Hummingbirds in the Garden

 

Hummingbirds in the Garden

 

 

 

It's hard not to fall in love with Hummingbirds. I like to think of them as "flying jewels", as they seem to sparkle and flash in the light as they flit about in my garden. Every year like clockwork, they arrive in my gardens the first week of April, and they remain entertaining me until late September, when they begin their annual migration to Central and South America. These tiny little birds make one of the longest and most perilous journeys in the natural world, for which they have gained great respect and admiration.

      Photographing hummingbirds is certainly a challenge, but digital photography has made that task much more achievable to most serious photographers. Todays' new digital cameras offer us amazing technology that enables us to shoot faster shutter speeds and track these birds with lightning sharp focus accuracy. Unlike the limits set by film, digital cameras allow us to simply increase ISO speeds with the turn of a dial. When once we were limit to a grainy 400 speed film, we can now select a clean 1600 to 3200 iso that meets our needs. Yes, digital photography has changed the game.

      If you haven't yet tried photographing hummingbirds, let me offer you my approach, which seems to be working for my needs.

      1. Set your camera ISO to 1600.

      2. Select Shutter Speed Priority Mode. ( Choose 1/1000th Shutter Speed )

      3. Select Continuous Auto Focus Tracking and wide focus area.

      4. Use a medium length telephoto lens. ( 200 - 400 range works well.)

      5. Study your hummingbirds and look for patterns of behavior. What time of day are they   coming into your gardens, and what food source are they visiting most.

      6. Finally, spend time practicing. Your skills will improve.....trust me.

      I hope this helps, as you begin to produce your own amazing hummingbird photos. Let me know how you're doing and please share your own photos. Good Luck.