Melba Finch @ Zimanga

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello everyone:wave:

I took this image early morning last Sunday at Zimanga Private Game Reserve, close to our home in Hluhluwe (South Africa). Felt really privileged to enjoy the comforts of an air-conditioned underground hide, never had this opportunity before and it was a real spoil, thanks to Mr. Charl Senekal- we are very grateful.

I guess I do have better images in terms of IQ for that day but this one caught my attention as I was browsing through my Sunday folders. Liked the symmetry and the colours, never photographed this species before and thought it was rather special, did my best to present it to you as well as I could. Comments and critique much appreciated, thank you for viewing.

Nikon D3S
Nikon 500mm F4
ISO 5000:2eyes2:
F6.3
1/800s

Shot through special glass from the comforts of the hide (for more details check the link for Zimanga our website: www.gappimages.com (http://www.gappimages.com))

[Bill Dix]

What a stunning shot. Bird's colors are spectacular against the very nice but neutral BG. Love the comp, and detail, and low POV (whoever heard of an air-conditioned underground hide?). That water drop is just the icing on the cake. Congratulations.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Bill, so kind of you to comment, I must say this was the first time I experienced this kind of setting, normally my partner and I use a gazebo and some camouflage net to make ourselves invisible to our subjects. This was quite an experience and for that reason I decided to share some of the images we have taken. There is a glass panel in the hide (one-way glass) and the animals/birds cannot see through, the hide is sound-proof (with carpeting) and the shutter does not disturb them, one has such an intimate view of the interaction between various species (e.g. baboons and warthogs drinking water at the same spot, antelopes, birds, etc) and there's no stress on wildlife whatsoever-this is the aspect I like the most:S3:

Have a wonderful evening, kind regards

[Bill Dix]

I just checked the link. What luxury; so much better than lying on your belly in the mud. Thanks for the post, and for the info.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Bill, and should you ever decide to visit our side of the woods, let us know. We'll be very happy to help with your bookings:w3

Kind regards,

[John Rowell]

Really super colors and details in the feathers, you are right to be pleased with this new addition to your collection. The stillness of the water makes for a perfect reflection. Too bad it didn't turn more perpendicular to the camera. A tighter crop might reduce the size of the stone. Agree with Bill that the water drop is a great plus.

[John Robinson]

Gabriela
Spectacular image /tecks /IQ etc. I do worry a little that as with his European setup stuff they tend to become very similar and instantly site recognisable.
Are you able to alter the setups ? Three or four people taking virtually the same shot bothers me a little. The water pools just don't look real in my honest opinion although I do accept the reasoning behind it all.
Still an eye catching shot
Cheers
JohnR

[John Robinson]

Sorry
I forgot to mention.
Refections are great but I hate them and have spent 40 years learning how to avoid them. An example is this pic . Blurred /rippled reflections OK - but when they are so replicate- i DONT KNOW WHICH ONE TO LOOK AT !!
jr

[Satish Ranadive]

Excellent image of beautiful and colorful bird. Lovely reflection,great compo.

Regards,
Satish.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Friends,

I can never tell for sure whether I have in me that ability to create images that would resonate in your mind, but I do try my best to achieve that. At times it feels as if I have an overdose of passion, but that’s just me. I have spent hours of processing and countless efforts towards understanding how some photographers manage to create these passionately argued and so engaging images the world is talking about. I love to subject my work to your critical reviews and feel that no one can help me as much as you, my fellow photographers. So I would like to thank you for your encouragement and support, as well as your comments:5


I have deliberately planned - or rather, anticipated - this image while sitting in the hide and waiting for my avian friends to pitch up. I loved the reflection and the symmetry, found this almost mirror effect quite fascinating and even wanted to turn the image upside down before posting:bg3:. I believe there is beauty in symmetry as well as in the lack of it, some of you may dislike my approach here but nevertheless I am grateful you could not resist looking.


