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Breaking the rules · 08:46 AM

AKA hummingbirds at 1/90 second OR even 1/60 second!

I thought I would go back through some of my images in 2007, since I had some down time. Every now and then I find a little gem that I overlooked and/or dismissed. I came across 20 some odd hummingbird images that I took just after a heavy downpour late in the evening. The skies cleared approx. 40 minutes later, but only 5-10 minutes of decent light remained before sunset. With a tall task ahead of me, I quickly did a meter on the camera in AV mode. Then I changed the camera settings to M mode, and dialed in my changes for what I wanted.

So why even attempt this? Simply to prove that I could succeed. Of course, understanding light and solid technique is VERY important if you wish to come away with some success in this situation. The greater majority of people would have walked away from this situation when trying to use ISO 200 on a fast moving subject. Obviously the cameras that can shoot very high ISO's with minimal noise would have been the best choice. Faced with those conditions, most would forgo trying to shoot in this situation if higher ISO's were not an option.

What shocked me: in almost all instances, I broke one or even many rules taking these images. The most obvious is the shutter speeds that is almost universally recommended by experienced hummingbird photographers. Normally you would see 1/750 or 1/1000 sec. shutter speed as a minimum. Several people on a forum were in utter disbelief when I informed them (or they checked the EXIF) that I regularly photographed these aerial acrobats at 1/500 sec. I do this shutter speed in M mode for a specific reason: so that I control the image, not the camera.

Rules broken:

Minimum shutter speeds recommended for a fast moving subject (in order to have a crisp image, not blurred artistic), as was the focal length used (300mm). It easily exceeded the reciprocal shutter speed.
EV value at -2 (ie. not exposing to the right)
Kept ISO low during very low light conditions.

Images - taken with the K10D + FA* 300/2.8, cropping around 50% of image (1/90 sec.):

Link to EXIF: SmugMug Photo Sharing. Your photos look better here.

Taken at 1/60 sec.:

Link to EXIF: SmugMug Photo Sharing. Your photos look better here.

These are obviously not magazine material images, so please bear that in mind. Given the shutter speeds involved, I am very pleased with the clarity. I came away with nearly a 50% success rate - several were slightly soft (OOF) due to the aperture used and corresponding DOF. It can be done!!

Regards,
Marc

daacon · 04-10-2009, 09:40 AM

Wow if I tried that set up I would have the creamy bokeh you have perhaps and then some sort of unidentifed blob in the middle.

A great example of what can be done. Well done Marc.

juanraortiz · 04-10-2009, 10:09 AM

You are a professional. Nothing better i can say. Thanks for share your experiments and knwoledge

Jimbo · 04-10-2009, 10:13 AM

you know my feelings Marc! Thank you for sharing JIM

**Marc Langille** · 04-10-2009, 11:38 AM

The first image is indeed at 1/90 sec., and the second image is actually at 1/60 sec.!

I've clarified this in the original post. Guess I should pay more attention...

Regards,
Marc

gawan · 04-10-2009, 12:43 PM

I am amazed how you managed to get the focus just in the right spot within so narrow DOF, in the eyes! Beautiful shots!

**Marc Langille** · 04-11-2009, 06:16 AM

Originally posted by daacon

Wow if I tried that set up I would have the creamy bokeh you have perhaps and then some sort of unidentifed blob in the middle.

A great example of what can be done. Well done Marc.

Nice commentary Dave on your results...

Thank you for the kind comments!

Cheers,
Marc

cindy s · 04-11-2009, 07:09 AM

Wow! Your images are amazing! I both of them!

**Heinrich Lohmann** · 04-11-2009, 08:22 AM

Two gorgeous images Mark, rules are there to be broken or the exception enforces the rule or something like it. Thanks for posting them.

**Marc Langille** · 04-20-2009, 10:27 AM

Originally posted by juanraortiz

You are a professional. Nothing better i can say. Thanks for share your experiments and knwoledge

Thank you and it certainly was an experiment! I do not recommend this sort of shooting situation as optimal...

Regards,
Marc

MRRiley · 04-20-2009, 11:00 AM

You DA MAN Marc!!! Gorgeous images as usual.

