Millions of Americans have hummingbird feeders. Many of them love to photograph birds but are frustrated by trying to catch the seemingly random flight of their hummingbirds. If you're one of them you've probably seen the ads for hummingbird photo workshops where they set up thousands of dollar worth of lighting gear to build a mini-studio around the birds. That's all well and good but the truth is you can go a long way with your own yard and your own feeder with just a few simple steps.

First, figure out the direction of the light and the angle where you want the hummer. Then take some tape and block off all the other feeding holes except the one you want the birds to use. This does two things for you. It puts the bird where you want it and it causes the birds to have to "wait in line" for that spot, which puts them just off the feeder in a perfect spot to get them in flight without the distraction of the feeder. Second, either pre-focus at feeder depth a few inches to the side and above the open feeder hole or put your lower corner sensor on the feeder hole and pre-focus. Either way if you have enough light to stop down to f8 or f11 you'll have more Depth of Field and a better chance. Then wait until a bird backs off or waits in line and fire away. Shoot in Continuous High as you'll want every chance you can get.
You can augment this setup with flash, especially to get the gorget lit, but that's the subject of a future article. I used these exact techniques yesterday here at the Block Creek Natural Area in Texas when I only had a little time before sunset to do a quick shoot at one of their many lovely blinds. I've attached an image showing my black tape (that I always carry for camera repairs), and three hummers trying to work one feeding hole. The third, a male is in perfect shooting position.
Remember when you're finished to pull off the tape so your feeder gets as many birds using it as possible the rest of the time so they'll be ready for your next visit. For even more fun stick a flower with some sugar water in the open hole, or replace the feeder with a plant when you're ready to shoot. Good luck and please feel free to comment on the article or add your own tips. -- David