Little Red Neck
A beautiful mature male hummer. The more red on his neck the older is he.
A beautiful mature male hummer. The more red on his neck the older is he.
Read less
Read less
Mar, 2015Views
3842
Likes
Awards
Featured
Contest Finalist in Freshmen 2015 Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Best Shot Photo Contest
Editor's Choice
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Love it
Genius
Virtuoso
Emotions
Impressed
Happy
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 2
Platinum
PRO+
PRO+
Premium
PRO
k1300sred
June 18, 2015
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
Platinum
PRO+
susienorton
October 26, 2016
My grandson wanted me to tell you "I love your picture, it is very creative, awesome and you're a really good photographer". His name is Elijah and he is 8 years old.
AHogue
October 27, 2016
Tell Elijah I said thank you very much for the nice comment. Such a special comment. I love it! Anita
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This Ruby-throated Hummingbird photo was taken in my flower garden on our farm in Tennessee last summer. I always plant flowers I know the birds will like.Time
This was shot on July 29, 2014, 7:23 AM. I either shoot birds early morning or if shooting during the day I wait for a cloudy or partly cloudy day and wait until the sun goes behind the clouds.Lighting
I use no special lighting.Equipment
This shot was taken with my Canon EF500mm f /4L, IS II USM + 1.4 extension attached to my Canon 5D Mark III @f/7, ISO 1000, 1/500s. I also used a remote. I am a petite person so the 500mm lens is a little heavy for me to carry around so I carry my gear in a little utility vehicle on our farm. I often pick my spot to park my farm vehicle for a while before I shoot so the birds can get use to it sitting there. I can prop my lens on the steering wheel using a steady bag. After sitting still for a while, the birds get so distracted with each other and their feeding they forget I am there. I put my tripod in the back of my vehicle in case I decide to get out and shoot. I always cover my lens with a camouflage and wear dark clothing and a dark hat and try to stay as still as possible.Inspiration
We are lucky by the middle of summer our yard and gardens are turned into buzzing clouds of these hummingbirds. Watching them and taking their pictures are so much fun.Editing
I first take my raw image to Adobe Bridge and check the white balance, correct any shadows, highlights, noise reductions, color hues and luminance etc. Then I take it to Photoshop CC and clone out any distractions and correct another adjustments. I like taking my images to NIK Viveza and use control points to lighten or darken areas that may need it. On this particular image I thought the zinnia on the right was a little too much in focus, but not enough in focus. So I selected the area around it and used a blur filter to blur it more, so the little hummer would be the main attraction. I copy and resize my image for output and change to tif or jpeg then take it to Nik output sharpening. Then I take it back to Adobe Bridge to check for highlights or too much shadows or any other thing that stands out before I save my image.In my camera bag
Nature photography is what I love best, so I always have my Canon 500mm f/4 lens, 1.4 extension, Canon 180mm f/3.5L macro, then I pack my 5D Mark III and a 7D Mark II body and a remote. When I’m not taking nature shots, I like to pack my Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS II, 1.4x, and my Canon 24-105 f/4L and occasional I pack my Canon 16-28 f2.8 L I always carry a tripod.Feedback
One of the most important things I've learned in shooting birds is it sometimes takes patience; but it is so rewarding when you get a great shot. I mostly always shoot birds using aperture priority because I like the background to be shallow. Using a high ISO is very important so you can get a high shutter speed. I also like to take enough batteries so I can shoot in high speed continuous. Setting the camera to Al Servo helps to follow the bird. Through experience I found those bright colored tops I wore sure sent a message to the birds that someone was there. I am an avid amateur photographer and continue to learn new things from my own experiences and through other photographers.
