500 w/the 500mm (remember it was cloudy today)


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[bob williams]

Here are 3 from yesterdays practice, same set-up: 250, iso 200, f16, flashes set to 1/32











They seem a little darker after upload.





Bob

[ddt0725]

Wow, quite the set-up! Your hard work is paying off ...your photos are stunning! From your last round, it

[bob williams]

Thanks Denise for the encouragement. I always value and appreciate feedback from you and the others. So, if you have a little time, I would like to discuss areas of improvement from you and Bill and anyone else who wants to chime in. If I were to critique myself on the shots below, I would say this:


1. Although I was trying to give these shots a little more "space" as recommended by others, my composition just isn