How to Take Pictures of Hummingbirds

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird

I think most everyone who like to take pictures, wants to get a good picture of a hummingbird. That is not always an easy task! They are fast little birds and don't stay in one place for very long.

I can get pictures of them at the hummingbird feeder, but like most everyone else, we want something that is more natural. I found an easy solution!

I do have a hummingbird feeder hanging from the eve of the house, right outside my dining room window, so I have hummingbirds coming close to the window most of the day. Sometimes they will land in one of the trees close to the house, bit it just isn't close enough or its to high to really get a good picture.

Here is what I did.  I found a tall tree branch that had fallen from one of our trees and I stood it up against the house, close to the feeder and in front of the window. It has several small branches extending from it, so the hummers have lots of places to sit while waiting for the turn at the feeder.

Now, I just wait for the sun to shine on those branches and I break out my camera and snap away!

Nature Photography in Your Own Backyard

by sgbrown

Monarch Butterfly on Sunflower
Source:  Rockcreek Photography

You don’t have to go far to take great nature photography.  I have found many, many subjects to photograph right in my own backyard. Close to home is the best place to start! Whether you have flowerbeds, trees, bushes or wildflowers. There is still an abundance of subjects to photograph. Look around and just see what catches your eye.

Purple Cone Flower with Bee

One of my favorite things to photograph is flowers. This is a purple cone flower with his little bee buddy. If you have flowers in your yard, even just wild flowers, that is a great place to start taking pictures. Flowers aren't going to run away from you and they are usually in the same place for days or even months. You can take some pictures of them early in the morning, perhaps with some dew on the petals, or in the evening with a warm golden glow.

Bluebird on Plant Stand
Source: Rockcreek Photography

Bird are also abundant where ever you may live.  You may have bluebirds, cardinals and chickadees or maybe pigeons, crows and sparrows.  Birds are all beautiful each in their own way. The best time to take pictures of birds is in the early morning hours when they are most active.  You will need to have a little patience and a bird feeder would be helpful. For more tips on taking pictures of birds, see "Backyard Bird Photograpy - Tips for Beginners". If you don't have many birds in your backyard or would like to more of a variety of birds, "How to Attract Birds to Your Backyard" has some really helpful tips.

White tailed buck

One of my all time favorite subject for nature photography is the white tailed around our place. Living on 40 acres in the country, we get a lot deer all year around.  The picture above was taken one fall. I spotted this beautiful boy in the trees, which are a little way behind him, and from watching the deer here, I knew he was going to run across the field.  So I grabbed my camera, quietly stepped out on the porch and pre-focused my camera at least some what to the edge of the tree line and waited for him to come out. As he headed out of the trees, I got him in focus, using the auto focus feature and followed until I got this shot.

Hubby would have like this shot too, but not with a camera!  Yeah, I didn't tell him about the buck until after I took the picture. Besides, he is not "allowed" to shoot any deer on "my" side of the house.  (Don't tell him I said that!)  For more information on taking wildlife photography, you may enjoy, "5 Wildlife Photography Tips for Beginners". 

To learn more about getting started in nature photography, read more here... Nature Photography Tips for Beginners

You May Also Enjoy:

• How to Take Better Pictures at the Zoo
  We all like to take pictures when we go to the zoo. I am going to give you some tips here that will help you take better pictures at the zoo.
• Tips for Beginners on the Four Seasons of Nature Photography
  No matter what season it happens to be, beautiful nature pictures are out there, waiting to be captured. Here are some ideas to help the beginner get started.
• Tips for Taking Pictures in the Rain - So you planned a nature photography trip, but it looks like rain. Don't let a little rain stop you!  Here are some tips for taking pictures in the rain.
• How to Take Better Pictures at the Zoo - Tips on how to take better, more natural pictures while at the zoo.

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