Description: Ruby Throated Hummingbirds face off near a feeder. Very hard to catch sharpness in the wings and reasonable DOF.
Specific Feedback Requested: How to improve sharpness, DOF. Any Hummingbird techniques welcome.
Pertinent technical details or techniques: ISO 800. F/5, 1/2500. Olympus OMD EM1 Mark II. 300mm Zuiko Pro Lens.
Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites) No
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A very nice catch, Bill. I don’t think there’s much of any way to get the depth of field up to catch both with that lens/camera unless you get really lucky and they’re in the same plane. You can use a shorter focal length lens and a set up that attracts them then set back with a remote shutter and wait for them to come. Otherwise it’s flash if you want to get both in focus. I like this image because of the tail spread in the left bird, the wing positions that convey a lot of turning motion and the nice diagonal composition.
Dennis, Thanks for the feedback - very helpful. I think a fair amount of luck was involved with this image, but I’m going to keep working with natural light and no flash. The blur di help with the sense of movement and twist. Thanks again, Bill
HI Bill
Great try to an almost imposable photograph. The stand of is great. I have two this that may help. First, open up the framing and second try a higher F-stop, to gain more DOF. These bird just move to fast.
Peter
Peter,
Thanks for the feedback and the tips. I will try this out on my next visit to this location close to home. The birds are all flying around 5 feeders at a local research refuge. It’s always a challenge to balance background, keep feeders out of the frame, enough light and the speed of the birds. I am trying to develop a routine I can employ to capture the birds interacting with each other.
Thanks again, Bill
