One Image with Five Solid Tips - Photographing Hummingbirds

Images by Lauren Hefferon

Intro by Skip Cohen

Ossian Lindholm is a recognized writer, filmmaker, artist and environmentalist based in Argentina. He's also the photography educator and guide on many of the Travel Vision Journey's trips. In this special post, Ossian has some solid tips to help you prepare for your own exploration of the world with a camera in your hand.

In this first tip about photographing hummingbirds, I remember my good buddy, Scott Bourne, who has photographed thousands of birds and animals in his career, once telling me that photographing hummingbirds was the toughest assignment he'd ever been on. They're fast, elusive and you have to be well-prepared. You need to know everything about your gear, because you'll never have time to do anything except compose and click the shutter!

Want to learn photography closer to home? Ossian is coming to Maine this summer, June 21 - 27, to teach The Art and Craft of Mindful Travel Photography workshop at the Maine Media Workshop. Located in the gorgeous coastal town of Rockport Maine, the class is an ideal time for you to fine tune your skills an artist and learn from one of the very best in the world. This class will fill at 12 people. 

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by Ossian Lindholm

As a wildlife photographer I have learned the importance of always being ready. When the decisive moment comes along, you're not going to have time to think through anything except when to click the shutter.

Here I was at the perfect situation to shoot hummingbirds. There were at least three of them flying around me and a lot of beautiful cactus in bloom. If I hadn't been prepared I would have missed the shot.

So, what does it mean to be prepared and ready? 

• Choose the correct lens, in this case a 500 mm and I had it on the camera body all ready to go.
  
• Set your camera in speed priority and select a high shutter speed: for a hummingbird not less that 1/1600 sec.
  
• Select the autofocus for this kind of situation: Continuous if you have a Nikon or AI Servo with Canon. 
  
• Select a fast burst mode. 
  
• Have your camera turned on, lens cap removed and be ready to photograph! Now, I just needed to wait for a hummingbird where I wanted him.
  

Stay tuned this week for more great tips from Ossian!