In the Field

Simply a Rufous. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. May 19, 2008.

I normally try to avoid shooting typical "bird-on-a-stick" images. You know - those shots of birds on simple perches with soft, out-of-focus backgrounds. Kind of like this one. My main complaint about them is that they commonly look just too sterile - like they could have been shot in a lab or studio. I usually prefer more "natural-looking" shots that include a few more hints of the bird's habitat/environment. And more often than not, most "bird-on-a-stick" shots are the result of a careful set-up, which some folks don't like (tho' I have to admit that this doesn't bother me in the slightest).

This "bird-on-a-stick" shot is extremely simple, but I quite liked how the colours (all natural!) worked and, in this case, I loved the plumage detail in the head region. And, rather than a set-up, it was a quick grab when I was focused on another subject and this male Rufous Hummingbird just decided to land on a nearby buffaloberry bud. Sometimes you just get lucky - even if the result is a bit of a "bird-on-a-stick" shot!

Behind the Camera

Simply a Rufous. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. May 19, 2008.

Digital Capture; Compressed RAW (NEF) 12-bit format; ISO 400.

Nikon D300 with Nikon 200-400 mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR lens @ 400 mm (600 mm EFL) supported on Gitzo 1348 carbon fibre tripod with Wimberley head. VR turned to "On" and in "Normal" mode.

1/320s @ f4; no compensation from matrix-metered exposure setting.

At the Computer

Simply a Rufous. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. May 19, 2008.

RAW Conversion to 16-bit TIFF, including first-pass/capture sharpening using Phase One's Capture One Pro 4.6.2. Two RAW conversion at different exposure settings: -1.3 stops for background and buffaloberry and -0.5 stops for the hummer.

Further digital corrections on 16-bit TIFF file using Adobe's Photoshop CS4. Adjustments included compositing and masking of 2 exposure versions, selective colour saturation, and selective sharpening for web output.

Conservation

Simply a Rufous. Findlay Creek, BC, Canada. May 19, 2008.

Ten percent of the revenue generated by this image will be donated to Wildsight.

Information to follow.