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Hummer in the Cactus
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Hummer in the Cactus

by Elizabeth Arellano

Gallery: AvianPosted January 18, 2013276 views7 comments
I changed my settings with the Bigma 50-500MM. I do believe this is an improvement. Comments and criticism welcomed.

Olympus E5. 420MM focal length, 1/250, 6.34 ap, f9, ISO 200, spot metering. Handheld, which was hard this morning. Must be my age showing!

I didn't get up early enough, so the sun was to my left. There were a few clouds.

Comments

7 comments
Comment posted by Keith Bauer on January 18, 2013 at 11:42 AM
Elizabeth: I think this is stronger than your previous hummer shots. I like the overall composition, but do wish for more room. The hummer is very tight on the bottom of the frame. I also prefer hummer images where the beak is not buried in a flower. I wait for them to back up, or catch them as the come in to take a look. Still a nice image that I believe it an improvement.
Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments
Comment posted by Elizabeth Arellano on January 18, 2013 at 12:07 PM
I'll keep trying. I understand what you are saying. I've not used the Sigma all that much. It's a second story deck that over looks the cactus tree, not really a tree, but it's tall and wide. It's in the corner of the deck. There's a large globe light in the corner on top of the railing. Once the sun comes out, I have to quit or else the photos are all overexposed. I'm not familiar with the lens, so that might explain the tightness. I am pleased you see an improvement.
Registered on February 18, 2008, 35 Posts, 302 Comments
Comment posted by Terry Sohl on January 18, 2013 at 5:37 PM
So cool! Guess I don't think of hummingbirds and cactus going together. I too wish for a bit more room around the bird itself, but like the rest of the composition, including the position of the bird, with bill in flower.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 18, 2013 at 9:06 PM
I think you have some wonderful opportunities to get some nice hummer flower shots. You may try to increase you shutter speed and go with a wider aperture to help freeze the motion some more. I do not mind the beak buried so much as long as the rest of the hummer is sharp. You are trying to get some of the hardest shots to get in going for hummer flight shots! Way to go.
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by Elizabeth Arellano on January 18, 2013 at 9:57 PM
I'll look tomorrow, but I think I did crop this a bit. Thank you all, I'm happy.
Registered on February 18, 2008, 35 Posts, 302 Comments
Comment posted by Don Westbrook on January 19, 2013 at 6:14 PM
These are hard images to get but you improve with every new post.
Registered on January 4, 2013, 11 Posts, 332 Comments
Comment posted by Elizabeth Arellano on January 19, 2013 at 6:43 PM
Thank you. I did lookand I did crop off the bottom. Next time I'll leave more space.
Registered on February 18, 2008, 35 Posts, 302 Comments