At La Minga Ecolodge in Valle del Cauca, Colombia, I photographed the Andean Emerald (Uranomitra franciae), a hummingbird renowned for its shimmering green plumage, golden highlights, and sapphire crown. Resting for only a moment on a slender branch, the bird revealed its brilliance against the muted backdrop of the cloud forest, where soft light and shadow combined to frame its iridescence with natural elegance.
This image was created with a Canon EOS R5 and the RF 800mm f/11 lens. I had the shutter set to 1/3000 second, a speed I typically use to freeze hummingbirds in flight. Even in this still moment, it allowed me to capture the bird with crisp precision, highlighting every feather’s fine detail. The lens’s fixed aperture of f/11 gave me the depth of field to keep the subject sharp while maintaining a soft blur in the background. To compensate for the fast shutter and the dim, filtered light of the forest canopy, I set the ISO to 3200. While higher than my usual range, it was a necessary trade-off to achieve a properly exposed image without sacrificing speed or focus.
The 800mm reach compressed the scene beautifully, isolating the emerald against the cloud forest tones and emphasizing its jewel-like quality. For me, the result reflects not only the technical considerations behind the image but also the patience and timing required to capture such an elusive subject. The Andean Emerald, though relatively common within its range, embodies the delicate and irreplaceable richness of the Andes.
©2025 Adam Rainoff Photographer
