Synopsis: Our late afternoon at Tandayapa Lodge reworked right into a masterclass in excessive‑pace flash pictures, the place we discovered to freeze hummingbirds in mid‑air and reveal particulars the human eye may by no means catch by itself.
Ecuador Birding – The place Each Feather Tells a Story
From October 26, 2025 by means of November 8, 2025 I joined 5 different adventurers and an excellent photographer and birding information (Liron Gertsman) with Eagle-Eye Excursions to Ecuador. This weblog collection highlights the animals (principally birds), individuals and areas we encountered over the 14 full days on this lovely land.
A Reflections of the Pure World Weblog Publish Collection by Jim Acquire
**Because of the excessive decision and high quality of the pictures on this weblog collection it’s extremely really helpful
that readers view posts in Panorama Mode on a desktop PC from the precise blogsite at Ecuador Birding**
DAY 11 – Late Afternoon
Freezing Wings in Mid‑Air: An Afternoon Flash Images Class
Our second afternoon at Tandayapa Birding Lodge unfolded in two very completely different acts. The primary was spent photographing hummingbirds the best way most of us all the time have—monitoring their actions across the feeders, working with pure gentle, and making an attempt to anticipate these cut up‑second moments when wings, flowers, and background align. It was a energetic, kinetic session, filled with the standard challenges and small triumphs that include photographing birds that by no means sit nonetheless. Whereas we have been nonetheless reviewing our photos and catching our breath, Liron Gertsman was busy reworking the lodge’s patio into one thing solely completely different. Stands went up, flashes have been positioned, transmitters examined, and a backdrop organized with meticulous care. By the point he known as us over, the house had shifted from an off-the-cuff statement deck right into a full‑fledged hummingbird studio—prepared for a day lesson within the artwork of multi‑flash pictures.
Turning a Cloudforest Patio Right into a Studio
Liron’s setup seemed like a small outside movie set—flash stands, transmitters, a black backdrop, and a fastidiously organized cluster of flowers. He defined that whereas you need to use virtually any flash for this method, he prefers Godox TT520 II speedlights. They’re cheap, dependable, and simple to set off wirelessly. He had roughly eight flashes organized for the group, although he famous that 4 is the naked minimal and 5 – 6 is right.
The important thing, he reminded us, is knowing how flash freezes movement:
- Flash bursts are extraordinarily quick, far quicker than any shutter pace we may set.
- By exposing for the flash reasonably than ambient gentle, the digicam information solely that cut up‑second burst.
- The result’s a superbly frozen hummingbird—each feather, each wingbeat, each tiny element suspended in time.
We used a black backdrop for our session, however Liron identified which you could print any background you want—lush inexperienced foliage, mushy gradients, even customized scenes—so long as you dedicate a flash to light up it. With out that further gentle, the backdrop merely disappears into darkness.
The Birds Step Into the Mild
As soon as the whole lot was in place, the patio reworked right into a hummingbird studio. Birds zipped out and in of the flowers, utterly unfazed by the tools. And with every flash burst, the inconceivable grew to become seen.
Brown Inca
Often a shadow‑dweller, the Brown Inca revealed velvety chocolate tones and delicate iridescence when frozen mid‑hover.
White‑booted Racket‑tail
The star of the session. Its tiny white “boots” glowed brilliantly, and the dual rackets on the finish of its tail hung suspended in excellent readability.
Rufous‑tailed Hummingbird
Daring and ever‑current, it gave us among the most dynamic poses—its coppery tail and emerald physique lighting up superbly beneath the managed flashes.
Fawn‑breasted Sensible
Bigger and extra deliberate, the good lived as much as its identify. The nice and cozy fawn tones of its breast and the greens alongside its again appeared with gorgeous precision.
Every species felt like a brand new revelation. What the attention sees as a blur, the digicam—guided by a burst of sunshine—renders as sculpture.
Behind the Scenes: What It Takes
As Liron emphasised, the approach isn’t difficult, but it surely is gear‑heavy. You want:
- A number of flashes
- Stands to carry them
- A transmitter/receiver system
- A backdrop
- Endurance
- A willingness to experiment
However the payoff is big. For one afternoon, we weren’t simply photographing hummingbirds—we have been capturing moments too quick for the human eye to understand.
Trying Towards First Mild
Because the session wrapped up and the final racket‑tail zipped again into the forest, we packed up the flashes and headed inside. Tomorrow would start effectively earlier than daybreak, once we’d rise early to {photograph} the birds gathering on the moth‑gentle feeding station—a very completely different sort of spectacle, the place the cloudforest’s shyest species step briefly into the open at first gentle.
NEXT UP: EB#72 “Drawn to the Flame: Photographing New Birds at Tandayapa’s Moth Mild“
Earlier Ecuador Birding Weblog Posts:
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EB71 – Freezing Wings in Mid‑Air: An Afternoon Flash Images Class
by Jim Acquire
Our late afternoon at Tandayapa Lodge reworked right into a masterclass in excessive‑pace flash pictures, the place we discovered to freeze hummingbirds in mid‑air and reveal particulars the human eye may by no means catch by itself. This weblog collection chronicles Jim Acquire’s experiences with birds and nature.
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EB70 – Behind the Scenes: My Photograph Processing Course of — From Obtain to Gallery Show
by Jim Acquire
This behind‑the‑scenes look walks by means of my full put up‑processing workflow—from organized onerous‑drive folders and Lightroom edits to eBird documentation and SmugMug gallery uploads—exhibiting how every picture travels from discipline seize to ultimate presentation. This weblog collection chronicles Jim Acquire’s experiences with birds and nature.
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EB69 – Illuminating the Iridescence: Hummingbirds of Tandayapa Lodge Via Forest Mild
by Jim Acquire
A late‑afternoon return to Tandayapa Lodge provided the right likelihood to seize hummingbirds of their pure gentle—iridescence glowing, wings blurring, and the cloud‑forest environment turning each second right into a fleeting spark of colour. This weblog collection chronicles Jim Acquire’s experiences with birds and nature.
>>Ecuador Birding Weblog Residence Web page Hyperlink https://reflectionsofthenaturalworld.com/ecuador-birding/
*This Ecuador Birding weblog put up was formed and polished with the help of Microsoft Copilot, serving to carry readability and a constant move to my discipline notes and dictated recollections.
**Until in any other case indicated within the picture caption, all pictures (>99%) are mine.