Black-Chinned Hummingbird and Autumn Sage Bloom

Description

How did Dad get all of those colorful little hummingbirds to show up for their photo sessions? He set up an irresistible banquet.

Attracting hummingbirds is pretty simple. They need four things: nectar, protein, water and shelter. Luckily for Dad, I, at one point, lived in southeastern Arizona, the hummingbird capital of America.  I also happened to have a yard full of flowers and plenty of hummingbird feeders.

All Dad had to do was pick a high-traffic spot and set up his bank of flashes and camera gear the day before the shoot. This allowed the hummingbirds to get used to the new objects around their favorite flowers or feeders.

The day of the shoot, Dad donned camouflage and waited. Eventually he had a regular group of hummingbirds zipping in and out.  He spent several days shooting and soon had a plethora of hummingbird photographs to add to his portfolio.  He caught this black-chinned hummer just after visiting an autumn sage bloom.