Keith Gerstung
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
This photo of a ruby-throated hummingbird won the "Best in Show" award at the 2013 Moraine Hills Annual Photo Contest. The value in entering these events, other than a fancy plaque on the wall or the small amount of notoriety you might receive, is having your work judged against other people who share the same passion. Receiving a “First Place” ribbon doesn't necessarily mean that your work is any better than anyone else’s because the judges’ opinions are often subjective, but it is gratifying to be recognized by a jury of your peers. It provides the inspiration and drive to continue shooting — a small reward for working so diligently to get that perfect shot.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are precision flyers with the ability to fly at top speed and stop on a dime, hang motionless in midair, and adjust their position up, down, sideways, and backwards with pinpoint control. They dart between nectar sources with fast, straight flights and will often sit on small twigs keeping a lookout, waving their bill back and forth as they survey the area. Both male and female hummingbirds aggressively defend flowers and feeders, leading to spectacular chases, dogfights and occasional jabs with the beak. It’s really something to see.
I wound up developing my own techniques as the summer progressed through trial and error, but in the end I got the shot I wanted. I spent about 30-40 hours photographing hummingbirds in 2013, with the reward being a clean shot of a difficult to photograph bird. Totally worth it!
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
This photo of a ruby-throated hummingbird won the "Best in Show" award at the 2013 Moraine Hills Annual Photo Contest. The value in entering these events, other than a fancy plaque on the wall or the small amount of notoriety you might receive, is having your work judged against other people who share the same passion. Receiving a “First Place” ribbon doesn't necessarily mean that your work is any better than anyone else’s because the judges’ opinions are often subjective, but it is gratifying to be recognized by a jury of your peers. It provides the inspiration and drive to continue shooting — a small reward for working so diligently to get that perfect shot.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are precision flyers with the ability to fly at top speed and stop on a dime, hang motionless in midair, and adjust their position up, down, sideways, and backwards with pinpoint control. They dart between nectar sources with fast, straight flights and will often sit on small twigs keeping a lookout, waving their bill back and forth as they survey the area. Both male and female hummingbirds aggressively defend flowers and feeders, leading to spectacular chases, dogfights and occasional jabs with the beak. It’s really something to see.
I wound up developing my own techniques as the summer progressed through trial and error, but in the end I got the shot I wanted. I spent about 30-40 hours photographing hummingbirds in 2013, with the reward being a clean shot of a difficult to photograph bird. Totally worth it!