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Taking pictures of hummingbirds
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Aug 20, 2011 15:29:26   #
Ugly Hedgehog Newsletter
 
Hi,

I tried to take pictures from hummingbirds in my yard.
I have set myself some requiremnets. I want the birds flying and the wings should show a very little movement.
I do not like to see them totally "dead"
I am using a Canon 40D, the 70-200 f/4 is lens on a tripod and the Canon remote. I set the camera first to AV and jack up the iso. Focus is set to center and I played with depth of field. Then I change the camera to TV, because the AV procedure did not satisfy me. In TV I change the iso to 1250 and set the time to 1/1000, which gave me a better result. Then I change the focus to 2 stops, which gave a close to what I want.
I like to hear your experience on this matter and the results you get.

Thanks. Ronny.

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Aug 20, 2011 18:18:30   #
BOB Loc: Texas
 
What do you mean change the focus to 2 stops?? when I shot humming birds I use a flash.

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Aug 20, 2011 19:53:09   #
Perry Loc: Washington Michigan
 
Hi Ronnie,

I have a point and shoot Nikon Coolpix L110.

When I take shots of humming birds, I put the camera in Sports Continuous Mode, and Hold the button down for about a second when I'm ready to shoot. My camera will dump several images on my disk during that time, and I keep the best looking one.

I am sure your camera is capable of that function too, isn't it? Try that and see if you like that method.

Humming bird1
Humming bird1...

Humming bird2
Humming bird2...

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Aug 20, 2011 23:36:26   #
ch20comply Loc: Lake Havasu City, AZ
 
Hi Ronny-
One item that you will hear in this forum a lot is keep experimenting on the same shot if possible and even write down the parameters you used in each. I usually when reviewing my pics on the computer right click on the pic and look in properties and use that info. As you are aware Hummingbirds can be a challenge but when you get a good one rewarding. I live in a pretty extreme desert climate so rely on feeders not flowers to attract the hummingbirds so to an extent they are predictable when they are around....mainly early morning and about an hour before sunset. I just sit in a chair and have not used a tripod much since they go from feeder to feeder. I have not done anything to these pics yet in a software program to "clean" them up. Above all I am having fun and learning as I go.
Michael





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Aug 20, 2011 23:49:47   #
pfloyd
 
I enjoyed your hummingbird pictures. It is very hard to get a picture without the wings appearing blurred. I tried four days and 200 tries before I got these pictures. Following are my camera setting technique:
Tripod
camera flash (flash helps freeze wing motion)
Canon 5D Mark 11
Shutter priority, shutter speed 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 2500, focal length 300mm
I cropped in PS and no other adjustments. One picture was taking at 7:30 AM and is backlighted by sun and other pictures was taken at 6:30 PM.
PhotoLiz





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Aug 21, 2011 03:18:30   #
Randyb1969 Loc: Armpit of California
 
I got this one with my Rebel XTI using a 75-300 @ 75mm. ISO 800 Shutter 1/2000 f10. This got the silhouette because I put the setting sun behind the bird feeder. I had taken a few that day, but I think this one came out best.



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Aug 21, 2011 09:24:53   #
BOB Loc: Texas
 
Photo Liz ...very nice and hard to catch shots !

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Aug 21, 2011 11:19:08   #
swimbob Loc: Columbia, S.C.
 
I too have to depend on feeders to lure in my hummingbirds. The advantage though is that I can set it near my window and sit on the other side with my camera on a tripod.

The first was shot from the sports auto mode on my Canon T3i. The second I shot after setting the iso to 200 and using a fast shutter speed.

I like them but they are no where near as good as the ones I've seen here.





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Aug 21, 2011 17:03:48   #
Perry Loc: Washington Michigan
 
Beautiful samples of your humming bird pics!!

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Aug 21, 2011 17:05:55   #
Perry Loc: Washington Michigan
 
I am speechless!

All those tries paid off with some extrordinary pics.

Awesome!!! :thumbup:

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Aug 21, 2011 17:07:38   #
Perry Loc: Washington Michigan
 
Very serene. :)

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Aug 23, 2011 09:57:30   #
Dennis
 
I wanted to submit some photographs for comment on of which is a humming bird.
thank you in advance for your input.

hummer in the yard
hummer in the yard...

female cardinal in winter
female cardinal in winter...

floral still life
floral still life...

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Aug 24, 2011 16:55:25   #
swimbob Loc: Columbia, S.C.
 
I think the cardinal in the snow is stunning. Thanks for sharing.

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Aug 24, 2011 16:57:29   #
Dennis
 
Thank you. I took best of show with the cardinal last December.

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Aug 28, 2011 20:14:25   #
swimbob Loc: Columbia, S.C.
 
OK, so I've been practicing.....





These were all taken with a Canon T3i using an EF-S 55-250 lens. The ISO was set at 3200, the shutter speed was set to 1/2500 and the aperture was set at F8.0.
These were all taken with a Canon T3i using an EF-...

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