Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: Green Thorntail

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default Green Thorntail

    I've done a lot of multiple flash hummingbird photography in Costa Rica, but this was the first time a Green Thorntail male paid a visit to my setup. I was happy that it had nice long tail feathers, but it made composition a little tricky.

    Name:  20120210-_V5C0434-Green-Thorntail-free-crop.jpg
Views: 130
Size:  250.1 KB

    Canon 1D Mark IV, 70-300mm L @ 214mm, f/16, 1/200, ISO 320, manual exposure, 4 flashes, tripod
    Last edited by Doug Brown; 02-27-2012 at 12:13 PM.
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  2. #2
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Centurion, South Africa
    Posts
    21,360
    Threads
    1,435
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Doug, amazingly sharp, and Im fine with the comp as is. I really like the green iridescence on the HB, and one has to look carefully to see how long that tail actually is, as the tips blend into the BG. ( not a nit ) I also like how the greens of the BG gradually change from lighter greens to darker greens in the ULC.

  3. #3
    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    12,487
    Threads
    1,892
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    A beautiful shot were it just any hummer. Special congrats for getting this guy, in such a handsome image. Comp works for me.

  4. #4
    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Cheshire UK
    Posts
    17,017
    Threads
    2,604
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Beautiful shot, lovely coordination of colours and I like the composition. The bird is pin sharp and the flash is beautifully balanced.

  5. #5
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Costa Rica
    Posts
    966
    Threads
    41
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Doug, I'm glad you got one of these little guys. They are very cool, and this flower (Kohleria, a native epiphyte) is a good one for this species. Was this the best catchlight to leave? Usually this lighting scheme will leave one a bit higher. Given the slight head turn upward though, I do realize that the main catchlight may have been right up against the edge of the eye.

    Cheers,
    Greg

  6. #6
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Rotonda West , FL
    Posts
    3,642
    Threads
    198
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Tail feathers are great and I really like the bg too. Those little curled up toes are a plus.

  7. #7
    BPN Member jack williamson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    south mississippi
    Posts
    1,979
    Threads
    107
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very sharp, nice bg, cool flower, great flash work.

    Jack

  8. #8
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    3,469
    Threads
    495
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    A fine specimen, Doug. Techs are top notch as always. I can't see any way for you to improve the comp. As you mention, the long tail at that angle along with the upright flower spike leave a huge negative area in the upper right of the frame (room for some nice title text for a show!). I suppose, that if you had expected this species to visit, you would have used another setup to fit the bird. It's a fine keeper, non the less!

  9. #9
    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    8,825
    Threads
    1,355
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I think the comp is great and the colors superb.
    It seems just a tad over sharp to me.
    I can see the flash effect, especially on the bill. A minor critique of a what I am sure is
    a tough bird to get.
    Dan Kearl

  10. #10
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,509
    Threads
    827
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great colours, pose, light and composition.

  11. #11
    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    12,731
    Threads
    910
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I really like the composition. Beautiful HA and wing position and that tail...love it. The iridescence on the bird is well captured. Interesting that the large size of the flower doesn't overpower the bird at all.I wonder why?
    Gail

  12. #12
    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sarasota, FL
    Posts
    10,347
    Threads
    403
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Lovely capture, Doug. Glad to see you got the entire tail in there. Couldn't have been easy. Lovely colors here. Could you share with the viewers what your BG is here please?
    Marina Scarr
    Florida Master Naturalist
    Website, Facebook

  13. #13
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Posts
    18,545
    Threads
    1,318
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    this is magical Doug, I'd be happy with that flower alone ;)
    New! Sony Capture One Pro Guide 2022
    https://arihazeghiphotography.com/Gu.../Sony_C1P.html


    ------------------------------------------------
    Visit my blog
    http://www.arihazeghiphotography.com/blog

  14. #14
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Basco View Post
    Was this the best catchlight to leave? Usually this lighting scheme will leave one a bit higher. Given the slight head turn upward though, I do realize that the main catchlight may have been right up against the edge of the eye.
    Hi Greg. The catchlight you see was the main catchlight. Here's a 100% crop of the unprocessed file; you'll see that I cloned out the lower and smaller catchlight.

    Name:  Untitled-1.jpg
Views: 74
Size:  235.5 KB
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  15. #15
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Marina Scarr View Post
    Could you share with the viewers what your BG is here please?
    Hi Marina. It's a preprinted BG that Greg Basco made, so I'm not sure whether it was painted in PS or an actual photo.

    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  16. #16
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Costa Rica
    Posts
    966
    Threads
    41
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi, Doug. Ok, you did indeed choose the right catchlight to leave in. It just looks a little more prominent in the smaller, forum-sized jpeg so it seemed lower than usual for some reason.

    Marina, the BG is a photo of OOF vegetation, I believe a clump of those same flowers now that I think about it. I'm not usually crazy about non-green backgrounds for tropical hummers but I'm happy that this one has worked out when used with certain flowers. I like to think Doug's image is a good example of it working well.

    Cheers,
    Greg

  17. #17
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Bangalore, Karnataka
    Posts
    3,800
    Threads
    236
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Loved this Doug Bhai... great frame indeed.. such a colorful frame.

    cheers Kiran.

  18. #18
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Geldern, Germany
    Posts
    3,557
    Threads
    216
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Perfect in every way …

  19. #19
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Dallas, Texas.
    Posts
    6,260
    Threads
    426
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Doug, i liked the image design a lot. perfect wing position and HA. Greg has done a great BG...wouldn't have guessed...which means its successful :-)

  20. #20
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Appreciate the feedback everyone!
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics