Hummingbirds beat their wings dozens of times a second and hover at flowers — irresistible and technically demanding subjects.
Species to expect
- East: the ruby-throated hummingbird, spring to early autumn.
- West Coast: Anna's hummingbird year-round, plus Allen's and migrating rufous.
- Rockies: broad-tailed, rufous and calliope in summer.
- Desert Southwest: Costa's, black-chinned and others.
Check our bird calendars by state for the months each species is recorded.
Attracting them
- A clean feeder with 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water (no red dye), changed every few days in heat.
- Native nectar flowers: salvia, penstemon, bee balm, columbine.
- Place the feeder near cover where birds can perch between visits.
For natural-looking photos, remove all but one feeder port, then place a flower near it — or photograph at flower beds instead.
Freezing the wings
- Natural light: 1/4000 s or faster freezes wings in bright light (high ISO is normal).
- Flash: multiple flashes at low power (1/16–1/32) have very short durations that freeze wings even at 1/250 s sync speed. Light the background separately to avoid black backgrounds.
- Motion blur: 1/250–1/500 s without flash shows wing blur — also beautiful.
Focus and framing
Pre-focus on the feeder or flower and wait. Use continuous AF with animal-eye detection if your camera has it, and a burst. A long lens (300–400 mm) from 2–4 meters keeps the bird relaxed and the background soft.
Ethics
Keep feeders clean to avoid spreading disease, don't use nets or barriers, and stop if a bird seems stressed.
About 1 min read · Updated 2026-10-20