It May Be Fall, But The Hummingbirds Were Panting From The Heat.

Had A Friend Shoot Almost the Identical Photo Yesterday at a different Location. Today, It was my turn to shoot the hummingbird telling the bee to back off.

Hummingbirds On The Mind

Found My Keeper!!

The past 10 days save one for flooding, I have devoted my time to capturing a near perfect image of a hummingbird in flight at a flower as if it were suspended in mid air. Today, was the lucky day.

The thing about wildlife is that when you think you have them figured out and what they will do next, they usually turn the tables on you and send you packing to regain your thoughts about what you did wrong. Yesterday, purely by accident, I discovered that the plant that I had been hiding behind was the very plant that they worked the most.

Knowing that hummingbirds like red, there was this one big lush bush were I found them working initially. As it turned out, I parked the car and walked inside the garden and sat down on one of the benches. Suddenly, there were dozens of little green hummingbirds darting in and out on the every plant that I had parked the car behind, hoping to get a clear shot of one on the big lush red plant.

Today, I headed straight to the garden and just watched what happened as I moved around the gardens perimeter. From then on, I didn't stop shooting until I have shot well over one hundred shots. Giving the camera's battery pack a rest, it was time to see what else was happening as the sky began to clear.

The first real autumn cold front is due to hit tomorrow morning early. Mid day, I have a doctor's appointment so today was the day to get enough work shot to carry me the next couple of day.


I ran into a friend with a big 600 mm of glass. We had shot the eagle together earlier in the week. I ask him if he shot hummingbirds. Long story short, he didn' t know about the area where  I had been shooting and ask if he could follow me over there. As he walked up with his camera, he was in awe of what he was seeing and as I left, he was clicking away like mad.

Photography guys are odd about letting others know what's happening and where. It's basically a little club like in high school. To me.... shooting God's beautiful creatures should be shared from the heart rather than to be selfish and hording. I know there are those who don't understand that way of thinking, but God is a benevolent  God  and  his Grace does come back to those that share His will accordingly. So, yes, I will share a location as long as it doesn't create a situation like telling were the eagle's nest is located. I know that if I gave that out, it wold be a mad rush there and either the area would get fenced off or the eagle's would book to another location miles away. So, you have to use a bit of common sense and apply it accordingly. Know what I mean, Vern? Vern, knows what I mean!

So, my goal for the summer was to reach a published goal of 8,000 images. At the moment, I sit at about 7,700 +/- a few dozen. It's been a hot summer to work that goal, but you adapt and learn and adapt and learn some more. As it turned out, I shot early in the day when it was still in the 80s  and by 11 when the temps were beginning to press that triple digit number, I'm in the house at the desk working on edits and submissions and the like. Sales have been good and growing. It's hard to stay ahead but like anything else that is worth while, you just have to put your nose to the grindstone and work a bit harder. The results have been the same as when I learned that at 14 delivering a major daily and Sunday new paper to a small town. That's right--- I said T-O-W-N! the whole town!! Goals have always been in my thinking from having learned that at an early age. I'm thankful for it today, of course.  Dad would help me on Sundays but during the week, I was on my own.

Click on an image and all three will enlarge.

Sometimes, Timing Is Just Amazing.

It's only been a few days since the post about the rule of the shutter. Well, wouldn't you know it... the first trip out after that post and it happened. And, yes, I  went home!!

A couple of weeks ago, I ran into a guy that I have spoken with several times about what we shoot. I saw him walking up the hill toward the Filtration Building. I stopped and ask him what he was shooting that day. He said that he had been trying to shoot the hummingbirds in the area garden that another Master Gardner Group planted by the guard shack by the main water works building. I had heard the tales about shooting hummingbirds and frankly, I had not ever seen any at the lake in the 17 years that I have been going there regularly. So I started watching to see if I could see any signs of the little creatures with the fast flapping wings. Because they are more like a helicopter than an airplane, they dart here, then there then here faster than you can say hold still!!!

So, long story short, a day or so afterwards, I was at the Cultural Bathhouse garden and low and behold, I saw not one, not, two, even not three. Then, the king of them all, the red throat showed up and was darting here and there and about every where. I made the circle in the car. Sitting rather low, with the window down, was I came around the curve, I just stopped and was panning the big red bush looking through the lens to see if I could spot one on the far side. Sure enough, there he was and I started clicking the shutter. When it was all done, I had shot nearly 200 images. And, upon inspection of the images I had a few shots.Some were a bit blurred from the wings movement or the leaves moving from an east wind about 13 MPH. I had not adjusted any speed or other settings. But, following the rule, I had a capture and I went home.

I've been back twice since. The first time I saw nothing. Today, I saw one dart in and dart out. The bushes had been trimmed and a lot of the low haning branches where I could see the bird was gone altogether, But, I know know where they are. I know a bit more about their time of day and where they come from . It's suppost to be back in the low 90s next week, clear and a light breeze This time, I'm going to camp out better than before and hopefully, Ill be able to get that first truly great shot.

I need a good clean shot so will be playing around with settings until I hit the right speed and all the technical stuff.

They are cute little creatures.

This is one of two of the best from that first discovery. Look to the left of center in the first island of leaf clusters about two thirds the way up .