Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: How to Take Great Hummingbird Pictures

With their fast darting action, hummingbirds can
be one of the most challenging subjects to
photograph and frustrate even the best of
photographers. This article will give you some
simple tips to attract these fast moving birds so
you can take some eye catching pictures.

Set out the Hummingbird Welcome Mat

Most places in North America are visited by
hummingbirds, some year round, others seasonally.
Just ask your local Audubon Society on when you
should put out your hummingbird feeders. You can
also find out if the hummingbirds in your area
migrate so you can remove the feeders in time for
the hummingbirds to migrate and avoid freezing in
the cold.

Every serious hummingbird photographer needs to
have a good hummingbird feeder. When looking for
a feeder, make sure you have one that is easy to
clean and that it is easy to fill with sugar
water.

Most birders suggest using 4 parts water to 1
part sugar or you can also try using a 3:1
mixture as well. Keep the feeders filled so that
the hummingbirds don't head to a more reliable
nectar station. However you should take them down
periodically to clean but put them right back up.
Also never use food coloring because it can cause
dangerous growth on the hummingbirds beaks and
it's not needed to attract them.

Hummingbird Feeders, Perches and Flowers

One of the biggest challenges with photographing
hummingbirds is that they rarely sit still.
Hummingbirds are always in constant motion so it
makes photographing them very difficult. Many
photographers try following the hummingbirds
(with camera in hand) in the hopes of getting a
shot. However, don't do that as it is best
staying in one position and being patient.

You want to think about the kind of bird pictures
you want and then set things up to help increase
your chances of getting the shot. After you have
everything where you want it, now you just have
to get your camera set up and make yourself
comfortable. You should consider using a
stabilizer device like a tripod so the camera is
always ready and stable for the next shot. Some
photographers use blinds so they can move without
worrying about scaring off a hummingbird.

If you want pictures of the hummingbirds
hovering, you'll need to remove the perches from
your hummingbird feeder. If you want to increase
your chances of getting a good hummingbird
picture, you can always plus up the other holes
on the feeder so they have to use the one best
for your picture. You'll still have the ones that
are zipping around trying to get the one at the
feeder to move on, but that will happen
regardless.

Now if you want to take a picture of a
hummingbird perching, watch where the dominant
male goes after he gets a drink at the feeder.
Usually they will perch where they have a good
view of the feeder. And if the perch isn't a good
location for you to get photos, do some
rearranging. Move the feeder closer to a perch
that works for you.

You can also move it farther from the natural
perches and add a new perch that is in a photo
friendly location. The hummingbirds won't mind as
long as they can safely keep a look out for
predators. Eventually the hummingbirds will get
used to you and your camera, but movement will
likely frighten them off so make sure you're in a
quiet area with very little activity.

If you have a beautiful flower that the
hummingbirds never visit (and would make a great
photo), try using an eye dropper and gently fill
the flower with some sugar water. You'll need to
work fast however, as the flower will start to
wilt after just a few hours.

As with the feeders and perches, you can also
bring flowers to your location by hanging a
basket of flowers. However no matter if you use a
flower or feeder, you'll still only have about 8
seconds tops to take your pictures. Still, it
pays to be patient and not press the shutter
until after the hummer's had a sip of nectar. If
your flash frightens them off, it's likely they
won't return to the feeder.

Check Your Background

The best background for hummingbird photography
is something dark green that doesn't have any
distractions in it like brown twigs or branches.
If you want a mobile background try a dark green
potted plant or a painted poster board. The best
thing you can have is a dark background so the
hummingbirds bright colors can really stand out.

Hummingbird photos in Google Images will give a
good idea of what type of backgrounds work and
don't work. Note how brilliantly colored
hummingbirds fade into some backgrounds, like
the bright green, sun lit trees and shrubs. A
shady area near a feeder, perch or flower also
works well too.

You can use photo editing software like Adobe
Photoshop Elements, to blur the background and
make the hummingbird stand out from the
background. You can also look on Adobe's website
for tutorials.

Lights - Camera - Action

After you have things set up it's just a matter
of finding a nice, comfy place to sit nearby with
your tripod and camera. To freeze the motion of
their wings, you'll need a high speed flash, but
you can still use these tips to get some really
nice photos with even a decent compact camera.

Remember, hummingbirds may be the most
challenging subject in bird photography, but with
some patience you will soon have a nice
collection of hummingbird photography to frame
and display in your home.

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Autumn Lockwood is a writer for
http://www.YourPictureFrames.com and loves
picture frames. If you're looking for black
picture frames visit our website here:
http://www.yourpictureframes.com/categories/Black-
Picture-Frames/

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