Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

[Chris van Rooyen]

This is an image from our recent photo-safari to the Kruger National Park. The garden of the guesthouse is alive with birds, offering great opportunities for practising fill flash techniques.

Camera Model: NIKON D3
Date/Time: 2009:05:24 11:14:27
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec
Aperture: 5
Exposure mode: Manual
Flash: On
Metering mode: Multi-segment
ISO: 800
Lens: 600mm
Focal length: 600mm
Focal length: 600mm (in 35mm film)

[Axel Hildebrandt]

You got the coolest birds there. :) Exposure, pose and details look great, it's just a bit tight in the frame for my taste.

[Kobus Tollig]

Great comp and exposure.
It almost looks like you used a golden reflector from the bottom..could you please explain

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks guys. Kobus, yes interesting, I'm not sure what it was. It could have been sun rays coming through yellow leaves??

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

nice looking bird with beautiful pose and colors!

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

A very interesting bird. Thanks for sharing it.

Nice framing, BG and pose. I don't know why but I see the perch and feet more in focus than the face. Other than that a great image.

[Ramon M. Casares]

Stunning! As usual! Great pose, BG, perch, detail, light, colors and species! I might try darkening the eye just a tad. Congratulatinos!

[Lorant Voros]

Chris,

I saw many of these birds and photographed them too during my time in South Africa. I think this is a very pretty presentation of the bird. Nice light, detail and sharpness. I agree with Ramon; stunning as usual.

[Stu Bowie]

Chris, just come back from the KNP for a three day weekend. Saw lots of these guys. I like the warm light and colours in this. Sharp with good detail, and like the slight tilt of the head. Comp works well too.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Thanks for the comments guys, appreciated as always!

[Mark Dumbleton]

Like the light on this - has such a warm feel to it! Lovely detail and BG! Super head angle.

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

Nice image Chris. Maybe a bit tight but the story is true. I loved the lodges and the gardens around. Full of birds provided many lifers.

Szimi