Comments on: Audubon Magazine Birds In Focus Winner

By: Dennis

Dennis — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 23:24:03 +0000

Hi Jessica,

Thanks for your kind words.
I use three Canon 550EX flashes and one 420EZ flash which has a Ikelite trigger attached. The 550EXs are triggered by the Canon 7D built-in remote flash controller, similar to the ST-E2. The 420 detects the flash of one of the 550s and triggers from that. The 420EZ in lighting the background, two 550s are on each side of the bird and one is either placed behind as a “hair light” or sometimes placed in front higher or lower than one of the other flashes. The Canon 7D manual mode settings are ISO 400 or 500, f/16 tp f/20, and always 1/200 sec exposure time.

This set up is typical, but depending on the situation, the lights may be moved around a bit. It’s the short duration of the flash that captures the wing movement, and the flashes are usually set to 1/8 or 1/16 power to make the flash duration on the order of 1/10,000 second.

By: Jessica K. Sullivan

Jessica K. Sullivan — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:53:42 +0000

I just saw your amazing photo on the wall of the Audubon’s Facebook. Wow! May I ask, what camera did you use? What were your settings? I am very inspired to keep practicing different captures of Hummingbirds from great photographers such as yourself. Thank you for sharing!

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:10:03 +0000

Incredible photo! All of the photos were great and I am glad that I was not one of the judges as it would have been very difficult to pick a winner. Your photo though is beautifully captured! Well done!

By: Dennis

Dennis — Tue, 10 May 2011 16:34:26 +0000

In reply to Joe LeFevre. Thanks Joe, It's even more amazing when comparing the top 100 images of the contest on the Audubon site. I may have picked one of the others if I were judging. There are certainly images I wish I had captured.

By: Joe LeFevre

Joe LeFevre — Tue, 10 May 2011 16:20:45 +0000

Dennis:
I just saw your Grand Prize hummingbird photo in Nature’s Best magazine. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Great capture with wonderful smooth background. That’s a huge honor. Keep up the good work.

Best,
Joe LeFevre

By: Robin Neiswender

Robin Neiswender — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:36:15 +0000

This is an amazing capture.. Very beautiful and an inspiration to keep shooting birds.. This was my first year of enteries and this shot is just gorgeous..!! Congratulations..!

By: Cemal Ekin

Cemal Ekin — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 17:51:51 +0000

Dennis, when I saw this image, along with a few others I think I told you they were different from your other hummingbird photographs. I even tried putting this on your banner if you remember with a bit of a “twist”. I am no bird photographer, but I know a good photograph when I see one. These are excellent photographs. Congratulations again.