The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic + Technical
About This Image
The juvenile ruby-throats have emerged from their nests here and are pounding the feeders. I caught these at my set up recently using hummingbird mint. The first three photos are of juvenile males. The adults are starting to molt as seen in the last image of a mature male.
Feedback Requested
I included the stem and full flower stalk in these images. Any thoughts on composition?
Anything else?
Technical Details
Five speedlight set up @ 1/8 power. Printed background. Attracted by sugar water.
Oh these are fantastic. The newbies have fledged here, too, and they are easily spotted since they fly slower than their parents and, at least in my yard, test many flowers that the adults ignore since they already know what they like. It’s funny and very cute. I’d say you have a crop of new boys on your hands and they all seem to be finding what they need. Those tiny feet! The adult has his tucked up tightly, but the youngsters let it all hang out.
The details are very good in all of them and we have classic poses and wing positions. Most excellent background and the fill flash looks natural and not overdone. Can’t really suggest anything to make them better. Dialed in!
All are fantastic and I love the compositions with the flowers! Your setup is perfect! And papa looks a bit worn out – he’s been working hard and deserves a vacation and a new suit!
Diane, yes the male has been working hard but just at guarding the feeders here. As I’m sure you know, the males play no part in caring for the offspring. He’ll definitely be a dapper looking dude when he gets his new suit.
I thought these were all well composed images and well captured with your 5 speedlights. Also, I like the full flower stalk. My one very small nit would be to increase the catchlight on the second image and possible on a couple of the others.
Allen, these all look great, showing off both the flowers and the birds very well. Interestingly, I’ve grown both spearmint and peppermint (which are very attractive to the small butterflies and other insects) and their flowers don’t look anything like this. These are very attractive with their long tubular flowers.
All look technically great. The first image, in purely subjective opinion, is a notch above for the precision of the composition and with the wonderful pose of the hummer.
All the good things said Allen. Outstanding images, everyone. I really like the length of the salvia? stem. Compositions are great. Interesting to note a “printed background”. I would love to see your set up…
@Glenys_Passier
Hi Glenys, thanks! here are some photos of my hummingbird set up. The background in these photos is plain green poster board but I usually use a print of out of focus vegetation. The plamp holding the flower is usually where I hang my hummingbird feeder. The feeder gets temporarily displaced for a flower touched with sugar water.
That set up looks familiar. Lighting looks good and I like that some shadows are present on the subject. I have a garden store in NW Ohio which has a plethora of different salvia species and hybrids and the hummingbirds feed on them consistently. Nice series…Jim
Thank you @Allen_Sparks ! Your setup looks great. Food for thought. My experiences with flash have never been great, but your images are inspirational. I bet there’s a comfy chair somewhere behind the camera.
Very well done, Allen, and thanks for posting the images of your setup. I really like the inclusion of the full flower head in the images, Any less, and the images would feel too tight anyhow. That male looks like it’s either molting or fresh from a bath.
I had to chime in here and agree with all the comments how fantastic these hummer images are - and for also disclosing your setup and how you accomplish such beautiful captures of these little creatures.
Hard to pick a favorite - they are all outstanding. I dunno, maybe the last one because of the balanced comp and the pretty colors of the bird - but then they’re all composed beautifully.
All I can say is that it makes me feel like the amateur that I am! Big difference shooting wide open at ISO 8000 and higher and having to rely on multiple noise reduction efforts… One commonality I’m sure… we’re both having fun. Me, with my new found enjoyment of birds in my backyard. Got a ways to go though, I don’t even own a flash… ha ha.
Thanks Lon!
I pretty much have to use flash in my yard because the vast majority of it is in shade. The only sun we get for an extended period is in the middle of the afternoon and I’m not willing to sit out in the blazing summer heat. Not sure I would have gone with the flash set up if we had good morning sun in our yard. I’ve had good results in other areas with good sunny morning light and no flash. Granted, the latest noise reduction is a big plus to get a narrow aperture and fast shutter speed with a pretty high ISO.
