First Blog Post: Three years of Practice, What Now?

[Dave Throgmartin]

I picked up hummingbird supplies today. Supposedly, they've been spotted back in Northern Illinois, but I won't set up the nectar for another week or so probably. Since I only have the one flash I expect I'll need to play with its location to balance bird / background or have a frozen hummingbird with a black background. Or maybe I'll play with garage type lights. Either way if the pics come out anywhere near as good as Bob's I'll be thrilled!

Dave

[ddt0725]

I picked up hummingbird supplies today. Supposedly, they've been spotted back in Northern Illinois, but I won't set up the nectar for another week or so probably.

WOW! I had better get my butt going on this! They must be around here also then!

[bob williams]

Yep, even though I haven't seen bird one yet, my feeders are getting filled this weekend; its supposed to be a perfect 74-78 degrees, sunny and no wind this weekend.

Since I only have the one flash I expect I'll need to play with its location to balance bird / background

Some suggestions for one light work:

1. Place feeder in shady location
2. If your planned natural background isn't in the shade, use a nice colored posterboard or something flat with a pleasing color pattern (check the cloth stores)---Flat is much easier to light
3. Set your flash so that it hits bird and background (camera mount works fine), but the closer you can move the flash, the more flexibility you have with exposure settings
4. Start with these settings: Manual everything, including manual focus. Set flash at manual 1/8, F16, ISO 100, 1/250 ---pre-focus at the center of the feeder spout, take a shot of your feeder in front of the background and see how it looks and adjust from there---make sure you keep your shutter at or below sync speeds and don't drop below f11, otherwise it will be hard to get a bird in focus.

Exposure rules that I like, if you start at the above settings:

If pic is too dark, increase aperature, but not below f11
If pic is too light decrease flash duration to 1/16 or more

If available, use a cable release, that way you can relax until the birds start flying.


Remember, even with one light, a great Hummingbird shot with frozen or near frozen wings is possible if you shoot enough---The wings stop between thier up and down strokes---and this is where you are most likely to get a great shot. Since it is impossible to time these, you just have to shoot until you catch one. I usually shoot a thousand frames before I get one that I will post on TDP or put on my website.

Good luck Dave, I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

One more thing Dave, That 135L you have should make a great lens for this, just don't be afraid to ove the camera/lens to MFD and keep your background within 2 or 3 feet of where you think the bird will be.

[Dave Throgmartin]

Yep, even though I haven't seen bird one yet, my feeders are getting filled this weekend; its supposed to be a perfect 74-78 degrees, sunny and no wind this weekend.



Some suggestions for one light work:

1. Place feeder in shady location
2. If your planned natural background isn't in the shade, use a nice colored posterboard or something flat with a pleasing color pattern (check the cloth stores)---Flat is much easier to light
3. Set your flash so that it hits bird and background (camera mount works fine), but the closer you can move the flash, the more flexibility you have with exposure settings
4. Start with these settings: Manual everything, including manual focus. Set flash at manual 1/8, F16, ISO 100, 1/250 ---pre-focus at the center of the feeder spout, take a shot of your feeder in front of the background and see how it looks and adjust from there---make sure you keep your shutter at or below sync speeds and don't drop below f11, otherwise it will be hard to get a bird in focus.

Exposure rules that I like, if you start at the above settings:

If pic is too dark, increase aperature, but not below f11
If pic is too light decrease flash duration to 1/16 or more

If available, use a cable release, that way you can relax until the birds start flying.


Remember, even with one light, a great Hummingbird shot with frozen or near frozen wings is possible if you shoot enough---The wings stop between thier up and down strokes---and this is where you are most likely to get a great shot. Since it is impossible to time these, you just have to shoot until you catch one. I usually shoot a thousand frames before I get one that I will post on TDP or put on my website.

Good luck Dave, I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

One more thing Dave, That 135L you have should make a great lens for this, just don't be afraid to ove the camera/lens to MFD and keep your background within 2 or 3 feet of where you think the bird will be.

Thanks Bob.

So far the game plan is:

-- Hang the feeder from the gutter above my deck
-- Set the camera up on a tripod in the house and use a wireless shutter trigger to shoot (likely from near point blank range)
-- Set up the flash outside and run a 1/8" cable from my camera hot shoe adapter to the flash
-- Sit on the couch waiting for birds to land and use your recommended settings then see how it turns out!

I'll take some practice shots tomorrow if it doesn't rain. Thanks again for all of the suggestions. I really hope there is better than a 1 in 1000 hit rate

Dave

[bob williams]

Thanks Bob.

So far the game plan is:

-- Hang the feeder from the gutter above my deck
-- Set the camera up on a tripod in the house and use a wireless shutter trigger to shoot (likely from near point blank range)
-- Set up the flash outside and run a 1/8" cable from my camera hot shoe adapter to the flash
-- Sit on the couch waiting for birds to land and use your recommended settings then see how it turns out!

I'll take some practice shots tomorrow if it doesn't rain. Thanks again for all of the suggestions. I really hope there is better than a 1 in 1000 hit rate

Dave

Well Dave, Maybe a thousand is a bit of an exageration, but I do have a heavy finger, but who cares, the "film" is cheap.

PS, Sounds like a solid plan