A jungle adventure: photographing hummingbirds in the rainforest

The phrase "rainforest photography" might conjure up images of snakes slithering along the forest floor, tree frogs sitting on lush green leaves or orangutans swinging through the tree canopy, but one creature you may not have considered as a rainforest native is the hummingbird.

With an erratic flight pattern and rapidly beating wings – sometimes moving at up to 80 beats per second – the tiny hummingbird, which has an average wingspan of around 10cm, has historically been challenging to photograph, even for those with plenty of experience in bird photography. In the past, cameras have often struggled to focus on these skittish, fast-moving birds, but wildlife photographer and Canon Ambassador Maxime Aliaga says Canon's EOS R System has transformed his work.

Maxime is known for documenting the beauty of the natural world and sharing his passion for conservation. On a recent trip to the Amazon rainforest, he managed to capture beautifully sharp shots of hummingbirds, thanks to the Image Stabilisation and fast, accurate autofocus in his Canon EOS R5 and RF lenses.

"The EOS R System is a revolution," he says, "because now it's so much easier to get the shot."

It's important for Maxime that his kit works in all conditions, whether that's the tropical heat of the jungle or the dust of the desert. The ability to shoot in low light is one of his main requirements, as well as high shutter speeds to photograph animals on the move, such as birds in flight.

Maxime finds the EOS R5's autofocus capabilities particularly useful when photographing fast-moving animals such as hummingbirds. The moment he spots the animal, he presses the AF-On button and the Animal Eye Detection AF in the EOS R5 is able to lock the focus directly on its eyes. Then he lets his kit do the work so he can stay in the zone and focus fully on his subject and his craft.

"Taking pictures of hummingbirds is very challenging because they move so fast in all kinds of directions," he says. "But now I can select the focus zone and the camera does the job. Even with hummingbirds, the Eye Detection AF just works."

Maxime has been impressed with the camera's Eye Detection AF capabilities on other bird photography shoots and describes it as beginning a new era in photography.

"I was in Spain taking pictures of some very rare eagles. They're very beautiful birds and I got the shot with the Animal Detection AF – out of 20 pictures, they are all sharp. I was just amazed. In the past I had failed to capture those kinds of images – but it was part of the process."

Maxime uses shutter speeds of up to 1/8000 sec to photograph hummingbirds. "I use a high shutter speed because you need to freeze their movement," he says. In addition to this high shutter speed, the EOS R5 can capture images at up to 20 frames per second with its electronic shutter. "I can take pictures of hummingbirds that I couldn't take in the past and I'm always impressed when I review my pictures," he says.

The EOS R5's high-resolution 45MP CMOS sensor is perfect for capturing ultra-fine detail, and its advanced In-Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS), delivering up to 8-stops of IS with compatible RF lenses, means that when Maxime is photographing wildlife in low light at dawn or dusk, he can shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds and still have a very sharp picture.

Shooting handheld can actually be an advantage when photographing in low light, Maxime adds, as the extra mobility makes it easier to angle your camera towards the nearest light source.

For Maxime, photography is not just a passion and a career. "Photography can be like therapy," he says. "Obviously it's my work but it's also an excuse for me to go into nature, because I want to take pictures."

For the first few days of an expedition, Maxime doesn't take any photos. Instead, he fully immerses himself in the environment. He observes the animals and how they interact with each other, and when he feels connected he picks up his camera. For Maxime, the whole process is an emotional one: he needs to feel a connection to his location and subject.

"It feels like I don't exist anymore," he explains. "I'm just part of nature. I'm surrounded by nature. I am nature. And then only at this time, when I create a connection with the animals, am I able to take pictures. I need this emotion because wildlife is another world."