I had been lamenting that this feeder was the first I had put up months ago and that the hummingbirds were staying waaaaay up high in the tree tops and making display dives but never close enough to photograph. And then!
I watched as the hummingbird sipped at the feeder (click click click click click...) and then he backed up and hovered in the air (click click) and then repeated this rhythm. So I positioned myself to get the hummingbird against the tree trunk as background so he would show up well, and by luck -- his tongue showed up against the green shrubs in the back. My first shot cut out the feeder altogether but it was cropped so much the photo was not sharp, and it looked like just the hummingbird with no context. Plus -- I bought THIS particular feeder because I thought it would photograph nicely when I later realized that there's a reason why the standard feeders are all red. So my friend suggested that I put a large red lid (Costco peanut butter) on top of the feeder to get the birds' attention.
@jgpittenger -- I love that YOU are the first to FAV and comment on my looooooong awaited hummingbird photo! I have been waiting for months since I put up this feeder as my very first one!
Thank you all for celebrating this shot with me -- I have been waiting such a long time to even SEE a hummingbird at the feeder! I was smiling the whole time I was photographing him. I added the second paragraph above just this morning: I watched as the hummingbird sipped at the feeder (click click click click click...) and then he backed up and hovered in the air (click click) and then repeated this rhythm. So I positioned myself to get the hummingbird against the tree trunk as background so he would show up well, and by luck -- his tongue showed up against the green shrubs in the back. My first shot cut out the feeder altogether but it was cropped so much the photo was not sharp, and it looked like just the hummingbird with no context. Plus -- I bought THIS particular feeder because I thought it would photograph nicely when I later realized that there's a reason why the standard feeders are all red. So my friend suggested that I put a large red lid (Costco peanut butter) on top of the feeder to get the birds' attention.
Thank you all for celebrating this shot with me -- I have been waiting such a long time to even SEE a hummingbird at the feeder! I was smiling the whole time I was photographing him. I added the second paragraph above just this morning: I watched as the hummingbird sipped at the feeder (click click click click click...) and then he backed up and hovered in the air (click click) and then repeated this rhythm. So I positioned myself to get the hummingbird against the tree trunk as background so he would show up well, and by luck -- his tongue showed up against the green shrubs in the back. My first shot cut out the feeder altogether but it was cropped so much the photo was not sharp, and it looked like just the hummingbird with no context. Plus -- I bought THIS particular feeder because I thought it would photograph nicely when I later realized that there's a reason why the standard feeders are all red. So my friend suggested that I put a large red lid (Costco peanut butter) on top of the feeder to get the birds' attention.