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Frozen in time--hummingbirds@1/30,000 sec · 02:55 PM

When the available light renders it almost impossible to get a good shot I have to revert to the speedlight that will literallly at 1/30,000 sec freeze these little guys.The 2nd shot caught him blinking.The last pic was just before I lost the light but I did use the flash as the "ghost in the wings show " All shots are at 1/180 sec but when the light fails the flash solely "paints the picture"

I wish that more than one at a time would come to the feeder but I'm happy with what I have to work with at present

They say these guys are good deep fried and dipped in sweet sauce---ONLY KIDDING

---Charliezap

GingeM · 05-12-2010, 03:05 PM

The first thing I noticed about the second photograph was that you caught him blinking... and I thought "Wow, how fast does a Hummingbird blink"?

charliezap · 05-12-2010, 03:15 PM

Originally posted by GingeM

The first thing I noticed about the second photograph was that you caught him blinking... and I thought "Wow, how fast does a Hummingbird blink"?

This is the 2nd time this week that i caught a bird blinking.The first was a flicker feeding outback which i will post later.Maybe Rense (biologist) can answer the question?--charliezap

nirudha · 05-13-2010, 05:31 AM

Hey Charliezap, isn't "speedlight" a brand name for Nikon flash gear? Is that what you used here?

slowpez · 05-13-2010, 06:26 AM

Awesome shots Charile. The first one is my favorite.

charliezap · 05-13-2010, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by nirudha

Hey Charliezap, isn't "speedlight" a brand name for Nikon flash gear? Is that what you used here?

I just mentioned "speedlight" in a generic term.Actually the flash that I use is a Vivitar 285HV.--charliezap

charliezap · 05-13-2010, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by slowpez

Awesome shots Charile. The first one is my favorite.

Thanks for the kind feedback---These guys believe it or not are easier to photograph than many birds.They are very fearless and put up with quite a lot with the camera and flash just several ft away--charliezap

Adam · 05-13-2010, 06:19 PM

That first shot is amazing- you don't get to see these little guys up-close every day, after all

charliezap · 05-14-2010, 02:58 AM

Originally posted by Adam

That first shot is amazing- you don't get to see these little guys up-close every day, after all

Thanks Adam--One shot that I hope to take of him this summer is when he is hovering spread eagle facing me where you can see both wings clearly.In the span of a hour he's at the feeder a 1/2 dozen times or so and if I'm lucky I may get that shot

--charliezap

Christopher M.W.T · 05-14-2010, 04:13 AM

Awesome shots!

Im curious you say 1/30,000, but the shutter speed is 1/180 of a second.

I woulda thought you might have used a tiny aperture, bulb mode and the flash itself to effectively work as the shutter.

Just12hvFun · 05-14-2010, 04:50 AM

Great shots

I really wish to be able to do these

**Sailor** · 05-14-2010, 05:10 AM

Incredibly well done, Capn'. Until now, I thought these birds were just hallucinations.

Wonderful piece of work, buddy.

Jer

charliezap · 05-14-2010, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by C.W Tsorotes

Awesome shots!

Im curious you say 1/30,000, but the shutter speed is 1/180 of a second.

I woulda thought you might have used a tiny aperture, bulb mode and the flash itself to effectively work as the shutter.

If it was totally black I could have used bulb mode but at 1/180 sec @f11 or so if the flash didn't fire there would be a real real dark photo with nothing to show.The flash fires when the shutter is opened creating the shot.Look at it this way.Consider the time between the brackets to be 1/180.(--------------flash-----------).The flash has been tripped in the middle of the shutter being opened.I hope that this makes it seem sensible as to how the flash controls the picture--charliezap

Christopher M.W.T · 05-14-2010, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by charliezap

If it was totally black I could have used bulb mode but at 1/180 sec @f11 or so if the flash didn't fire there would be a real real dark photo with nothing to show.The flash fires when the shutter is opened creating the shot.Look at it this way.Consider the time between the brackets to be 1/180.(--------------flash-----------).The flash has been tripped in the middle of the shutter being opened.I hope that this makes it seem sensible as to how the flash controls the picture--charliezap

Thanks for that explanation.

How did you trigger the flash? hot shoe or x-sync cable?

**Rense** · 05-14-2010, 01:14 PM

Originally posted by charliezap

This is the 2nd time this week that i caught a bird blinking.The first was a flicker feeding outback which i will post later.Maybe Rense (biologist) can answer the question?--charliezap

Great photos Charlie!

And no, I don't know anything about birds, only about chicken in the oven....

