Hummingbird Photography Workshop – Sedona & Madera Canyon, Arizona
A hummingbird photography workshop in Arizona puts you in front of eight species in two of the Southwest’s most productive locations: Sedona and Madera Canyon. Led by award-winning photojournalist and Royal Photographic Society Fellow Ronen Tivony, this hands-on workshop is built around high-speed flash techniques, feeder behavior, and natural flower settings that produce publication-ready images.
Why Choose an Arizona Hummingbird Photography Workshop
Arizona hosts more hummingbird species than any other U.S. state, with southeastern Arizona alone recording up to 15 species. Sedona and Madera Canyon offer two distinct shooting environments within a single trip, dramatically increasing both species variety and photographic opportunity.
Sedona’s red rock landscape provides a dramatic natural backdrop. Private gardens and residential feeders along Oak Creek attract dense concentrations of hummingbirds from spring through early fall, and the annual Sedona Hummingbird Festival documents up to eight species in the area during late July.
Madera Canyon, located about 30 miles south of Tucson in the Coronado National Forest, is one of the most renowned birding destinations in the United States. Over 250 bird species have been recorded there, including up to 15 hummingbird species. The feeding stations at Santa Rita Lodge draw consistent concentrations of Broad-billed, Anna’s, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds, with rarer species appearing seasonally.
Why Choose an Arizona Hummingbird Photography Workshop
Arizona hosts more hummingbird species than any other U.S. state, with southeastern Arizona alone recording up to 15 species. Sedona and Madera Canyon offer two distinct shooting environments within a single trip, dramatically increasing both species variety and photographic opportunity.
Sedona’s red rock landscape provides a dramatic natural backdrop. Private gardens and residential feeders along Oak Creek attract dense concentrations of hummingbirds from spring through early fall, and the annual Sedona Hummingbird Festival documents up to eight species in the area during late July.
Madera Canyon, located about 30 miles south of Tucson in the Coronado National Forest, is one of the most renowned birding destinations in the United States. Over 250 bird species have been recorded there, including up to 15 hummingbird species. The feeding stations at Santa Rita Lodge draw consistent concentrations of Broad-billed, Anna’s, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds, with rarer species appearing seasonally.
Best Season for Hummingbird Photography in Arizona
July and August are peak season at both locations. Species diversity is highest during this window, with summer breeders present alongside southbound migrants fueling up for their journey to Mexico. Sedona’s late July period regularly produces eight species. Madera Canyon’s feeders peak in early to mid-August.
The broader season runs from April through September. Spring brings Black-chinned and Broad-tailed hummingbirds back to their breeding territories. Fall migration, particularly late July through September, adds Rufous and Calliope hummingbirds moving south through the Rocky Mountain corridor.
Species You Are Likely to Photograph
Sedona
Anna’s Hummingbird is a year-round resident in Sedona, nesting as early as January. Males have a brilliant iridescent rose-red crown and gorget.
Black-chinned Hummingbirds arrive in spring and are summer breeders, identifiable by their distinctive tail-bobbing behavior and iridescent purple gorget below a black chin.
Rufous Hummingbirds, with their copper-orange plumage, pass through as southbound migrants from late July.
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds breed at higher elevations and visit during migration; males produce a loud metallic trill in flight from wing feather vibration.
Calliope Hummingbirds, the smallest bird in North America, weighing about as much as a penny, pass through July through September; males have a distinctive streaked magenta gorget.
Costa’s Hummingbirds occasionally visit Sedona in summer; males have a striking purple crown and elongated gorget.
Broad-billed Hummingbirds appear near rivers and streams; they are the only red-billed hummingbird in the area.
Rivoli’s Hummingbirds have been recorded in nearby Oak Creek Canyon; males have a violet crown and a gorget that shifts from teal to bright green.
Madera Canyon
Madera Canyon’s sky island habitat attracts a largely overlapping set of species, with Broad-billed Hummingbird being the most reliably photographed at the Santa Rita Lodge feeders year-round. Rivoli’s and Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds are also possible, though less predictable.
What the Hummingbird Photography Workshop Covers
Sessions are structured around peak activity periods at dawn and late afternoon. Ronen provides individualized instruction on flash sync, shutter speed selection for wing freeze versus motion blur, depth of field for feeder setups, and composition against Sedona’s red rock backdrops or Madera Canyon’s canyon foliage.
Participants work in small groups with direct guidance at each location. Behavioral sequences including territorial disputes and courtship displays are a regular part of shooting at both sites.
Spots are limited. Book your Arizona hummingbird photography workshop to check availability.
Hummingbird Photography Workshop Arizona: Frequently Asked Questions
What gear do I need for hummingbird photography?
A DSLR or mirrorless camera paired with a telephoto lens in the 200 to 600mm range is the recommended setup. At feeder stations, where hummingbirds are tolerant of close approach, 400mm is often sufficient for tight frame-filling shots. Longer reach becomes more useful for natural flower setups at greater distances. Bring spare batteries and multiple high-capacity memory cards. A tripod or monopod is useful for flash setups; a sturdy ball head is recommended.
When is the best time of year to visit Sedona and Madera Canyon for hummingbirds?
Peak species diversity at both locations is July through August, when summer breeders are present alongside southbound migrants fueling up for their journey south. Madera Canyon’s feeder activity peaks in early to mid-August. Sedona’s late July period regularly produces up to eight species simultaneously. The broader season runs April through September.
How many species can I expect to photograph?
At Sedona during peak season, up to eight species have been documented, including Anna’s, Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, Calliope, Costa’s, Broad-billed, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds. At Madera Canyon, Broad-billed, Anna’s, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds are reliably present at the Santa Rita Lodge feeders, with up to 15 species recorded across the canyon over the course of a season. No specific species can be guaranteed, as sightings depend on timing and natural movement patterns.
Is lodging included?
Lodging is not included in the base workshop fee. Ronen can recommend accommodations near each shooting location to minimize travel time to dawn sessions. Contact him when booking to discuss options.
Do you offer private hummingbird photography workshops in Arizona?
Yes. Private one-on-one and small group sessions are available and can be customized around your specific goals, preferred locations, and schedule. Contact Ronen to discuss private workshop options.
About Your Instructor: Ronen Tivony
Ronen Tivony is an award-winning wildlife photojournalist, Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, and University of Florida certified Florida Master Naturalist with 30 years of professional experience.
His work has been published in National Geographic, The New York Times, The Guardian, CNN, BBC, TIME, Smithsonian, The Washington Post, and other major media worldwide.
Before focusing on wildlife, Ronen spent three decades as a news photojournalist. During that career he served as a board member and Vice President of the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles (PPAGLA).
That career built the editorial instincts he now brings to every workshop: how to read a scene, anticipate behavior, and make images that carry genuine narrative weight rather than simply being technically sharp.
In the field, Ronen teaches the way a working professional shoots. Sessions cover camera settings for fast-moving subjects, composition and storytelling, reading animal behavior to anticipate action, and post-session image review with direct personalized feedback.