# @natgeo on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/C7fOatgOmnW
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/18179427-natgeo-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/cbac6b0a87.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-05-27T22:00:13.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** National Geographic (@NatGeo) — https://gondola.cc/NatGeo

## Caption

Photographer Anand Varma masterfully navigates the intersection of science and art. Fascinated by the natural world, he often experiments with photographic techniques to capture his subjects. For his work on hummingbirds, Varma used several innovative tools, including high-speed cameras, to begin unlocking the secrets behind these perfect flying machines. 

Hummingbird species can claim many superlatives: the world’s smallest birds; the only birds that can hover for 30 seconds or more; the vertebrates with the fastest metabolic rate; and the only birds that can truly fly backward. In these images:

1. The secret to the hummingbird’s hovering ability lies in the near symmetry of its wing motion. By filling the air with a fine mist, researchers can observe the tornado-like vortices that this Anna’s hummingbird sheds at the end of each half-stroke—when its wings flip more than 90 degrees and reverse course.

2. In dense vegetation, hummingbirds must dodge and weave around branches and vines. To slip through an oval-shaped hole, this Anna’s hummingbird performs a sideways shimmy, altering its wing strokes to avoid contact with the divider. To capture the action in a single frame, a strobe light flashed three times during a 0.4-second exposure.

3. The forked tongue of this Anna’s hummingbird can be seen through the glass vessel from which it’s drinking artificial nectar.

4. Hummingbirds often brave downpours to gather the nectar needed to avoid starvation. This Anna’s hummingbird shakes off the rain as a wet dog does—with an oscillation of its head and body. According to researchers at UC Berkeley, each twist lasts four-hundredths of a second and subjects the bird’s head to 34 times the force of gravity.

Stream Photographer now on hulu and DisneyPlus to see how Varma uses groundbreaking photography techniques to document a chicken embryo while it's forming and hatching. #NatGeoPhotographer

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## Tags

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