Sorry!

charliezap
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05-13-2010, 06:19 PM	#8
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	That first shot is amazing- you don't get to see these little guys up-close every day, after all Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

05-14-2010, 02:58 AM	#9
charliezap Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: saugus ma Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,686 Original Poster	Originally posted by Adam That first shot is amazing- you don't get to see these little guys up-close every day, after all Thanks Adam--One shot that I hope to take of him this summer is when he is hovering spread eagle facing me where you can see both wings clearly.In the span of a hour he's at the feeder a 1/2 dozen times or so and if I'm lucky I may get that shot--charliezap

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05-12-2010, 03:05 PM	#2
GingeM Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North of Canada Posts: 612	The first thing I noticed about the second photograph was that you caught him blinking... and I thought "Wow, how fast does a Hummingbird blink"?

05-12-2010, 03:15 PM	#3
charliezap Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: saugus ma Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,686 Original Poster	Originally posted by GingeM The first thing I noticed about the second photograph was that you caught him blinking... and I thought "Wow, how fast does a Hummingbird blink"? This is the 2nd time this week that i caught a bird blinking.The first was a flicker feeding outback which i will post later.Maybe Rense (biologist) can answer the question?--charliezap

05-13-2010, 05:31 AM	#4
nirudha Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka Posts: 136	Hey Charliezap, isn't "speedlight" a brand name for Nikon flash gear? Is that what you used here?

05-13-2010, 06:26 AM	#5
slowpez Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 18,461	Awesome shots Charile. The first one is my favorite.

05-13-2010, 12:19 PM	#6
charliezap Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: saugus ma Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,686 Original Poster	Originally posted by nirudha Hey Charliezap, isn't "speedlight" a brand name for Nikon flash gear? Is that what you used here? I just mentioned "speedlight" in a generic term.Actually the flash that I use is a Vivitar 285HV.--charliezap

05-13-2010, 05:59 PM	#7
charliezap Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: saugus ma Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,686 Original Poster	Originally posted by slowpez Awesome shots Charile. The first one is my favorite. Thanks for the kind feedback---These guys believe it or not are easier to photograph than many birds.They are very fearless and put up with quite a lot with the camera and flash just several ft away--charliezap

05-14-2010, 04:13 AM	#10
Christopher M.W.T Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,689	Awesome shots! Im curious you say 1/30,000, but the shutter speed is 1/180 of a second. I woulda thought you might have used a tiny aperture, bulb mode and the flash itself to effectively work as the shutter.

05-14-2010, 04:50 AM	#11
Just12hvFun Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Singapore Posts: 384	Great shots I really wish to be able to do these

05-14-2010, 05:10 AM	#12
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,203	Incredibly well done, Capn'. Until now, I thought these birds were just hallucinations. Wonderful piece of work, buddy. Jer

05-14-2010, 12:39 PM	#13
charliezap Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: saugus ma Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,686 Original Poster	Originally posted by C.W Tsorotes Awesome shots! Im curious you say 1/30,000, but the shutter speed is 1/180 of a second. I woulda thought you might have used a tiny aperture, bulb mode and the flash itself to effectively work as the shutter. If it was totally black I could have used bulb mode but at 1/180 sec @f11 or so if the flash didn't fire there would be a real real dark photo with nothing to show.The flash fires when the shutter is opened creating the shot.Look at it this way.Consider the time between the brackets to be 1/180.(--------------flash-----------).The flash has been tripped in the middle of the shutter being opened.I hope that this makes it seem sensible as to how the flash controls the picture--charliezap

05-14-2010, 01:04 PM	#14
Christopher M.W.T Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,689	Originally posted by charliezap If it was totally black I could have used bulb mode but at 1/180 sec @f11 or so if the flash didn't fire there would be a real real dark photo with nothing to show.The flash fires when the shutter is opened creating the shot.Look at it this way.Consider the time between the brackets to be 1/180.(--------------flash-----------).The flash has been tripped in the middle of the shutter being opened.I hope that this makes it seem sensible as to how the flash controls the picture--charliezap Thanks for that explanation. How did you trigger the flash? hot shoe or x-sync cable?

05-14-2010, 01:14 PM	#15
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050	Originally posted by charliezap This is the 2nd time this week that i caught a bird blinking.The first was a flicker feeding outback which i will post later.Maybe Rense (biologist) can answer the question?--charliezap Great photos Charlie! And no, I don't know anything about birds, only about chicken in the oven.... Sorry!

Nature Frozen in time--hummingbirds@1/30,000 sec

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