Southern Carmine Bee-eater

[Chris van Rooyen]

This is another image from my trip to the Okavango in Botswana last year.

Camera Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Date/Time: 2008:10:28 09:58:11
Shutter speed: 1/3200 sec
Aperture: 7.1
Exposure mode: Tv
Exposure compensation: +1/3
Flash: Off
Metering mode: Multi-segment
ISO: 1000
Focal length: 500mm

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Outstanding flight capture Chris. Gorgeous flight pose and colors as well as excellent detail and a killer BG. We were in Botswana in 2000 and just loved it. Hope to go back soon. Thanks for sharing this beautiful capture Chris.

[Ramon M. Casares]

STUNNNIG! So great, pose is fantastic, plasticity at 100% Lovely light, comp and detail, i ADMIRE YOR WORK very MUCH. nO NITS! Copngratulaitons!

[Tony Whitehead]

Magnificent, Chris. DOF covers the bird perfectly revealing lovely detail in all the plumage - very dynamic with the extended alulas and canted, flared tail - not to mention the crossed centre tail streamers! I might patch out the notch in the upper tail feather and maybe mask back the sharpening over the wing coverts and scapulars to reduce the sheen a little. Great job.

[Doug Brown]

Superb photo Chris. I'm not as well versed in avian anatomy as Tony is, but it's a wonderfully dynamic flight pose with great eye contact and a beautiful BG. I like the pano crop and the open beak too. You've gotta love what the Mark III can do at ISO 1000.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks for the comments guys. Tony, I have had comments about the sheen on the feathers before. I'm not sure that I agree about toning down the sheen on feathers. I have never found it to be distracting - I would be interested to know what the other guys think?

[Melvin Grey]

Personally I would query whether the 'sheen' was a product of sharpening as suggested. If not, and it is the natural sheen to the feathers that has just caught the light at this angle, then leave it in by all means. However - each to his own. It is a terrific image of a beautiful bird by anyone's standards.
Melvin

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks Melvin. Good point about the sheen sometimes being a product of the sharpening. In such a case I fully agree with toning it down. However, all feathers exhibit some sheen in certain light conditions.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great capture, I remember the earlier ones in this series. I like the pose, fanned tail, details and BG and wouldn't do anything about the sheen in this case. I agree with Tony regarding the little notch on the upper tail feather.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks for the comments guys. Axel, I prefer to keep the notch, I think it adds character;)

[Marc Mol]

Beautiful capture Chris! Even for ISO1000@f/7, that's a great shutter speed of 1/3200s. I too prefer the sheen on the feathers;).
BTW, congrats on the great shot also of the Carmine BE in the Feb edition of Africa Geo, just superb.
can't wait for our 3 weeks in the delta come September.

Cheers
Marc

[Tony Whitehead]

Hi Chris. My suggestion wasn't to remove the sheen on the feathers. I have had trouble in preparing for web where the relatively high sharpening required has accentuated the natural sheen present and made it more obvious then in a high res image and this is the impression I am getting here as there are quite confluent areas of sheen without the detail that would appear between them in a higher res version. I don't think sharpening creates the sheen but can over emphasise the natural sheen in a low res image prepared for web. Would love to see a big print of this image.

[John Blumenkamp]

Amazing image... beautiful colors and detail, and I like the sheen myself. Always enjoy seeing your work.

[Simon Bennett]

Super image, the sheen doesn't trouble me.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks for the clarification Tony, I agree 100%.

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

This is awesome image Chris. Not sure I can add new superlatives to those previously mentioned. :o
Image Of The Week for sure.

Szimi

[Roger Clark]

Chris,
That is a very stunning image. Congratulations.

I would do a selection of the dark eye area and use curves to lighten it just a touch.
I like the sheen. Is this a crop or full frame?

Roger

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Chris,
I meant to comment earlier and almost forgot.....keep the sheen.....keep the notch.....This is just super! make a huge print and hang it!

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks guys, appreciated:-). Roger it is about a 20% crop.

[Michael Rosenbaum]

Superb capture, Chris! Is this from October 2008?

[Roger Clark]

Thanks guys, appreciated:-). Roger it is about a 20% crop.

Does that mean 20% cropped, so 80% of the image is left?

Roger

[Jon Thornton]

Killer shot! Change nothing. I like the small imperfection on the tail.

[Nate Chappell]

These birds are so beautiful and you've certainly captured that wonderfully here Chris.

[Loukie Viljoen]

Hi Chris , my friend stick with the sheen, you were blessed to get it in the first place, regards L

[Sid Garige]

One of the best images of this species I have seen. Really great job.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks guys. Yes indeed October 2008, and yes Roger I cropped out about 20% of the surrounding space.