South of Tucson and just north of the border is a small piece of heaven, Madera Canyon. In the heart of the canyon is Santa Rita Lodge. Sharon & I first visited the lodge in 1980. We had driven all night and fell into our room late, real late! It seemed we’d just hit the pillows when there was the faintest of light out the window. Then the buzz started and as the light levels increased, so did the buzz. I just wanted to sleep and all I could think was we had a beehive outside our window with the loudness. I got up to close the window to find a ONE gallon hummingbird feeder surrounded by what seemed all the hummers on the planet. I was hooked! We’ve been going back ever since!

That sound is why I photograph the hummingbirds the way I do, so the wings are blurred. It’s why folks call them hummers. Up until this year, getting that shot required nearly all my attention. But technology has broken through so now I can concentrate more on the story then the settings. With the rig mentioned above, I watch and work at capturing the charisma that is wrapped up in all those jewels. In this case, it is the hummers ever present desire to chase the next hummer. They are constantly looking up to either chase or be chased. To me, they appear to be on launching pad just blasting off. I made strides in moving my hummer photography forward this year, I’m very excited. I’m more excited to keep working on it the rest of this summer at The Ranch as I have a whole bunch of hummer shooting planned for next summer. A “how I do it’ video will be posted soon, but it’s off to the moon, a small step.

Our biggest hummer, the Rivoli’s is perhaps our most striking. This young one is still growing out its adult plumage but it gives you a hint of the glory that’s coming. It’s just stunning.

These photos were taken with a simple rig as the hummer freely come and go to the feeder. The dual flash is reflected off all that color which is why we can see it. And while technology has made it so much easier, it still takes time to get the frame. Them suckers are fast! And it’s only two months old!

Life is one continuing lesson and for Kodiak Brown Bears, those lessons are really concentrated in the first 3-4 years. Mom spends as much time sharing the right thing to do as much as the wrong thing. The process has always fascinated me as the lessons can be literally, life or death or as simple as, don’t eat or play with that. Mom is at one time the most affectionate, playful parent you can ever imagine. And the next moment, incredibly harsh! She concentrates into those brief years where to find food in May, June, July etc, the different plants, fish and the like. Shares with them what’s fun to play with and what will kill them and to be afraid of. The whole time, she is their great protector those first years, as fierce a protector as they will ever find. Then in their late third or fourth year summer after learning all there is to learn about their home, mom rudely and at times nastily tells them to go away and to go make their own home somewhere else! It’s a circle of life and it fascinates me. I’m ever so grateful they permit me to peak in and witness it all, allowing my camera to capture some of the moments.

If you’re interested on feet on the ground, lens time with Kodiak Browns, we have one opening in our sixth trip to Kodiak in May, 2024. If you want to see if you are made of the right stuff, give Sharon a call 406 .240 .3503 to see if you’re a fit!