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Yellowboard

Yellowboard

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Sometimes you just have to rest your beak...
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I'd love to hear the story behind this. Like how you planned it out, how long you waited and stuff. I think the story of how people get the shots is super interesting. Gear is a little interesting, but the planning and what you learned is most interesting to me.
 
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SanDiegoSteve said:
I'd love to hear the story behind this. Like how you planned it out, how long you waited and stuff. I think the story of how people get the shots is super interesting. Gear is a little interesting, but the planning and what you learned is most interesting to me.
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SanDiegoSteve, I agree with you about the stories behind getting the shot are very interesting and useful to all of us. So, here goes my story; but first a few technical details: Nikon D5, 600mm, 1/1600, f6.3, ISO 500, manual with auto ISO, Exposure comp -0.3; Sigma 150-600 lens, hand held. The photo was taken in my backyard.

Short story; right place, right time.

Longer story: We live on a large, semi-rural space in San Diego County. We have a ton of birds and bird activity here so at the beginning of each day I usually position myself in the backyard to watch and photograph birds as they go about their morning routine. This particular morning was overcast and grey; perfect lighting conditions. No harsh shadows or flat light to contend with. I'm familiar with most of the bird calls/songs in my area so I can track down a bird without having to see it. I had been watching and photographing a group of goldfinches foraging when I heard the distinctive call (more like a grunt) of a humming bird that sounded close by. This hummingbird was just to the left of where the goldfinch troop was. I could see that he was perched on a branch and was very still (for a hummingbird). It almost looked like he was laying down on the branch which I had never seen a hummingbird do. I quickly popped off a few bursts with the one I posted being the best of the lot.

So that's it. You know the saying "I'd rather be lucky than good"? Well, that was my situation that particular morning.
 
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Yellowboard said:
SanDiegoSteve, I agree with you about the stories behind getting the shot are very interesting and useful to all of us. So, here goes my story; but first a few technical details: Nikon D5, 600mm, 1/1600, f6.3, ISO 500, manual with auto ISO, Exposure comp -0.3; Sigma 150-600 lens, hand held. The photo was taken in my backyard.

Short story; right place, right time.

Longer story: We live on a large, semi-rural space in San Diego County. We have a ton of birds and bird activity here so at the beginning of each day I usually position myself in the backyard to watch and photograph birds as they go about their morning routine. This particular morning was overcast and grey; perfect lighting conditions. No harsh shadows or flat light to contend with. I'm familiar with most of the bird calls/songs in my area so I can track down a bird without having to see it. I had been watching and photographing a group of goldfinches foraging when I heard the distinctive call (more like a grunt) of a humming bird that sounded close by. This hummingbird was just to the left of where the goldfinch troop was. I could see that he was perched on a branch and was very still (for a hummingbird). It almost looked like he was laying down on the branch which I had never seen a hummingbird do. I quickly popped off a few bursts with the one I posted being the best of the lot.

So that's it. You know the saying "I'd rather be lucky than good"? Well, that was my situation that particular morning.
Click to expand...

Thank you. This is great. I'm in PB and we have some rough looking hummingbirds in our yard. During the pandemic I've been sitting on the front porch with the long lens doing the waiting game. Nothing as nice as this. Maybe I'll post one with a story too.

Why I really like this story, you are talking about the light and what you know about the events that lead up to this. That helps me a lot. I think I've got the hummingbird noises down. And I think I'm getting their behavior a bit (then I get it all wrong).

Thank you again and happy shooting!
 
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