Ruby-throated Hummingbird

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

This is the time of year when the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds become very protective of their food supply, attacking any interloper. It often seems as though there are 5 - to 10 acting like fighter planes as they dive at their competition, all in my baxkyard. This image was taken yesterday as he was waiting and watching for his competition. Shooting data follows:
Nikon D3S:
2011:08:20 12:56:25
600mm
600mm (in 35mm film)
Subject dist: 6.3m
1/320 sec, f/5
Mode: Manual
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 200
White balance: Fine weather
Flash: Off
File size: 31.4MB
Image size: 1203 x 963
Color space: AdobeRGB
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Contrast: Normal
Color profile: ProPhoto RGB

[carole wiley]

I like the background and the colors. Bird appears nice and sharp. It is too bad the perch runs through the bird.

[Gary Esman]

Nice sharp hummingbird! If she would have leaned forward a tad it would make it a stronger image. As is the perch is cutting off some of the eye.

Gary.

[Arthur Morris]

Colors, soft light, the flower, the SH, the correct EXP are all good. The perch in front of the bird, especially as it cuts part of the eye, is an image-wrecker. The dead leaf also distracts from a loverly combination of color and light.

[Doug Brown]

You really nailed your sharpness here Mac. The BG is lovely. But that branch in front of the bird is too much of a distraction for the image's strengths to overcome.