Leah Turner Wins the Eastside Audubon Photo of the Month Honor in December
Broad-billed Hummingbird (male) photographed at Superior, Arizona
Lens: 500 mm | Exposure: 1/2500 sec | Aperture: f / 5.6 | ISO: 3200
Leah Turner won the Eastside Audubon Photo of the Month honor in December for a series of hummingbird photos she shot during a trip to Arizona and California this fall. This was the fourth time she was honored in 2023.
Leah's talent in capturing these quick, tiny birds is remarkable, and she offers the following advice.
“Try to shoot during the brightest, sunniest conditions possible, and use maximum shutter speed”, she says. “Find a particular flower or plant that the bird likes and keeps them there— they will very likely come back to the same spot often, so you can frame your shot and get multiple chances to capture it.”
She adds: “If you are shooting a male hummingbird, wait until it turns its head slightly, and position yourself properly so the bird's gorget catches the light and shows the full spectrum of iridescent colors.”
You can see more of Leah’s work on Instagram.
Details of all Photos
All photos were shot with a Nikon D850 and a Nikkor 500 mm lens.
Broad-billed Hummingbird (female) photographed at Madera Canyon, Arizona
Lens: 500 mm | Exposure: 1/2500 sec | Aperture: f / 5.6 | ISO: 1100
Allen’s Hummingbird (male) photographed at Orange County, CA
Lens: 500 mm | Exposure: 1/3200 sec | Aperture: f / 6.3 | ISO: 800
Costa’s Hummingbird (male) photographed at Scottsdale, Arizona
Lens: 500 mm | Exposure: 1/2500 sec | Aperture: f / 6.3 | ISO: 5000
About the Eastside Audubon Photograph of the Month Award
The Photo of the Month award was instituted to recognize the work of the Photo Group Members. The group members meet monthly to show their latest photos and videos as well as share their knowledge of photography and wildlife. To attend the meetings, please join the group’s announcement list.