Mike

jeffkpotter · 04-20-2009, 01:52 PM

Really sweet shots Marc. I'd say they were perfect!

Damn Brit · 04-20-2009, 01:57 PM

You're just proving the adage "rules are meant to be broken" Marc. You proved it big time. One thing surprises me though, the lack of noise considering you underexposed them.

**Marc Langille** · 04-20-2009, 03:16 PM

Originally posted by Jimbo

you know my feelings Marc! Thank you for sharing JIM

Thank you Jim! Much appreciated...

Originally posted by gawan

I am amazed how you managed to get the focus just in the right spot within so narrow DOF, in the eyes! Beautiful shots!

Thanks Georg! It was a challenge, since it was quite dim at that point - the setting sun was filtering a bit through the leaves of a tree too.

Regards,
Marc

**Ash** · 04-20-2009, 03:23 PM

Marc,

As has been said, these shots take more than just a great lens to have been created...

A darty flying object captured sharp at 1/60?!?

Marc Langille
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04-10-2009, 11:38 AM	#5
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710 Original Poster	My apologies - incorrect information The first image is indeed at 1/90 sec., and the second image is actually at 1/60 sec.! I've clarified this in the original post. Guess I should pay more attention... Regards, Marc

04-20-2009, 11:00 AM	#11
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	You DA MAN Marc!!! Gorgeous images as usual. Mike Last edited by MRRiley; 04-20-2009 at 11:10 AM.

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04-10-2009, 09:40 AM	#2
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Wow if I tried that set up I would have the creamy bokeh you have perhaps and then some sort of unidentifed blob in the middle. A great example of what can be done. Well done Marc.

04-10-2009, 10:09 AM	#3
juanraortiz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Spain Photos: Gallery Posts: 574	You are a professional. Nothing better i can say. Thanks for share your experiments and knwoledge

04-10-2009, 10:13 AM	#4
Jimbo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Maple Ridge BC Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,368	you know my feelings Marc! Thank you for sharing JIM

04-10-2009, 12:43 PM	#6
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400	I am amazed how you managed to get the focus just in the right spot within so narrow DOF, in the eyes! Beautiful shots!

04-11-2009, 06:16 AM	#7
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710 Original Poster	Originally posted by daacon Wow if I tried that set up I would have the creamy bokeh you have perhaps and then some sort of unidentifed blob in the middle. A great example of what can be done. Well done Marc. Nice commentary Dave on your results... Thank you for the kind comments! Cheers, Marc

04-11-2009, 07:09 AM	#8
cindy s Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Marietta, Pennsylvania Posts: 257	Wow! Your images are amazing! I both of them!

04-11-2009, 08:22 AM	#9
Heinrich Lohmann Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,097	Two gorgeous images Mark, rules are there to be broken or the exception enforces the rule or something like it. Thanks for posting them.

04-20-2009, 10:27 AM	#10
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710 Original Poster	Originally posted by juanraortiz You are a professional. Nothing better i can say. Thanks for share your experiments and knwoledge Thank you and it certainly was an experiment! I do not recommend this sort of shooting situation as optimal... Regards, Marc

04-20-2009, 01:52 PM	#12
jeffkpotter Guest	Really sweet shots Marc. I'd say they were perfect!

04-20-2009, 01:57 PM	#13
Damn Brit Guest	You're just proving the adage "rules are meant to be broken" Marc. You proved it big time. One thing surprises me though, the lack of noise considering you underexposed them.

04-20-2009, 03:16 PM	#14
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710 Original Poster	Originally posted by Jimbo you know my feelings Marc! Thank you for sharing JIM Thank you Jim! Much appreciated... Originally posted by gawan I am amazed how you managed to get the focus just in the right spot within so narrow DOF, in the eyes! Beautiful shots! Thanks Georg! It was a challenge, since it was quite dim at that point - the setting sun was filtering a bit through the leaves of a tree too. Regards, Marc

04-20-2009, 03:23 PM	#15
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Marc, As has been said, these shots take more than just a great lens to have been created... A darty flying object captured sharp at 1/60?!?

Breaking the rules

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