A beautiful hummingbird among the Gladiolus flowers.
A beautiful hummingbird among the Gladiolus flowers.
Read less
Read less
Views
1425
Likes
Awards
Fall Award 2020
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
All Star
Outstanding Creativity
Top Ranks
Categories
Tanda4bama
August 17, 2017
https:// viewbug.com/challenge/hummingbirds-photo-challenge-by-tanda4bama
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
The photograph was taken in upstate New York. I have a small organic hobby farm, which includes produce, fruits and chickens, but I love to grow and plant flowers to attract pollinators. Each year the Hummingbirds arrive to coincide with the Blueberry flowering in early May and stay with us for the season.Time
This photograph was taken in the morning hours between 9:00 and 10:30. The hummingbirds are most active in the morning hours as soon as the sun rises above the tree line, but activity usually quiets down once the temperatures rise.Lighting
Sunny days are a must for capturing a vivid picture of a hummingbird in motion. If there is low lighting I find that the camera has difficulty in focusing on the moving subject. A beautiful sunny day will bring out the beautiful colors of the subject and the surroundings. We have Ruby Throated Hummingbirds in our area and the sunlight reflecting off of the male's ruby throat is beautiful.Equipment
I have a Canon Rebel T5. This photograph was taken with the kit lens EF 75-300mm. The Hummingbirds are use to me being up in the field all the time so they were use to me being close up to them. I even had one perch on my shoulder once.Inspiration
Moving to the country allowed me to start my farm. It opened up new possibilities and new hobbies, such as photography. I was originally a point and shoot gal, but when I wanted to take pictures of my chickens...which never stop moving lol...I upgraded to a DSLR. This opened a new world of photographic opportunities for me. Now I am able to capture the true essence of what I love the most and preserve these memories. Each year I look forward to the Hummingbirds returning to feed upon the flowers that I grow and capture more photos.Editing
The only post-processing was cropping and adding the farm name.In my camera bag
I carry my Canon Rebel T5, along with my Canon 18-55 and 75-300 kit lenses. I also carry my Sigma 150-500 which I absolutely love. Also a remote switch and tripod for landscapes.Feedback
Capturing a moving subject like a hummingbird takes patience. You need to know the types of flowers that they are attracted to. The best time is in the morning hours when they are most active. You also need to have a feel for the weight of the lens that you are using. The 75-300 is super lightweight causing very little shake. The Sigma 150-500 comes in just over 6 pounds and takes a little bit of getting use to.....but is my lens of choice now for wildlife photography . I like to plan ahead of the season for the flowers that I am planting. If you are starting a garden to attract hummingbirds consider the placement of any fencing or poles that may be in your background which may take away from your photo. Consider the garden to have both a east and south exposure so that you can capture the hummingbirds in the morning hours. Most importantly have fun and enjoy!