Capturing Hummers

**highmigh** · 08-30-2010, 11:25 AM

I also loved this game with floating hummers and it was like capture
the flag. I don't remember the name of it but it came on a CD with the
OS.
Bactium

Alan · 09-01-2010, 02:44 AM

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I've finally gotten some hummers to show up at a feeder. For my
technique, I set up the feeder about 4 feet from a window pane (thoroughly
cleaned on both sides). I line the feeder perch parallel to the window
pane. Then, with a 7D and 100-400 L, I sit about 4 feet away from the
window (inside the house) and hand hold the camera/lens, and track it with the
AF (spot or a bit more, on occasion).

The perch has two landing spots. The left works best for morning
shots, and the right side, for later morning, or early afternoon. Enough
light lands on the bird, usually, in the morning. The sun is slowly
getting lower in the sky, so the afternoon shots are less and less, for the
proper lighting.

I set the 7D at 400 mm, and lock the lens ring tight. I put the camera
into Av mode, and set the exposure compensation to +2/3. At f/5.6, the
shutter speed varies from 1/250 to upwards of 1/1250, or more, depending on the
sunlight landing on the bird. ISO no higher than 200.

I sit in a position that is comfortable, then hold the lens and prop my arm
on my knee. It's heavy, but I'm able to hold the camera/lens
steady. I pre-focus on the feeder, then wait patiently with the lens
pointed near the perch. It's usually about 10 minutes between visits.
I've tried the tripod method, but invariably have had difficulty getting a bird
in focus, due to the narrow DOF. Hand holding it works much better for
me.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"]Here's an example:

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**Fast Glass** · 09-01-2010, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by JJphoto

Hi! Bob, here is a website about hummingbird you might interesting in, it's in Czech though, but I use google translate to translate it to English so you can see the shooting data.

I actually have seen this guys website, he's an awesome photographer. He also has RAW images in his reveiws.

John.

**bob williams** · 09-02-2010, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by Alan

I've finally gotten some hummers to show up at a feeder. For my technique, I set up the feeder about 4 feet from a window pane (thoroughly cleaned on both sides). I line the feeder perch parallel to the window pane. Then, with a 7D and 100-400 L, I sit about 4 feet away from the window (inside the house) and hand hold the camera/lens, and track it with the AF (spot or a bit more, on occasion).

Nice shot Alan. I personally dont have the patience or arms to hold the camera for that long. Sometimes it may take me two or three hours just to get a few shots. So great job taking these handheld.

I am curious about your background. Is it just open space, or did you use something?

Bob

**bob williams** · 09-02-2010, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by Fast Glass

Originally Posted by JJphoto

Hi! Bob, here is a website about hummingbird you might interesting in, it's in Czech though, but I use google translate to translate it to English so you can see the shooting data.

---

This is a great site---Although it really shows me that I have a long way to go to reach this level.

Here are a couple more sites that are really good and that I have learned alot from:

http://exposureroom.com/members/douggardner/320db47d104347a0a69d020d4544c8bb/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IxYyq89MLw&feature=player_embedded

Hope you like.

Bob

**JJphoto** · 09-02-2010, 04:21 AM

thanks Bob for sharing these videos, I think I'm going to shoot some hummingbirds by learning from these videos.

Alan · 09-02-2010, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by bob williams

Nice shot Alan. I personally dont have the patience or arms to hold the camera for that long. Sometimes it may take me two or three hours just to get a few shots. So great job taking these handheld.

I am curious about your background. Is it just open space, or did you use something?

Bob
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Thanks, Bob. My arms can also get tired. [

]

That background is the side of my house, which is at least 20 feet away. It's far enough away that at f/5.6, it's blurred completely.

**Bill W** · 09-02-2010, 04:58 PM

Finally got thru the first round (culling and PP a few) of my air show photos (really tired of looking at planes), so I went out this morning to shoot some HBs.

Boy, has the sun moved in just a week....fall is moving in quickly...to my benefit actually. I have much softer light on one of the feeders, but of course they didn't cooperate.

But I did catch my first juvie male RTHB of the season; 7D, 100-400 at 400mm, f6.3, ISO 400, 1/640

Just a thought for this thread; what would you think about IDing your HBs when you post them?

I know I have it pretty easy, living east of the Mississippi and having pretty much just the Ruby throated HB....thoughts?

Bob....headed your way next week and looking forward to some Calliopes and Anna's.

Great sites and links folks...thanks for sharing.

Bill

**bob williams** · 09-07-2010, 07:50 AM

Finally had a chance to work with my new (2nd) flash unit and Pocket Wizards------Sure beats the shoplight I was using before.

Still having some ghosting problems, But I think I know the solution and will work on it sometime this week.

These were shot with the background flash at 1/2 power, the bird flash at 1/64 or 1/32, ISO 400 and exposure around f11@250

Hope you like,

Bob

**bob williams** · 09-07-2010, 08:32 PM

Testing

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