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Arthur Morris
05-10-2008, 07:41 PM
Though I loved doing the sharp flight images of the hummers at Quango Lodge in Ecuador, I am easily bored. I noticed that when the hummers sat on a feeder they were totally tame so I grabbed the 180 macro lens and the macro twin light and stood in the same spot for about four hours till I got a few good ones. I posted one in Avian here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11509 This one is a Tourmaline Sunangel male.

First, it was a matter of getting the correct flash as main light settings (to keep the background from going dark). Then, it was a matter of getting a sweet bird in the right position with a good head angle. I do not recall ever seeing any similar images...

Canon 180mm Macro lens with the macro twin light and the EOS-1D MIII on the tiny Giotto's ballhead. ISO 1600. 1/80 sec. at f/6.3 in manual mode.

Robert O'Toole
05-10-2008, 07:52 PM
The details are gorgeous Artie, and good example of flash control, the image doesnt look flashed at all and the BG-FG is balanced.

Amazing image!!

He is a little high in the frame for my preference, I would add a little canvas at the top.

Robert

Julie Kenward
05-10-2008, 08:59 PM
It looks like someone decked him out in a very expensive sequin jacket. What a fabulous look! The color and details in this image are stunning.

Susan Griffith
05-11-2008, 07:51 PM
Arthur,

The way you caught the textures of the feathers was really good. I lover the way the iridescence was brought out with the flash.

-Susan

Ed Cordes
05-11-2008, 08:17 PM
Feather detail is super. Flash control is outstanding as it just doesn't look like you used flash. I also like the bird's expression of wonderment at what you're doing.

edward saltau
05-12-2008, 03:26 AM
love it. Birds really do remain beautiful under the closest of inspections...
In a perfect world i would like a little bit more DOF but hey, its pretty **** sweet as is.

Mike Moats
05-12-2008, 06:46 PM
Hey Artie, very cool image, witrh some great color combinations. I agree with Edward it would have been nice to have a tad more DOF.

Ed Vatza
05-12-2008, 07:28 PM
Beautiful feather detail and color in this image. I know these hummers have long beaks but I wish it was a little more in focus. So i guess I would add to the wish for greater depth of field. That said, still a beautiful image.

Arthur Morris
05-12-2008, 08:03 PM
Thanks all for your comments.

With respect towards those who are wishing for more d-o-f for the bill:

#1: I am at ISO 1600, as high as I would like to go.

#2: I am already at 1/80 sec. I have tired to avoid underexposing the background much, i.e., I am very close to the correct ambient exposure. The subject is alive and moving.... If I had opted for any more d-o-f that would mean a slower shutter speed which means death to the image. In fact, most of the images that I made were lost to subject movement and the resultant blur.

3- For the mathematically minded, if I stopped down almost six more stops to f/64 my d-o-f would have been .39 in in front and .39 in behind the bird, but I would have had to use a 5+ stops slower shutter speed...

Wishing for more d-o-f is one thing, reality is another:)