Iridescent bird tips and tricks – let’s see what you do.

[Squawk]

Hello lovely people. To me forums are a place to pick up ideas and learn, so for this thread I thought we could share our solutions (and things to avoid) on taking photos of iridescent birds. I’ve found them tricky because of the shine so I’ve tried a few solutions. I’m lucky as I have variable sunbirds that aren’t particularly shy but are small and hyperactive (must be the diet of sugar and spiders) and are my go to test bird. Here’s what I’ve tried:

Full sun, 1/1600 f4 iso 1250

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Flash (manual 1/64) 1/320 f22 iso 200

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Flash (manual 1/64) 1/250 f32 iso 200

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Shade/cloud 1/640 f5 iso 640

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I’ll let you decide what you think works best. Anyone else wants to share their tips please do.

 

[Hawkeshead]

Hi Peter, IMHO those taken with flash bring out the iridescence better than without and produces a more even tone across the bird. the dark background also compliments the images. I have struggled with noise which I suspect is down to high shutter speeds so interested in seeing what you have achieved with low speeds.

 

[Yezdi]

I love the ones taken with the flash. As Hawkeshead said above, it brings out the iridescence much better... Though the last shot taken in the shade is equally good...

 

[Rassie]

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has some green iridescence on its head and body, and then of course the ruby color in the throat. Having shot many images of these birds I realized one has to have good light, and the light has to catch the bird just so. If the light does not hit the bird from the right angle the throat looks almost black instead of ruby red.

This one shot with Nikon Z6 and Nikkor 200-500mm.

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Light from a slightly different angle.

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[Squawk]

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has some green iridescence on its head and body, and then of course the ruby color in the throat. Having shot many images of these birds I realized one has to have good light, and the light has to catch the bird just so. If the light does not hit the bird from the right angle the throat looks almost black instead of ruby red.

This one shot with Nikon Z6 and Nikkor 200-500mm.

View attachment 8980


Light from a slightly different angle.

View attachment 8981

Thanks Rassie. I was hoping I’d get some hummer info. We have the amethyst sunbird and it’s a similar story so I wonder if the shorter blue wavelength of my variable and the starlings we have needs a different approach to the longer greens and much longer reds. I think you’re also saying you need direct light, or is it just the direction and diffused light will do?

Slightly off topic, but do hummers give you a second or two to grab a shot? I see such amazing shots I imagine they’re challenging rather than downright impossible. Both beautiful shots and while the second isn’t as in your face dramatic I’ve fallen in love with it.

 

[Ralph]

Hello lovely people. To me forums are a place to pick up ideas and learn, so for this thread I thought we could share our solutions (and things to avoid) on taking photos of iridescent birds. I’ve found them tricky because of the shine so I’ve tried a few solutions. I’m lucky as I have variable sunbirds that aren’t particularly shy but are small and hyperactive (must be the diet of sugar and spiders) and are my go to test bird. Here’s what I’ve tried:

Full sun, 1/1600 f4 iso 1250View attachment 8900

Flash (manual 1/64) 1/320 f22 iso 200
View attachment 8901

Flash (manual 1/64) 1/250 f32 iso 200
View attachment 8902

Shade/cloud 1/640 f5 iso 640
View attachment 8903

I’ll let you decide what you think works best. Anyone else wants to share their tips please do.

They are all beautiful!

 

[Rassie]

Thanks Rassie. I was hoping I’d get some hummer info. We have the amethyst sunbird and it’s a similar story so I wonder if the shorter blue wavelength of my variable and the starlings we have needs a different approach to the longer greens and much longer reds. I think you’re also saying you need direct light, or is it just the direction and diffused light will do?

Slightly off topic, but do hummers give you a second or two to grab a shot? I see such amazing shots I imagine they’re challenging rather than downright impossible. Both beautiful shots and while the second isn’t as in your face dramatic I’ve fallen in love with it.

I can't say definitively, but I suspect diffused light hitting the bird at the right angle will do. One would need to test that to be sure. Light direction is the most important, because I've photographed them in bright sunshine while the throat remained almost black.

When hummers move, they move so fast that I believe it's impossible to track them. They tend to approach my feeder at speed, then stop and hover just off the feeder while checking to make sure it's safe before darting in to feed. Every few seconds the hummer darts backward away from the feeder about 2 feet and hovers to check and ensure it's still safe before darting back to the feeding post again. It's while the bird is drinking, or when it hovers just off the feeder that one is able to catch them with the camera. One needs a fast-focusing lens because the hummer typically hovers for probablly no more than a second before darting back to the feeder. My Nikkor 200-500mm lens focuses relatively slowly so my keeper rate of hummers is probably no more than 10%. It's easier if one can pre-focus on the spot where the hummer typically hovers. A small aperture for deeper DOF helps, but one also needs a shutter speed of at least 1/3000 sec to freeze the wings. Good light is essential if one has any hope of holding ISO down to a manageable noise level.

 

[gordon_g]

To the original poster I like the shade photo the best as it shows the entire bird in beautiful color...

Koos, fantastic images...

 

[Callie]

Peter
Flash sometimes works on our sunbirds, but there is always a non-natural gleam that is not visible if you can nail them in diffused light. Direct, bright sunlight is a pain too on the iridescence sine the light actually makes the colour of the plumage, as I understand. I have found that on Lilac-breasted Rollers, the flash definitely changes the pinks and blues. Shooting Amethyst SB with flash change the green or amethyst, depending on how the light catches the iridescent spot. ( the flash leave overexposed, minute, white light points)
#2 is a kick-butt in flight.

 

[Cristobal]

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has some green iridescence on its head and body, and then of course the ruby color in the throat. Having shot many images of these birds I realized one has to have good light, and the light has to catch the bird just so. If the light does not hit the bird from the right angle the throat looks almost black instead of ruby red.

This one shot with Nikon Z6 and Nikkor 200-500mm.

View attachment 8980


Light from a slightly different angle.

View attachment 8981

Awesome!

 

[Squawk]

To the original poster I like the shade photo the best as it shows the entire bird in beautiful color...

Koos, fantastic images...

That’s where I’ve settled on and now try to use only diffused light on the glittery critters so I’m happy with cloudy days. I’ve never tried with a polarising filter so I’ll give that a go soon as well. One thing I’ve picked up on this forum is that “what works” is very widely defined and if you put 10 photos to the vote with 10 people none would get over the 50% mark.

 

[Squawk]

Peter
Flash sometimes works on our sunbirds, but there is always a non-natural gleam that is not visible if you can nail them in diffused light. Direct, bright sunlight is a pain too on the iridescence sine the light actually makes the colour of the plumage, as I understand. I have found that on Lilac-breasted Rollers, the flash definitely changes the pinks and blues. Shooting Amethyst SB with flash change the green or amethyst, depending on how the light catches the iridescent spot. ( the flash leave overexposed, minute, white light points)
#2 is a kick-butt in flight.

#2 is the product of hundreds of photos. I’ve tried using a laser trigger because I know roughly where they’ll be but the lag on the fastest setting is way too slow. So many shots of empty space. I felt like Wile E. Coyote nailing Road Runner when I got it.