Selective Focus

[Bill Holsten]

This Anna's Hummingbird was visiting the flowers on some succulents in my backyard in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. I was very close to it, with a big lens, and knew that I could not get enough DOF to encompass the entire bird. So I opened the lens all the way to get as fast a shot as possible, hoping to get a frame or two with at least the head sharply focused. This was the only frame in which the eye and the beak were in a plane parallel to the focal plane. These opportunities come and go so fast that you really have to be nimble (not my longest suit)!

March 3, 2010, EOS 7D, EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS + 2X, 1/1600", f/5.6, ISO 400, no tripod, no flash

[Bruce Enns]

Hi Bill, I could shoot hummers all day, and you probably could to in order to get one like this with a sharp beak and head. I like the selective focus effect, but find the crop too tight for my taste. There is a noticable cyan cast.

TFS

Cheers!
Bruce

[Fabs Forns]

Greaet critique by Bruce. I thin also darkening the surrounding a bit will keep the focus on the bird.