Crowned Woodnymph Females

[Linda Robbins]

Canon EOS-1D Mark II N and a Canon 400 DO lens mounted on a tripod. 7-flash set-up. ISO 400. Manual - 1/250 sec. at f/22. Flashes on 1/32 power and triggered by my on-camera flash. Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica.

These female Crowned Woodnymphs are having a disagreement over which one will get the first chance at the flowers at my set-up. I used an eyedropper to put some sugar water onto the blossoms to lure the birds to the set-up.

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

What a great composition Linda !!! Love the action you captured in this image and the excellent color and detail. The two toned BG adds another lovely dimension to this image as well as the superb placement of the flowers. Striking image and amazingly sharp !!! Love it.

[Dominic Cantin]

A great set-up for an excellent result ! I like the pastel colors. Congrats on this one !

Dom :)

[Stu Bowie]

Both are pin sharp, and love the colours on the lower one. Thanks for sharing your set up, and well captured Linda.

[Fabs Forns]

What a beautiful compos, Linda, glad to see you up to posting again!

I'd probably try using quick mask to select the head on the one on the top and lighten it a little bit.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Amazing work, looks like a painting! I agree on lightening the top one's head slighly

[Mark Schmitt]

Flash imparts that unique quality of light delineates highlights well. Tends to cool down the hue in the 6000 K reange. Detail is excellent. Real keeper.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Linda, This one definitely does not suck. I know that it is nearly impossible to get both birds sharp in a fight. You have done that in a lovely composition that does indeed look like a painting. I know that the flowers are real yet they too look painterly. Is that the old dependable BKGR? Yes or no, it looks great.

Linda and I will be co-leading two trips to Rancho Naturalista in April. 8 folks, 60% high speed flash hummingbirds and 40% other--perched hummers, macro, and a ton of perched birds. Details will be available soon.

Do check out the next BAA Notes to see more of Linda's amazing work from her trip.

The repost is as per Fabs' suggestion.

[Steve Wheeler]

Superb image... All has been said... Composition... Poses... BG... Colors all perfect.

Steve

[Greg Basco]

Hi, Linda. It was good meeting you the other day here in Costa Rica. It looks like Rancho Naturalista was quite productive for you! The background works well for me here on this shot, and I love the framing. If I had to critique anything it would be the temperate zone flowers, but I know that Naturalista is pretty sparse for flower props. All in all though, a great image!

Cheers,
Greg Basco

[James Salywoda]

Beautiful comp. Linda nicely captured...