Don’t know whether I have already mentioned this, but the best thing about this photographic hide is that the birds/animals are not aware of your presence and therefore no stress whatsoever on the subjects.

Kind regards,

[keith mitchell]

Hi Gabriela, this one really does it for me ,I love the reflection and the little water droplet ,stunning colour and all at iso 5000 :2eyes2: very well done, please show us some more if you have any.

Cheers Keith

[David Salem]

This is killer Gabriella!! What a great reflection and the detail and exposure look great. The beautiful subject, the rock, the BG and that frozen water drop make for an exceptional image. Very nice.

[Ivan Ellison]

Super reflection shot, some people like them some don't- I do. Perfect exposure,and stunning detain through glass. head angle out a little but the water drop in mid air is super. I would clone out the little one.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you David and Ivan,

I am very grateful for your feedback, I know I do not participate enough in Avian but for some time now I did not have anything to surprise you with, mostly wildlife shots. Thanks to Zimanga invite I am able to join you here and I am really enjoying this! I am very kin to make changes when it comes to your suggestions/crits, don't hold back please - I love to learn from you:5

Kind regards, have a great Sunday!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Gabriela, like the symmetrical approach on this and the vibrant colours against the muted backdrop, being darker it really gives the image 'pop'.

TFS
Steve

[Binu John]

Excellent shot! Awesome setting, pose, reflection and colors! Love the details captured @ ISO 5000!!

[Kaido Rummel]

Wow, and I say it again - wow! Great details and colors and a very nice setup.
I also checked out the hide photos and it really would be nice sometimes to sit on a chair to make great photos. Usually it's lying in ditches or mud. :)

[BenBotha]

Excellent shot. What happened to you have to work to get these results? Just a joke-jealousy is a nasty thing.
Ben

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you friends,

Kaido, I would love to do the "ditches and mud" thing more often, a little difficult here in our area because the bush is crawling with ticks and all sorts of bugs, also snakes. Where there's water there are also crocs and hippos too, so wading is out of question...One is not allowed to leave the car in the Game Reserves, except for designated places. That leaves us with our garden (now a haven for all sorts of avian species and we counted over 80 so far), and of course -places like Zimanga, and I really want to go back there because on the morning we arrived at the hide we found the freshest spoor (tracks) of leopard, we were at the scene just seconds too late, ouch, he/she must have been drinking!

Ben, err...sometimes it's so nice not to have to work so hard, to get some good results:bg3: Let me think...Alberton...Zimanga...err...six hours' drive, perhaps? Try it Ben, just once! You'll see more than birds, we took images of cheetah on the way out (saw two) and bumped into the Wildlife Act guys, they were busy tracking the wild dogs...Thank you for your comments Ben, very grateful.

Have a great day everyone!

Gabriela

[Kaido Rummel]

Gabriela, I know the situation in your game reserves. I was fortunate enough to visit South Africa in last September/October and this was quite a memorable trip. I visited only the public parks (both in SA and Swaziland) but saw and photographed everything I was hoping for and then some. It was just incredible. But yes there are boundaries as you cannot crawl around the bushes so I actually get the fascination of Zimanga hide. I was just thinking on my usual photographic expeditions here at home where the "ditches and mud" are the usual way of seeing wildlife and it's a bit (and "a bit" means "a lot") colder here in Estonia :) So the comfortable hide seemed very appealing.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Kaido - thank you so much for your reply, do not want to detract too much from the topic but just wanted to say Estonia is such a beautiful place and I am so sorry I did not have the chance to visit - you surely have some great photographic opportunities there as well. Do let us know when you return to South Africa, we might know of some places you would like to visit:w3

Kind regards,

[Morkel Erasmus]

Gabriela, I absolutely love this. Reflections work for me crystal clear or rippled in any event.
:5

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Morkel, sweet:bg3:, I am sure you'll have even nicer shots than this from the same location, remember to take some smaller lenses with you into the hide, I so wish I had a 200 with me...

Chat soon:w3,

Have a lovely afternoon,