Ten years ago, when I made the emotional commitment to try and photograph our nesting hummingbirds digitally, I already had failed miserably with that other ancient medium, film.  I watched as some kid sat there, as my film came out of some machine, and I had no control of the final product at all.  As I tried photographing our Calliope hummingbirds with film, it was obvious Callliope Hummingbird, "In Flight" - Wind River Canyon, WYHummingbirds of the Wind River Canyon, Wyoming that this was no real-world solution.  Then, one magical moment with an intelligent, white-bearded fella and, my life was changed forever.  I now had complete control of my pictures, if I could just figure out this next technology.

     With a decade of experience photographing breeding hummingbirds digitally, I can now say for sure, it was really difficult to learn this type of artwork.  The photographs on my website-HogbatsPhotography.com are a true testament to my obsessive commitment to this more than full-time job.  So, lets get started on my "Hummingbird Photography Primer."

     My first rule is a simple one, no flash on wild animals, especially hummingbirds!  It makes their eyes look weird; they hate flash, and so did my grandmother.  With today's technology it's not necessary to subject hummingbirds to such a hammer blow.  Wild animals have a difficult enough time surviving, in the twenty-first century, without you scaring them with a pop-flash.

     Next, your going to need a digital camera that can shoot a lot of frames-per-second.  This, as in all things electronic, is a personnel decision; I use only Canon DLSR cameras, because they make everything I need, and it all "talks" to one another!  My favorite lenses, at the moment, are the Canon 300mm f/4, and their absolutely perfect 70-200mm f/4 IS.  The real reason for using an f/4 instead of an f/2.8 is weight; try holding a 2.8 anything for several hours!  You'll need the fastest memory cards, and a "gamer's" fast reactions.  The later I cannot teach you, that may come with practice.

     I very rarely use a tripod, as hummingbirds move faster than my ability to move the thing.  I love the interaction you get, with these flying jewels, when the camera is hand-held; and it's good Black-chinned Hummingbird, female, Wind River Canyon, Wyoming - 1st Place 2014 Cody Art ShowBlack-chinned Hummingbird, Wind River Canyon, Wyoming-Winner of 1st Place Award 2014 Cody Art Show! upper-body exercise, but you will get tired and sore; but you'll sleep well. 

     You will want your hummingbirds to trust you completely, so here's a little trick I picked up ages ago; wear a hat for the Sun, and the same shirt....every single day.  Your hummingbirds need to know that this is you, and you are no threat to them; this above all things takes patience and time.  And for God's sake sit still!!  Maybe the later thing will be the most difficult for you.  

     I've always stressed the importance of learning, and committing to memory, how your camera works.  This seems simple enough, but when any wild animal is in your lens, you don't have the time to stop and think, "How do I set the controls for this shot?"  This will become instinctual with practice and time.  Remember that old adage, "The more you do it, the better you'll get at it."  This applies to most of the great things you will do in your life.

     As far as camera settings, I always work in shutter-priority; you are photographing hummingbirds remember, so speed is the essence of what you are doing.  I start @ 1/2000th of a second and go up from there, so unlike some other photography, the Sun is your best friend, so use the light wisely.  Your corresponding aperture settings will be on the low end of the scale, so remember that depth-of-field will sometimes be practically non-existent.  ISO settings are more controversial; I almost never work above ISO 400, because I hate digital noise at the source, but this all pushes the technology to the extreme, which is the fun part!  

    You must learn to use the "burst" your particular camera is capable of; mine can shoot 8 fps (frames-per-second).  A hummingbird is rarely going to give you time to "frame" the perfect shot, so I use a spot focus-point and spot-exposure, and please always shoot RAW.  I have used other focus settings, but with my hummingbirds I find this gives me greater picture sharpness; your subject is the point, all else doesn't matter at this point.  This also will give you more of a video game-like experience; a more first-person video game shoot'm up, if you will.  

     You will also learn what adrenalin is and how it works; this is something that you should try to use, as I find it refines your reactions if you can control it a little; like that guy in the new sniper movie, only I shoot hummingbirds with a camera.  As your hummingbirds learn to trust you, move in closer, then closer still.  Every Summer I get to be "face to face" with the most magical creatures on this blue marble.

     The software that comes with quality cameras is fully capable of making these digital files beautiful; I touch up my pictures with Adobe Lightroom.  The software you choose is a personal one, and no photographer can tell you otherwise.  But again, like the camera's controls, you must know how it works by instinct, so when you look at a file you have some idea what you want this picture to look like----have a vision for your work, be it a mountain or the family that is coming out to the Wind River Canyon today to have me take their family portrait; I know what I want my subjects to look like....beautiful!

    The most important point of this Hummingbird Photography Primer is what I like to call "Patience Photography."  It's akin to meditation in a way, the taking of time and using it for a goal that is as yet unseen, yet you are ready, like the leopard in the Masai Mara; tense and attention focused on your prey.

Wyoming Hummingbird, Young Male Rufous - 2nd Place 2015 Cody Art Show - Photographed in Wind River CanyonHummingbird born & photographed in Wind River Canyon, Wyoming. This picture won 2nd Place in the Professional Division @ the 2015 Cody Art Show. Black-chinned Hummingbird, Portrait, Wind River Canyon, WyomingBlack-chinned Hummingbird Portrait.

Rufous Hummingbird, Wind River Canyon,Wyoming - 1st Place - 48th Cody Art ShowHummingbirds of the Wind River Canyon, Wyoming, 1st Place-48th Cody Art Show.

     There are many small points and settings that I haven't touched upon in this blog and are too technical for this article.  If there is enough interest, I can blog about these nit-picky button pushes, or do what I do and experiment with the technology, and have fun!

Writing and Hummingbird Photography by Michael John Balog