Carmine Breasted Bee-Eater

[Ken Watkins]

Taken in Nxai Pan National Park, Botswana, 11th March 2009

EOS1D MkIII

500mm F4 IS hand-held

F6.3, ISO 800, 1/4000, EV + 1/3rd

[Arthur Morris]

That is some seriously cool stuff. The wasp is amazing and your timing was perfect. Did you fire a burst or see this moment coming and get it? Love the careful framing/cropping in the lower right corner. The BKGR looks a bit funky and I am confused by the choice of ISO 800 (with the 1/4000 shutter speed).

[Ken Watkins]

Hi Art,

Not perfect timing just a burst or many bursts! You are not the only one confused by the ISO choice, it had been extremely dull earlier in the day and when this opportunity came up I forgot to lower it I think 400 would have been better. Can you explain what you mean by funky?

[Chris van Rooyen]

Hi Ken

This is a great image! I hope you don't mind - I played around with it a bit. I selectively blurred the background to make it smoother and I increased the mid-tone contrast to give it more pop. Hope you like it:)

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Lovely repost Chris. Great composition and the wasp puts it over the top. Congratulations Ken.

[Mark Fuge]

Good catch.

Mark

[Stu Bowie]

Great capture for both of you Ken. Very well timed to show the catch between the beak.