12/06/2026
As I led a bird photography workshop in Mindo Valley, Ecuador, we visited multiple sites that had a bunch of hummingbird feeders. Several species of hummingbirds would come and feed as we photographed them. These birds were habituated. There were many times while photographing them I would have one sit on my shoulder, my hand, and even my camera gear. It was always a precious moment having a tiny bird perched on you. During one of our stops, I decided to experiment with capturing shots of the birds with both my Canon 15-35mm lens and my Canon 100mm macro lens while holding a small feeder in my hand. It was a lot harder than it looked. Having a tripod would have been ideal. After several minutes of photographing these birds in a frozen position, my arms became tired.
I had a great time with these little birds. The abundance of hummingbirds at these sites provided several opportunities to experience with different angles and ideas. If you ever get a chance to visit Ecuador, I highly recommend going on a birding adventure in Mindo Valley. It is a birder’s paradise.