Comments on: How to Photograph Hummingbirds

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:12:06 +0000

Thanks for your tips. I have photographed hummingbirds a few times in the past and plan on heading out tomorrow to photograph hummingbirds during their migration. Your article was a great refresher for me. I will let you know how the photos turn out tomorrow.

By: Flight Training

Flight Training — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:56:31 +0000

I wanted to comment and thank the author, good stuff

By: rochelle

rochelle — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:56:36 +0000

wow it really is an amzing topic it seems really hardd to take a picture of a humming bird. i think my goal is to go exploring an find a humming bird and at least try and take a picture

By: Eric Rasch

Eric Rasch — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:02:38 +0000

Here's mine: http://flickr.com/photos/rasch/tags/hummingbirds/ If you zoom in on a couple of these, you can see the hummingbird's tongue.

By: Michael VanDeWalker

Michael VanDeWalker — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:05:40 +0000

You just have to have a kid that isn’t camera shy. the shot of mine above is with a 100mm macro… but then I was only a foot and a half away or so.

By: Steve Berardi

Steve Berardi — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:47:43 +0000

Thanks everyone for your nice comments today!

@Eduardo Perez – If you shoot in RAW, then correcting a slightly underexposed shot will not add too much noise. All the photos in this article were actually shot in RAW, at ISO 400, and underexposed. There was some noise for that, but Photoshop has some decent noise reduction filters :)

@buck – I would avoid shooting any kind of bird with a macro lens (or using the macro mode on your camera). macro is for those really extreme close-ups, about 12 inches or closer. For hummingbirds, you probably won’t get closer than 3 or 4 feet (and that’s if you’re lucky, heh). I’d recommend a 300 mm (or greater) telephoto zoom, or maxing your zoom on a P&S.

@Alfredo Cofre – I agree that the depth of field could have been better in all my photos above.. it’s probably my biggest dissatisfaction with the photos, especially with the second one. but, its just a great reason to go back to this spot this summer, and try again :)

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Steve Berardi
Photo Naturalist

By: RJohnston

RJohnston — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:04:20 +0000

Good article. Like any, it is good to use your own variations according to conditions so not be locked into specifics. Ive got many pictures of Hummingbirds with my Nikon D200 using Raw. It can take more pictures and also save them to the card while allowing you to continue taking pictures. It works faster also if I do not use the largest size Raw, but Medium, means more images on a 4GB card.

Generally I prefer to use my 300mm Zoom VR lens. From about 15 feet can get many good images. Shooting them on a feeder also can make a difference as I hang the feeder from the awning on our RV. Then I can sit under it, in a chair and relax.

If in CA, there is a Hummingbird Sanctuary if I remember right it is in Modjeska Canyon in Irvine. You sit on the porch about 5-6 feet from the feeders and take all the pictures you wish. Google Hummingbird Sanctuary and you will find lots of places you will find them….

By: Melo

Melo — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:18:20 +0000

I’ve always been fascinated with hummingbirds. Great tips! Sure could have used this info last Saturday. Was out shooting at a wildlife sanctuary & they were everywhere! I got a few photos, but am not satisfied with them. Will try these techniques next time I am around them!

Melo

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:51:55 +0000

Well darn, mine didn’t work either. Let’s try this again.

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv132/dbyess454/Birds/miscshots096.jpg

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv132/dbyess454/Birds/DSCF4786b.jpg

By: Katndnvr

Katndnvr — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:05:55 +0000

Great points….enjoyed very much. I snapped these in the Rocky mts last year.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35554475@N05/?saved=1