Sword-billed Hummingbird - Colombia

[Dorian Anderson]

Just back from leading an 11-day birding and photo tour in Colombia's Western and Central Andes. We recorded 375 species in that time and had many wonderful
photo ops, both at set-ups and in proper habitat. I'll be sharing lots of shots in the next few weeks, and I hope to give you at least a taste of the country's
1,900 bird species (the most of any nation). Already counting down the days until my return next year (with a bunch of other travel between then and now)!

I shot this Sword-billed Hummingbird - the only bird with a beak longer than its body - at 10,500 feet outside Manizales last week. I'd normally want a more
interesting perch and colorful background, but I thought the backing cloud gave the the perfect opportunity to put all attention onto the namesake beak.

I haven't done a lot of flashwork, but I was generally exposing for the scene and using the flash to fill in detail on the subject. I think that strategy worked decently,
but I'm always looking for advice. I will say that shooting through cloud was NOT easy!

This is a male. The female's beak would be ~15% more exaggerated in comparison.

Canon 600mm f/4 IS + 1.4x III on EOS 1DX Mark II
1/250 at f/7.1, ISO 500, fill flash at 1/16
This shot was captured at a feeder array (i.e. a set-up)
Processed in Lightroom CC without trickery

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[John Mack]

What a beak. My eye goes right too it. Like the high key treatment here. Composition looks good as well. You said this was a set up. Couldn't you have put up your own perches? Hope to see some more from your trip.

[dankearl]

Outstanding species to photograph, I am envious...
I am not a big high key fan for Hummingbirds as it makes them seem
washed out. It might be the flash but I would add some contrast and saturation
back to the bird.

[annmpacheco]

Colors look a bit washed Dorian and the perch isn't a favorite, not to scale and just so ho hum... Catchlight looks not so natural. Love the tiny baby feet! Sounds like a wonderful trip looking forward to more.

[Dorian Anderson]

What a beak. My eye goes right too it. Like the high key treatment here. Composition looks good as well. You said this was a set up. Couldn't you have put up your own perches? Hope to see some more from your trip.

Putting up your own perches is an option provided 1) there are enough birds to make putting up perches worthwhile and 2) you can give the birds time (i.e. often several hours) to take to you perch. I had just 1.5 hours at this spot while leading the tour, so I decided it was better for birding clients to see what birds were coming to the array than start fiddling with branches and potentially scaring those birds off. Hummers have very set behavioral patterns, and they'll usually use familiar perches ahead of newly introduced options. If you have a whole day, it's much easier to get them where you want them!

[Dorian Anderson]

Colors look a bit washed Dorian and the perch isn't a favorite, not to scale and just so ho hum... Catchlight looks not so natural. Love the tiny baby feet! Sounds like a wonderful trip looking forward to more.

Agree on the perch, but see my response to John.

I have tweaked the darks/colors to given them more presence, thx!

[Dorian Anderson]

Outstanding species to photograph, I am envious...
I am not a big high key fan for Hummingbirds as it makes them seem
washed out. It might be the flash but I would add some contrast and saturation
back to the bird.

I have added some color and contrast as both you and Ann have suggested, thanks!

Do know this is a rather drab hummer, so the high key 'costs' me less with this bird than more colorful examples. But I generally here what you're saying.

[gail bisson]

I am late to the party here but agree with the previous comments.
I have never been a fan of high key so I am not a great person to critique this!
Gail

[Dorian Anderson]

I am late to the party here but agree with the previous comments.
I have never been a fan of high key so I am not a great person to critique this!
Gail

Yeah, high key is a love-or-hate thing! Goal here was to put as much undivided attention on the beak as possible, but I understand the studio look is wholly unnatural.

[Dorian Anderson]

Repost with more saturation and contrast, as suggested by several......

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[Matt Sutherland]

I've never seen one of these before, thanks for posting it. Sharp little bird, dangerous! Did you get any hovering shots of this one? I'd love to see it feeding. The contrast and color adjustments enhance it.

[Dorian Anderson]

I've never seen one of these before, thanks for posting it. Sharp little bird, dangerous! Did you get any hovering shots of this one? I'd love to see it feeding. The contrast and color adjustments enhance it.

Thanks Matt! There was so little ambient light I was relegated to perched shots.