Photographer Jess Findlay captured this amazing shot of a fiery-throated hummingbird while shooting in the Talamanca Mountains in Costa Rica. The image is a result of hundreds of photos taken over several hours with a telephoto lens as he waited patiently for one of the small birds to perch at just the right angle.

"Several of these hummingbirds were visiting a nectar feeder. As they fed hungrily, often quarreling with one another, occasionally one would get displaced onto a nearby branch," said Finlay. The teeny hummingbirds—who measure only four inches long and weigh less than six grams—are native to the mountains of Costa Rica and parts of Panama. The beautiful birds are renowned for their distinctive coloring: a bright blue crown and chest, a lustrous green body, and a patch of kaleidoscopic, "fiery" feathers on their throats.

Given their tiny stature and tremendously quick movements, capturing a photo of any hummingbird is a tricky task, and shooting the fiery-throated hummingbird is even more difficult, as the full spectrum of their spectacular colors is only discernible from particular angles and when the lighting is just right. Findlay's successful shot was a product of luck, determination, and the right camera lens. He explains to Colossal: "Several of these hummingbirds were visiting a nectar feeder. As they fed hungrily, often quarreling with one another, occasionally one would get displaced onto a nearby branch. I waited by the branch for a couple hours, staying very still. I used a telephoto lens with a special attachment that allowed me to focus on close subjects."

With his undeniable skill and unmistakable passion, it is no surprise that, at just twenty-three years of age, Findlay has seen tremendous success; in 2011, he won the International Youth Photographer of the Year award from Nature's Best Photography, and, since then, his work has been presented at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the London Natural History Museum, and the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, Canada.

"I waited by the branch for a couple hours, staying very still. I used a telephoto lens with a special attachment that allowed me to focus on close subjects." "What made this a challenge was how fidgety these birds can be and the fact that the full spectrum of colour is only seen when they pause at a very specific angle." Findlay is a native of Vancouver where he's extremely active in the photography community, offering a wide variety of workshops. You can see more of his work on Instagram (instagram.com/jessfindlay/).