Sweet Fifteen: Colibrí, Picaflor, Hummingbirds, Chuparosa, Huitzilin Gallery

Michael Sedano

Last May (link) I recalled the incident that set me off on a quest to capture living hummingbirds with my camera. These birds move incredibly fast and abruptly to challenge an eye. But these feathered jewels like to park, observe, and fluff up, giving many a photographer a good portrait of a parked bird. 

My goal is photographing birds in mid-air, approaching a branch or lifting off from sentinel duty. The best opportunities come when a hungry creature floats at a nectar-rich blossom before diving in and disappearing save for a cola. Parked Colibrí return to the same plants, even the same flowers, so fast and abrupt become less a challenge. 

Foto settings make vastly different results. A long exposure produces arresting blur and strobe-like wings. A fast exposure turns wings into sculpture. Focus is critical and at the mercy of flitting darting floating disappearing capricious chuparosas. Yet, good fotos of hummingbirds can happen to the best of us. A good camera and long lens help a lot. 

I spend a couple hours a week standing in gardens doing my thing, so I get a bunch of good stuff. I cherish the ability of a photograph to extend time beyond the duration of a shutter click. That moment in time persists for as long as digital images last on paper, and, of course, on the world wide web, like La Bloga-Tuesday. For me, the respite of photographing tiny lives and gorgeous flowers provides immediate satisfaction that digital darkroom work, hours later, lets me extend into good memories.

Here is a set of fifteen hummingbirds, chuparosas, picaflores, colibrís, huitzilin, on some beautiful flowers. These birds and plants are at the Huntington Library and L.A. County Arboretum in Arcadia. Taking pictures like these, and sharing them on La Bloga-Tuesday, lets me say I added beauty to someone's life, y sabes que? that's a darn good accomplishment. 

Allen's Hummingbird and Echeveria

Black-chinned Hummingbird and Aloe

Black-chinned Hummingbird and Grevillea

Rufous Hummingbird Close-up and Extra-Close, Aloe

Black-chinned Hummingbird and Ocotillo

Rufous Hummingbird and Aloe

Rufous Hummingbird and Bottle Brush

With perceptions the GOPlague abates, Spring and Summer may see art sales resume in California. Outside the region, and until we've actually beaten the GOPlague, you can request Information on purchasing images on notecards, tee-shirts, and original prints here.