Easily Bored...

[Arthur Morris]

Though I loved doing the sharp flight images I am easily bored. I had noticed that when the hummers sat on a feeder they were totally tame so I grabbed the 180 macro lens and the twin light and stood in the same spot till I got what I wanted. 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 think that I have ever seen any similar images...

Canon 180mm Macro lens with the macro twin light and the EOS-1D MIII on the tiny Giotto's ballhead. ISO 800. 1/60 sec. at f/10 in manual mode.

[Maxis Gamez]

Hi Artie,

Very nice composition and amazing details. I also like the simple BG which makes your main subject pop!

Excellent work!

[Mike Tracy]

Amazing detail in the feathers as I would expect with that lens. Throat, auricular and breast feathers look a little artificially lit. I wish the entire bill was in focus but having done plenty of macro work I am aware of the shallow dof that one encounters. Nice pose, alertness in your subject and complimentary back ground. Thanks for sharing this little hummer with us.

Did you click any frames on this trip using natural light ?

[Alfred Forns]

Sweet image Artie Just the bill tip if you cold have lined it up with the eye ball To get it exact would have been more luck than anything !!! Love the out to the box thinking by going after the hummer with macro lens !!! Big Time Congrats !!!!

[Glenn Bartley]

Nice one Artie. I love the natural BG and well lit subject. It is a real eye popper :)

[Brian Wong]

Hi Artie!

I love your macro idea ... and I can count every single feather! The twin lights also did a real nice job on lighting up the iridescence. Very nice pose, and a very appealing image!

[Gayle Clement]

Breathtaking, Artie. I love the feather detail and that close look at the jewel-like colors.

[Harold Davis]

the bird's color and the bg compliment each other fantastic!! beautiful bird with some nice detail. good work!!

[peter delaney]

Always good to try something different , sometimes it works sometimes they dont...sorry but

for me this doesnt ....there are too many OOf areas on the subject ..the OOF bill..RHS and LHS of the subject body..... which are very distracting.........

as mentioned the exposure and flash work are perfect creating a beautiful BG....

thanks for sharing......

[Bob Ettinger]

Nice detail and as usual a clean BG really make the bird pop

[Arthur Morris]

Throat, auricular and breast feathers look a little artificially lit. I wish the entire bill was in focus... Did you click any frames on this trip using natural light ?

Hi Mike, Those feathers were artificially lit but I love the way they look... As for the unsharp bill tip, I never noticed it until folks pointed it out here. Such o-o-f areas (like this bird's bill or the tail of a warbler) have never ever bothered me (so it is too late to start now). I cannot take my eyes off the detail in the head and gorget feathers.

BTW and respectfully, "wish the entire bill was in focus..." should be "wish the entire bill were in focus..." The subjunctive is always "were." :) (Sorry, it's the teacher in me.)

[Arthur Morris]

I love your macro idea ... and I can count every single feather! The twin lights also did a real nice job on lighting up the iridescence.

Hi Brian, Glad that you liked the macro idea. I do too! I first thought of it at Tandayapa but did not have the lens with... Brought it this time. As for the twin lights, I am coming to believe that a flash--no matter where or how it is positioned--can ever light the gorget. If the gorget lights up when the bird turns it's head to the perfect angle, you see the iridescence, it not, sayonara to the glitter...

[Doug Brown]

You've got a winner here Artie! Beautiful sharpness. Love the iridescence too! BG works perfectly with the subject.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Beautiful portrait, great colors, details and BG. I'm wondering if it would look even better if it were a tad less sharpened.

[John Chardine]

As I am fixated on eyes, I can't help but notice the tiny feathers that ring the eyelid. Most/all birds have these but this image really shows them beautifully.