Juvenile male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
I have been an advocate for shooting in the yard since a long time. It is the proving ground for practicing our skills, for becoming familiar with new equipment, and it can be an interesting habitat that teaches us how all things in nature depend on each other. In our woods it seems the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that were born here earlier this summer have moved towards the south already and other hummers that grew up further north have taken their places at our feeders, or use the nectar from the flowers in the yard. It’s easy to take a photo of a resting bird, but the photos with spread out and buzzing wings have a much greater impact to the viewer. This juvenile male returned several times for a couple seconds to the flowers of our hosta plants. It made sense to pre-focus on the flowers and just wait until the hummer lands again. Getting the AF sensor onto the eye and throwing a hint of flash at the bird is all what it takes. With 200 mm focal length you don’t want the camera on a tripod. Handholding gives you more flexibility and speed in the process.