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My First Hummingbird Shot
Lens: Pentax 55-300 mm f/4-5.8 ED Camera: Pentax K-5 Photo Location: Home ISO: 3200 Shutter Speed: 1/3000s Aperture: F11 
Posted By: GeoJerry, 07-29-2012, 09:34 PM

I picked up a remote shutter device over the weekend and parked the camera on the tripod in the back yard, while keeping one eye on the Dodger game and one hand on a beer. This was my first capture. Probably excessive ISO but I wanted to get maximum shutter speed. Next time I'll try lower ISO for a cleaner image. But I can see it will take some trial and error to get a really good one.



Here's the window I was looking out of. I focused on the bird feeder at right, then on the window, and then merged the two pictures. Interesting. The window wasn't really that dirty but the sun shining in exacerbated the glare and emphasized the graininess of the dirt. The ugly dark green smudges are bits of shrubbery that are way out of focus.


A bonus cat picture, free for those who got this far.

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07-29-2012, 09:38 PM   #2
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Great first effort! Thanks for the bonus cat
07-30-2012, 05:33 AM   #3
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Great shot on the hummer and cat's eye.
07-30-2012, 05:57 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by First Poster Quote
But I can see it will take some trial and error to get a really good one.
You had six beers and photoshopped the bird in. Seriously the only bit is the end of the beak slightly OOF but hummingbirds are OCD, I love this shot. I take that back about the beak, the wing tip balances it. Fantatsic shot!

07-30-2012, 06:04 AM   #5
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fantastic first effort! wish i could entice hummers to my home... dave m
07-30-2012, 06:18 AM   #6
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If that's your first effort I can't wait to see your second. Really nicely done. Who knows,a two-beer shot may be even better.
07-30-2012, 06:29 AM   #7
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Now, that's a strategy I might have to try! Great job! How on earth did you nail the focus with the way they dart all about?

07-30-2012, 07:05 AM   #8
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Very nicely done, great sharpness and detail.
07-30-2012, 02:51 PM - 1 Like   #9
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Thanks for all the encouraging feedback! I'll definitely try again, but need to go get another six pack first. Or maybe wine would work better.

QuoteOriginally posted by dcmsox2004 Quote
fantastic first effort! wish i could entice hummers to my home... dave m
You know, we had this hummingbird feeder that was kind of an upmarket affair, with dark brown glass and copper trim, and I never once saw a hummingbird approach it over the three years we had it, even though there are plenty of hummingbirds in the area. Then I tossed it and got this $5 special red plastic thing from Lowe's, and the birds have been swarming to it.

QuoteOriginally posted by loco Quote
Now, that's a strategy I might have to try! Great job! How on earth did you nail the focus with the way they dart all about?
I just mounted the camera on a tripod, set it on manual focus for where I thought the bird would hover and kept it there, picked a very high (3200) ISO and then stopped down to f11 for high DOF, set the camera on +2EV to compensate for the backlight, and then went inside with my remote and waited for the birds to come. When I saw one I just fired away. What you're seeing is the best of maybe 50 pictures. The hard part is getting one entirely in frame and in focus and with a good view of face and wings.
07-30-2012, 03:37 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by GeoJerry Quote
You know, we had this hummingbird feeder that was kind of an upmarket affair, with dark brown glass and copper trim, and I never once saw a hummingbird approach it over the three years we had it, even though there are plenty of hummingbirds in the area. Then I tossed it and got this $5 special red plastic thing from Lowe's, and the birds have been swarming to it.
DollarTree stores is my source for feeders, they carry one that is a clear plastic globe with red base and yellow flower ports.
I keep 4 up at any one time, spread throughout the property so the territorial hummers don't fight over them too much.
The hummers use them constantly, and I keep an extra few to replace them when one starts to drip out too much.
At a buck a piece you can buy them by the dozen.
If you keep them clean and the feed fresh, the hummers will come around regularly.
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