August 2016: Wildlife photography project in Arizona for photographing hummingbirds

Black-chinned hummingbird flying in Arizona, USA.

In August 2016, we went to Arizona to photograph the hummingbirds that go there to mate and spend the summer before returning to Central America for the winter.

Spring is the time of year when most hummingbirds migrate north from their winter ranges. In Arizona, species from Costa Rica start arriving in January. Black-chinned, rufous and broad-tailed hummingbirds appear in March. The rare Lucifer shows up in April. Violet-crowned and white-eared hummingbirds arrive in May. Allen’s hummingbirds pass through in July. Anna’s hummingbirds take up residence in September. When they leave, they do so in a similar order. See the table at the end of this article for approximate arrival and departure times for the impressive list of hummingbirds that can be found in Arizona. You can see that there are hummingbirds in southern Arizona all year round.

The hummingbirds follow the blooming flowers northward out of Mexico, feeding on nectar and insects. Records indicate that the same birds follow the same route each year. Apparently, they learn the route as juveniles and don’t risk trying another unproven way. In years when the rainfall is good, most hummingbirds in our area stay out in the desert, eating a natural diet. They seem to prefer it to manmade nectar solutions. If this happens at your feeder, still keep your feeder stocked with fresh, clean nectar even if fewer birds than normal are feeding at it. The hummingbirds will return to it when native food sources dry up. Planting native flowers and blooming cacti will also help attract them to your yard. Last month’s newsletter contained a list of native plants that hummingbirds like.

Even though the migration zones have been mapped in Arizona, it is sometimes difficult to find the birds because their territories are so vast. But, they always need water and flowers, so we always look for an area that has many flowers and is near a river. To make it easier to photograph the hummingbirds, we set up red feeders with sugar water. We place them in natural environments to attract the birds.

Hummingbirds move very fast. We have to use blinds and tripods to photograph them. Often, we also have to use a flash to freeze their movements. By doing so, we can clearly set the subject apart from its background. If we were to increase the sensitivity, we would have flatter photos with less contrast.

The photos in this blog post are raw and come straight from the camera. They will be used for fine art collections.

Black-chinned hummingbird flying in Arizona, USA.

Broad-billed hummingbird flying in Arizona, USA.

Learn the Language of Colors in Photography

The blue accentuates the peace and the quietness of the whale shark.

Mixing Colors

When composing a photograph, always look for a way to bring in contrast using complementary colors. Thus, when photographing a green field, it is a good idea to incorporate something red, such as poppies. Whether on land or underwater, it is not always easy to combine colors in the best way, but a photographer should look for natural contrasts to create the best possible effects. For example, when photographing a yellow bird, a photographer should try to make the sky in the background as blue as possible.

Sometimes, when it is not possible to bring in complementary colors for contrast, a photographer can use the technique of matching shades by playing with:

the cameo: juxtaposing several variations of the same hue (a wreck in blue water for example),
the harmony of shades: juxtaposing different colors that are close to each other on the color wheel (a red fish on an orange background for example),
the harmony of analogues: juxtaposing warm and cool colors, and
the harmony of contrasts: juxtaposing complementary colors.

The Language of Colors

Colors are classified according to their temperature. Cool colors (blue, green, turquoise, and violet) are soothing and quiet. They are an invitation to think and relax. When spectators at my photography exhibitions look at pictures dominated by cool colors, they are silent, they meditate, and they think.

The warm colors (red, orange, and yellow) are often associated with warmth, well-being, pleasure and energy. During an exhibition, it is the photos with rich, warm colors that feed conversations, criticism and comments. Everyone has an opinion to give: these colors get people talking. Neutral colors (black, white, and gray) play on the viewer’s emotions. They must be present in underwater photos to compensate for the warm and cool colors. A photo with only red can become aggressive. Adding a little bit of gray can reduce the aggression.

Each color carries its own symbolic meaning; by putting different colors together, you can change the message your photo conveys. The meaning of various colors differs between cultures. Here are some examples from Western culture:

Blue evokes space, vastness, distance, purity, truth, wisdom and relaxation. It is the color that causes the fewest emotional reactions. This is the color of relaxation, authenticity, well-being, space and infinity. A blue background emphasizes the subject and foreground by creating a strong contrast.
Green evokes hope, success and stability. It rests the eye and encourages balance and temperate judgement. Green is the color of nature, health and peace. It also encourages happiness and optimism.
Yellow evokes richness, strength, eternity and jealousy. It's the best color to stimulate creative activity, and is more visible from a distance. It is also the color of optimism. Yellow brings sparkle and vivacity to a composition.
Orange evokes energy, security, joy, glory, good humor, movement, relaxation and pleasure. It is a color that also stimulates creative activity, provides energy, and awakens desires. In an underwater photo, orange gives the image vitality and makes it more dynamic.
Red evokes optimism, vigor, hospitality, ambition, and passion, but also aggression, provocation, and danger. It is full of energy, which accelerates the heart rate and stimulates activity. It catches the eye in an image — do not hesitate to highlight a red subject in your photos, however small it is.
Brown is a neutral color. It does not have a lot of effect.
Black evokes luxury and seriousness, but also mystery and the darkness of night. It intensifies emotions and absorbs light. It is an oppressive color. It is a pessimistic and despairing color, but also conveys self-assurance and power.
White evokes purity, elegance and joy. White reflects light. This is the color of light, of innocence, and of the absolute. When it is contrasted with dark colors, it brings a lot of depth to a photo.
Gray is a peaceful color that does not cause strong emotions. In photographs, gray encourages curiosity and imagination. Test the effect in front of a black and white photo of an underwater wreck: you want to ask questions and find out what happened. Gray accentuates this effect.

Finally

I hope that this information has opened up new possibilities for you. Mastering the language of colors can give impact to your images. As photographers, however, I should know how to use what nature gives me. A photographer is not a painter who can choose his palette.

During my nature photography sessions, I always recommend using this simple rule: draw a contrast between warm and cold colors. Emphasize the depth of a dive by bringing out the blue in your image. Accentuate the turbulence of life using red and orange, etc.

Be humble, patient, constant, persevering, and persistent because the road to excellence is long.