Rainbow colours in the feathers of hummingbirds

Sunday 2 August 2020, 13:31 by Nando Harmsen | 5,585 views | 2 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds on Earth. They feed on nectar, which they drink from flower heads with their long beaks. What is special about these small birds is their ability to hover in the air, and even fly backwards, something no other bird can do.

They reach speeds of more than 50 kilometres per hour while their wings move up and down up to 80 times per second.

Australian photographer Christian Spencer, who has lived in Brazil's Itatiaia National Park for the past 19 years, discovered that sunlight shines beautifully through the delicate feathers of these birds.

The light is refracted as if passing through a prism, creating impressive rainbow colours.

Rainbow Ballet by Christian Spencer, used with kind permission

This inspired him to start photographing it, which has not been an easy task. The photographs and colours have not been digitally enhanced or altered in any way. It is a completely natural effect.

His project has produced an impressive series of photographs, three of which I am showing with Spencer's permission. The photographs won a prize at the Museum of Modern Art in Resende RJ Brazil.

The Eclipse by Christian Spencer, used with kind permission

Wings of Light by Christian Spencer, used with kind permission

You can find more hummingbird photographs from this series on Christian Spencer's website, and on his Instagram account. The photographs are also available as prints.

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About the author

Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.

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2 comments

Paul wrote on Tuesday 4 August 2020 at 17:44 | reply
How was it back then when cameras were wooden cabinets on wooden sticks
and they worked with photographic plates...t
hose photos were finished,without a PC,or whatever program or editing.
Those are worth a lot of money now,if they were already special back then!
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Wednesday 5 August 2020 at 09:11 | reply
@Paul:
Can you elaborate on your comment, because I don't understand what this has to do with this article
Translated from Dutch.

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