Hummer at rest (first time photographing hummingbird)

[Sandra K. Mathews-Benham]

I took this a couple years ago with my Canon Rebel XTi with just a 75-300mm lens. f/5.6, 1/400, ISO 400, pattern metering.

I was watching hummers at a feeder, and I was just hoping to get a photo of them out of the brilliant Gila National Monument sunshine.

I tried to take out the branch on the left toward the foreground, but let's just say I need to work more on that skill before posting . . . I did remove some of the branch it's sitting on. I always look forward to comments, in particular cropping.

Thank you for all of your wonderful feedback so far. I'm learning so much, and everyone has been so kind.

[Bill Dix]

Beautiful first hummer effort, Sandra. Nice and sharp with lots of fine detail. I agree the left branch is distracting, but tricky to remove while leaving the pine needles looking natural. Worth experimenting with, though (on a copy); this is a nice image with lots of potential. Someone else may want to comment on the hummer - seems to me a little brightening might help. I like your crop; I might have taken just a tiny bit more off bottom and right, to shift the bird a bit out of center.

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi Sandra

Nice Hummer, agree with Bill on positioning.

Ruby throated Hummingbird isn't it?

Rich

[Ian Cassell]

Nice image, Sandra. I think it's a male Anna's Hummingbird, but not sure. A little fill-flash might have given a bit more iridescence to the gorget.

[Sandra K. Mathews-Benham]

Thanks, folks. . . I think you're right about lightening it up a bit, and good suggestion on the crop. That is one of my many weak points. I tried getting rid of the branch, but cannot figure out how to incorporate fuzzy edges to the pine needles and make them look real, as you suggested. Has anyone had luck with this? I tried some of the different brushes, but just couldn't replicate it. I took some of the pine needles out, and it ruined the image (I thought).

Also, I have a question. . . is there a "grid" in Photoshop (or Bridge) that I can use to help properly visualize the thirds? I thought there was, but cannot seem to find it.

Is this better, or maybe more lightening?

[Lance Peters]

Hi Sandra - Lovely detail on the hummer - repost does look better.

Photoshop does have a grid feature that can be turned on - CTRL+P (opens preferences) - goto - guides and grids.
Enter 100%
3 subdivisions

Click OK

Open image - CTRL+ ' (Apostrophe) will ovelray a rule of thirds grid.
:)

[Ian Cassell]

This is from CS5 Help:

"Don’t use the grid view very often? Then turn it into a rule-of-thirds grid. In Photo-shop, press Command – K (PC: Ctrl-K) to open your Preferences. Click on Guides, Grid & Slices from the list on the left and change the settings for the Grid section as follows: Gridline every 100 percent, Subdivisions 3, and click OK. This creates a grid that divides the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. When you turn on the grid by pressing Command – ’ (PC: Ctrl – ’(apostrophe)), a rule-of-thirds grid will be superimposed over the image."

[Jackie Schuknecht]

CS5 crops with the rule of thirds. The bird is sharp, and the BG is working against you. Might pop the colours a bit more using vibrance. Hope you get more chances.

[Sandra K. Mathews-Benham]

Wow, thanks for the advice on the grids. I had no idea where to look.

JS, could you tell me more about the BG working against me? Is it too busy? Should I opaque it or something? I actually added vibrance, I'll go try to add more. I hope to get back to NM this coming year for a month to do some research at the archives. Perhaps then. . . .

[Dave Mills]

Hi Sandra, Good comments above with the main areas being the backround and how the bird is lit.
The bird is better lit in the repost and I might lighten the eye a small bit. Another option is to crop the top to the bottom of the horizontal branch over the birds head. Yes, a bit tight but IMO better than the
distracting information above. I also would take out the small c shaped branch with the white circle to the right of its head.

[Sandra K. Mathews-Benham]

I just learned some new techniques (thanks Artie) for toning down/changing backgrounds-- and will work on that. In the meantime, I increased the vibrance a bit. I understand that instead of using the patch tool is a great one--any suggestions before I dive in with a new tool? :-)

[Sandra K. Mathews-Benham]

Okay, so here's another try at actually attaching the image.