Hummingbird Pictures - Taking Great Pictures Of Birds

The most challenging subject in the world of bird photography is the hummingbird. This little bundle of flying energy and it's ability to zoom and dart makes this bird one of the most challenging to photograph. This article is to help give you some tips to help better photograph this flying marvel.

Set out the Hummingbird Welcome Mat

Most places in North America have hummingbirds either seasonally or year round. Just ask your local Audubon Society on when you should put out your hummingbird feeders. You can also find out from them if the hummingbirds in your area need to migrate, and if so, when you should take your feeders down so they don't get stranded in the cold.

Every serious hummingbird photographer needs to have a good hummingbird feeder. When looking for a feeder, make sure you have one that is easy to clean and that it is easy to fill with sugar water.

Most birders suggest using 4 parts water to 1 part sugar or you can also try using a 3:1 mixture as well. By keeping the hummingbird feeders filled, you will encourage them to stick around instead of looking for a more reliable nectar source. However you should take them down periodically to clean but put them right back up. Remember to never use food coloring because it is not needed to attract them and can cause a dangerous growth on the hummingbirds beaks that can harm them.

Feeders, Perches and Flowers

One of the biggest challenges with photographing hummingbirds is that they rarely sit still. They are almost constantly darting here and there. Many photographers try following the hummingbirds (with camera in hand) in the hopes of getting a shot. However, don't do that as it is best staying in one position and being patient.

You want to consider the type of pictures you want, and then set things up to increase your chances of getting these photos. After that, it's a matter of getting comfy and having your camera ready. Many photographers use tripods or monopods so the camera's always ready. Some photographers use blinds so they can move without worrying about scaring off a hummingbird.

If you want pictures of the hummingbirds hovering, you'll need to remove the perches from your hummingbird feeder. And if you plug all the holes but one it will be easier to get a pictures of one hummingbird at a time. You'll still have the ones that are zipping around trying to get the one at the feeder to move on, but that will happen regardless.

Now if you want to take a picture of a hummingbird perching, watch where the dominant male goes after he gets a drink at the feeder. Usually, hummingbirds will perch where they have a good view of the feeder. If the perch isn't in a good position for you to take pictures, you'll need to do some rearranging. Move the feeder closer to a perch that works for you.

You can also move it farther from the natural perches and add a new perch that is in a photo friendly location. As long as the hummingbird can keep a watchful eye for predators, it won't mind relocating. The hummingbirds will get used to you and your camera eventually but movement will likely frighten them off, so don't set things up in  an area of the yard that gets much activity.

If you have a particular flower that would make a lovely picture with the hummingbird but they are never there long enough for you to press the shutter release, try this photographer's trick: Using an eye dropper, gently fill the flower with some sugar water. This only works for a short time because the flower will begin to wilt after just a few hours.

As with feeders and perches, you can also hang a basket of flowers to help attract them for photographing. Regardless of what type of "feeder" your hummingbird uses, you will still have less than 8 seconds to take your picture. Always be patient and don't press the shutter release until the hummingbird has a had a sip of nectar or sugar water. Otherwise if the flash frightens them off, they won't have as much incentive to venture back.

Check Your Background

The best type of background for taking hummingbird pictures is something dark green that doesn't have any noticeable distractions like branches or twigs. If you want a "moveable" background try a dark green potted plant or even a large green painted poster board. The best thing you can have is a dark background so the hummingbirds bright colors can really stand out.  

Hummingbird photos in Google Images will give a good idea of what type of backgrounds work and don't work. Hummingbirds will often fade into green or busy backgrounds making it impossible for them to stand out. A shaded area behind the feeder or perch also works well as a good background.

With a photo editor like Photoshop Elements, you can use the software's filters to blur the background, creating depth of field that puts the hummingbird in the spotlight so to speak.
You can also find tutorials on this on websites like Adobe.

Lights, Camera, Action

After you have things set up it's just a matter of finding a nice, comfy place to sit nearby with your tripod and camera. To freeze the motion of their wings, you'll need a high speed flash, but you can still use these tips to get some really nice photos with even a decent compact camera.

Even though hummingbirds can be very tricky to photograph, by using these tips and having some patience you will soon be enjoying your beautiful collection of hummingbird pictures framed on the wall.