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A Bench, a Tripod, and a Few Hummingbirds

A relaxed two‑evening adventure at Green Spring Gardens turned into some of my favorite hummingbird shots — all by sitting still, watching their loops, and letting the flowers do the work.

A Bench, a Tripod, and a Few Hummingbirds

Some wildlife shoots take planning, early alarms, and miles of hiking. This one started with, “Wanna go look for hummingbirds?” My daughter and I grabbed our gear, headed to Green Spring Gardens, and claimed a bench near the flowers. From there it was simple — sit still, watch the flashes of green zip by, and wait for the perfect moment. We came home with a few, one of those rare planned shoots that just kinda worked out with very little planning or work.

But even after such a great and fun evening, I still didn't have quite what I was looking for, but I had learned a lot about the patterns of hummingbirds so the next day, I went back alone with a tripod and a plan: pick a single flower the hummingbirds favored, frame it up, and wait. With hummingbirds, this works — they feed in loops, often returning to the same blooms every few minutes. It’s one of the rare times in wildlife photography you can compose in advance and let your subject come to you. When I noticed one coming to a blue flower I knew I had my framing so I set up and waited, it wasn't long before. I got what I was after.

Hummingbird photography is super fun, there are challenges sure but patience and a good location will get you there. Here are a few tips if you want to try it:

  • Pick the right flowers — red and orange coneflowers are like a neon “open” sign for hummers.
  • Be patient — once they’re comfortable, they’ll keep coming back.
  • Frame in advance — set up where you know they’ll feed and get your background clean.
  • Settings that work — I shoot wide open (f/4 on the 600 mm) for background blur, 1/3200 s or faster to freeze wings, and auto‑ISO to keep exposure balanced.

It’s part bird‑watching, part photography, and all joy when that tiny flash of color hovers right where you planned. They are such a tiny fun bird with so much personality.

Want more tiny aerial acrobatics?

Check out my Hummingbirds Gallery for more of these jewel‑winged speedsters in action.

See more of my wildlife and landscape photography at www.shawnthomas.art.