Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

These were taken in Ashland, Oregon. We don't see the Allen's hummer around where I live in CA. I accidentally underexposed these by 2 to 3 stops, but was able to pull a workable image out on each. Most notable on the first image.

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Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Workable? You bet they are workable :)

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

I was surprised by how well they turned out. I had switched the camera to manual and forgot to check the previous settings. You could barely see the hummer on the download of the RAW image. I enjoy shooting raw. It comes in handy when that extra latitude is needed.
Especially when I make a goof like that.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Know the feeling quite well myself :)

Good ones though, even if saved!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Stunning images, Bozsik. Love them!

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Thanks Linda

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Here is a sample of what I started with. Lot of PP. Couldn't have done it with film back in the day.

It was really putting the brakes on in this one.

before


after

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Really amazing what you can recover today in a digital darkroom! ....never give up!

DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

Gorgeous results. Great work. :D :thumbup:

Dixiegirl Loc: Alabama gulf coast

Why they're just beautiful, David. I'd kill for these shots. I can never determine the difference in the Allen's and Rufous.

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Thanks, Earl. I was happy I could save these. I have another 30 or so that have the same issues before I noticed the problem, but they all contain the sharpness and clarity of these.

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

You don't have to kill for them, Donna. The Rufous and Allen's are very similar from underneath. The big difference is that the Allen's is very green on the dorsal(top or back in this case) than the Rufous.

These recent shots are at a feeder location. Obtaining decent sharp images relies on a couple of factors. One point I would like to make is that there is no real magic to obtaining these kinds of shots. They are reasonably easy to obtain if the right criteria are met.

1. If you have a quick focusing DSLR it really helps.

2. Find someone who has a really active feeder. This is real critical because it will mean you will have multiple opportunities to shoot in a shorter time duration. Usually morning and evening are the best times for hummers. They belong to the same Order of birds(Apodiformies) that swifts belong to. The reason the two groups of birds are similar is that they both go into a torpor(like a hibernation) at night. Their body metabolism is so high they would starve overnight if they didn't. So they are very hungry when they wake, and try to stock up as much food the night before.

3. Watch the direction the hummers are most likely to come from. Block any other feeders, save the one you are targeting. I put masking tape over the other three plastic flower feeder openings. They come in so fast and land that I had to figure a way to make them hover longer before feeding. So I removed the perch for them on some of the shots so I would have them in flight as they had to hover while feeding.

4. Don't follow the bird in and out as it feeds. Watch and see how far it backs off from the flower each time. Set the camera focus there and click the shutter as it comes into view. Or if they don't back off very far, just back up a bit, or zoom out to shoot a bit larger area. When you shoot, use continuous and take bursts. Out of the 87 exposures, about half of them looked like the ones I posted here. The new auto-focus on cameras has made this process way easier than it may seem. And certainly easier than the past.

5. And remember, you don't have to kill for shots.. ;-)
Good luck and let me know if you find any spots that work for you. Ask some of your friends if any of them have a hummingbird feeder. I bet one of them does.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Good tips there ;)

BTW - we put out our first feeder 2 years ago, had no hummingbirds, last year, had maybe ONE hummingbird I can say for sure... switched from the red mix to mixing my own nectar without the dye after reading there is suspicion the red dye harms them... no proof, but suspicion....

I change the nectar regularly or when needed - this year we have had up to 4 at once at the feeder, 2 adults and 2 youngsters.

Actually, they come pretty regularly throughout the morning and evening.

I suspect next year it will get a bit more crowded and offer more photo ops ;)

Hope to pick up a couple more during their migration coming soon.

Supposedly if they stop on the way south they will most likely stop again on the way back north.

Definitely one cool little bird!

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

I had a feeder at one point. I set it out for a couple of weeks. It took a about two day for them to locate the one in our yard. In the Summer months, they say that you should change the water daily as bacteria detrimental to the hummers doesn't take very long to build up.

I didn't want to go through the hassle, so we just planted flowering trees, shrubs and flowers to attract them in the warm months. The Anna's are here year round.

I was out scouting for potential shots 2 years ago and met this woman who has been feeding them for almost 60 years. When I asked if I could photograph them, she allowed me to shoot them. She has 6, 2-liter bottles adapted for feeding them.

She had approx 40 hummers in her yard at the same time. They were all arguing who would go next. She had the feeders in the front and back. I got a lot of shots at that location. She told me she has to fill the feeders each day.

I printed up an 11x14 for her that was a composite of three different species both male and females.
They aren't difficult to shoot once you have a spot they come to for food.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Nice payback ;) I bet she loved that ! :thumbup:

I change the nectar every couple of days, unless it gets low or is really hot.....we keep the feeder about 2 feet from our window, one little guy loves to perch on the hanger and look in the window at us....something catches his eye!

Here is one of the first shots of him... I have to think he is a youngster as his feathers seem all out of place....

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