Yesterday I made my first visit to Rio Grande Nature Center and made my first ever attempt to photograph hummingbirds.  I used my Nikon D7100 crop sensor camera fitted with a Nikon f/2.8 70-200mm zoom lens, manual mode, shutter speed 1/1250 second, aperture f/8, spot metering, and auto ISO (around 1800).  I’m satisfied with the results, but the bird photos were heavily cropped (in excess of 100%) to create these photos.  The next time I will use my Nikon 18-300mm zoom  lens in order to avoid the visible grain that often comes with significant cropping.

These are other photos captured at the visitor center’s viewing area and during my walk around the scenic and serene trailways.

Bird photography, like many other photography venues, requires an understanding of your camera’s manual controls – specifically the control of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.  Reading your camera manual and trying to understand the “how” and “why” of these settings can be a time consuming and frustrating experience.  If you live in central New Mexico I can provide one-on-one tutoring tailored to your camera and your needs – see my page, Albuquerque’s Personal Photography Tutor.  I’d enjoy meeting or speaking with you – no charge for initial meeting and consultation.  

Capture the Wonders Found In Travel and Life                                    Email: d300dave@gmail.com