FEMALE BELTED KINGFISHER

[Bill McCrystyn]

D300 200-400VR 1.4X ISO800 F/5.6 1/1250 BOAT HANDHELD

These guys are a little more tricky to shoot than I thought. I found a good nesting site and will try to do better. I'm learning my lesson about harsh light.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Hi Bill

Nice to see the catch! Bet it was worth the wait. :) I feel the image is a little noisy and sadly the light is not glowing on the KF's face. DId you crop this by chance? would run some NR and boost the contrast. Thanks for sharing.

[Bill McCrystyn]

Between the harsh light (I've been warned) and even EFL 840mm that AF'ed right on the money the crop of this little guy put it over the edge. Guess I was getting a little cabin stir crazy after 5 weeks of bad weather with a new lens. :o

[Daniel Cadieux]

Bill, you not only have to watch out for harsh light, but also the angle of the light. Notice how this side of the perch and kingfisher's face are in the shade...this is what we want to avoid. Always make sure the sun is behind you for best results.

These guys are indeed tricky even from a boat, your best bet is likely setting up a blind, before sunrise (and in an area that is advantageous to the light quality and angle of course). Even then be prepared to spend many hours waiting with no guarantees. The joys of bird photography :-)

[Bill McCrystyn]

Thanks you guys. I got a little impatient to post. You are both right and good words of advice.

Happy Hunting, Bill