iebi Loc: Vancouver. Canada

Hi every one I have a humming bird comes to my balcony so often for the feeder I got for it I can really get close to it the problem is that I can not use hi shutter sped for freezing the wings because of the light most time the sky is dark and cloudy or the light is not behind me where I take the shots I use high iso but the pix lose so much quality and I bdont have tripod as well I just take the pictures hand held and I have Canon 7 D first one not the new one is there any one have any idea what should do I appreciate any one to tell me what is my best option thanks so much.

Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.

A tripod or a good bean bag or some kind of rest you will need under the conditions you describe. Are you shooting through a window? An off camera flash would also help if you have one. Even a good flash on camera should help. It is not usually to hard to rig up a support for steadying the camera. Leaning against some thing or any thing to give you the edge. Holding your breath. A used tripods are readily available, depends on quality and camera you have. I see some advertised in the twenty dollar range that would be good enough for what you need.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As you said, you need high shutter speed, and you really should have something other than yourself holding the camera. Increase the ISO and use the largest lens opening you have available to get the shutter speed up there. Without that high shutter speed, the wings will blur. Prefocus, if possible, and take multiple shots using a cable release or wireless release.

ottopj Loc: Annapolis, MD USA

Have you ever heard of or used punctuation?

SonyBug

use a off camera flash or two.

SonyBug

Well, at least he capitalized the word "I" properly.

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

I had this same problem four years ago and went in search of the solution. At one of the photography sites a professional photographer with great bird pictures said that the secret to taking great pictures of hummingbirds was to use a flash. I tried it. It worked. I'm happy. So even if I don't need a flash, I use one for the hummingbirds.

iebi Loc: Vancouver. Canada

Thanks so much Old Timer for the respond from your comment and next comment I noticed keeping the camera on tripod or using objects helps a lot and I use 430II and most pictures I took I was in the balcony or I left the window open and some of the pictures are ok but the flash some how changes the actual colour or too shiny and most time I have to move to get better shots as much possible and they are really fast. Thanks for the kind comment.

iebi Loc: Vancouver. Canada

Hi,jerryc41 thanks for the advise I really appreciate the comment I use canon 7d and the lens I use is Sigma 150-500mmits great in good light but in low light or grey sky and rain its not bright enough starts from5-6.3 I have brighter lens but it is not enough zoom although it is great at low light , it is canon EFS 17-55 and only 2.8 but I have tried it not enough zoom and the background is too busy so many branches and trees and the street with cars so like you said I think the best way to get better shots are using tripod and using remote control which I have the cordless one and dos it let me use higher shutter speed? I can only use maximum250 a second when is little brighter that most of the time of the day and does taking the pictures in Raw file with very high ISO and than take the grain in photo shop is good option? that I have been told by a camera sells man yesterday . Thank you so much again .

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insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

ottopj, are you having a bad day? I truly hope bad punctuation is the worst problem you face today. By the way, there should be comma's after the "of" and "used" in your comment.

iebi Loc: Vancouver. Canada

Thanks russelray.

iebi Loc: Vancouver. Canada

This are some of the pictures I could take in different days. Thanks you all for great tips.

Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.

You need to change white balance and set for flash or shoot in raw and then you can change or adjust it to conditions and light.

Singing Swan

Is there any way you can erect a bit of a background for your shots?? I notice some flowers along the edge of the feeder on the second one you posted, which is a pretty good shot if you ask me. It takes patience patience patience to photograph birds, any bird. They do not make good models!!

But, if you can get more flowers around your feeder, or maybe a branch he could sit on closer to your position, it might negate the need for a different lens or drastic zoom. Bring him into your space.

And do use the flash. It isn't bad to see the shiny, they are shiny birds when they are well groomed. And the flash will bring out colors you can't see with your eyes; the camera sees things when it stops action that your eyes will forever miss.

You'll also begin to notice the difference in the birds and see that you really have more than one. Hummers live in 'families' and send a scout to find food. Once they have, they tell everyone else and claim that source for their family and when others show up, the fights will begin. Hummers can crash into each other in flight and sound like someone's fist punching raw meat. For their size, they are some of the meanest birds out there.

Good luck. And do use flash. It helps tremendously!!

iebi Loc: Vancouver. Canada

Hello' Swan this is great information and tips also good advise for having the flowers which I have done it lately .Thank you

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