Photo of the Month 2/10

Gallery: AvianPosted January 25, 20102,272 views35 comments

Calliope Hummer

Another one from the archives as it's still raining.

This little calliope hummingbird was pretty cooperative and seemed to have lots of attitude. Like so many hummers he really didn't seem at all concerned about me standing there with my big lens. I guess to them we're so big and slow as to be almost irrelevant much of the time. Anyway he kept coming back to perch near me and sometimes to look me over.

1D2, 500 f4, 2X TC, ISO 400, 1/125 @ f13, FF -2/3, EV +1/3. Cropped about 25% and cloned out several dust bunnies.

Thanks for taking the time to look.

Comments

35 comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on January 25, 2010 at 9:03 PM

What a cutie. You did great with the light an feather detail

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on January 25, 2010 at 9:06 PM

Ed,

The pose is darling, the light very beautiful, the delicate perch wonderful for a bird this size, but what really draws me into this image is the great colors of the gorget and the bird.

Really a beauty of a photo!

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Wilson on January 25, 2010 at 9:17 PM

Beautiful!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 573 Posts, 2211 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Simpson on January 25, 2010 at 9:21 PM

Ed,
What a great portrait! I love the detail, colour, and the contrast between such a delicate little bird and that spiny branch. Great work!

Wayne

Registered on December 11, 2006, 303 Posts, 924 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on January 25, 2010 at 9:24 PM

Delightful image - I like the pose, detail, smooth background and shared colours of throat hackles and perch.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Gaurav Manglik on January 25, 2010 at 9:52 PM

excellent ...

Registered on December 2, 2005, 191 Posts, 2126 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on January 25, 2010 at 10:23 PM

Wasn't he wonderful? I love this capture of yours - everything's just right! We must go back and try to find him again this year.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on January 25, 2010 at 11:07 PM

Outstanding Ed, the neck feathers are perfect, as is the rest of the bird.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 26, 2010 at 1:50 AM

Exceptional image, Ed - everything works perfectly - the perch, pose, feather detail, eye, and BG.

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on January 26, 2010 at 2:43 AM

What a beauty Ed - great detail and a nice thin perch

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Graham Brown on January 26, 2010 at 7:24 AM

I never tire of seeing these birds I just wish we had them. Really like the diagonal composition , the detailed feathers and the background shows the bird to good advantage. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 26, 2010 at 10:06 AM

A classic composition for the species. Very nice.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on January 26, 2010 at 10:07 AM

A real beauty Ed, a gorgeous shot with great compositon.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on January 26, 2010 at 11:07 AM

Simply wonderful Ed. Congrats!

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Wilson on January 26, 2010 at 11:31 AM

Thats very nice Ed - great perch, background and the hummer isn't bad either

Registered on May 17, 2006, 70 Posts, 1166 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 26, 2010 at 1:46 PM

Whoa, Ed. This is great. Not much else to say. Well done, esp on the DOF.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on January 26, 2010 at 3:33 PM

These are my favorite hummingbird that occasionally find their way into my neck of the woods. You have captured him very very well showing off that beautiful gorget as well as could be done. What a sweet little perch too.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on January 26, 2010 at 4:43 PM

Beautiful, Ed. I really like the composition and the gorget comes through very well.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on January 26, 2010 at 10:57 PM

Just gorgeous, Ed. Other than a few brief glimpses I almost never see these little beauties.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 26, 2010 at 11:59 PM

Excellent shot and what a background color to go along, a pleasure to view.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on January 27, 2010 at 4:01 AM

He's a beauty Ed!!! Excellent work!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Andrea Marzorati on January 27, 2010 at 5:23 AM

This is a great portrait!
Everything is perfect for me.

Registered on December 1, 2005, 86 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Krijn Trimbos on January 27, 2010 at 9:05 AM

Hi ed,

Didn't know you were back! Very good to hear, keep it that way ok? Lovely shot of this little one, the colours of the gorget make this for me together with the elegant perch especially for this small bird. Would maybe clone out the extra catchlight, but that is minor. Well done, and see you around!

Registered on October 18, 2005, 260 Posts, 2979 Comments

Comment posted by Christopher Tubbs on January 27, 2010 at 10:57 AM

Really nice, Ed! Love the perch and gorget.

Registered on September 17, 2007, 25 Posts, 353 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on February 1, 2010 at 1:36 PM

Perfect, Ed. A well-deserved E.P.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 1, 2010 at 1:54 PM

Congrats on photo of the week and month Ed

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 1, 2010 at 2:02 PM

Not sure how I missed this the first time around. . . but congrats on getting photo of the month. Perfect technical exectuion with a wonderful composition

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 2, 2010 at 1:56 AM

THought so!
Congrats on a great EP!
Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Christine Adams on February 2, 2010 at 6:22 AM

Beautiful birdie!! Congrats on your pick and the month cover!! Big pat on the back!

Registered on January 24, 2006, 119 Posts, 1871 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on February 2, 2010 at 10:27 AM

Nice work Ed. This is a wonderful image. Nice pose and great color. Congrats.

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Anthony Vincent on February 2, 2010 at 5:40 PM

congrats

A beautiful bird and a beautiful image

Registered on February 5, 2009, 199 Posts, 2775 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on February 3, 2010 at 7:19 PM

Congratulations on your potm!!

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on February 6, 2010 at 10:37 PM

OH MY! I haven't been online for a month or so and I missed this great shot Ed. Heck if you have things like this in your archives, why go out shooting? This is wonderful!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments

Comment posted by Angela Classen on February 8, 2010 at 4:58 PM

What a delightful hummer! It amazes me to see one sitting still rather than flitting around at 900 mph. Stunning image, and I'm enjoying seeing this little guy every time I click on NPN. Congrats on the EP & the POTM

Registered on June 13, 2007, 434 Posts, 2742 Comments

Comment posted by Diane Vatcher on February 23, 2010 at 6:31 PM

Oh, my this is a pretty little bird, & yes it does seem that he has lots of attitude.
Great composition and colors.

Registered on November 30, 2009, 8 Posts, 27 Comments