european roller

[peter delaney]

D3 200-400mm wimberly head, car bracket...

iso 400 , f8 , 1/640...

taken near Satara , Kruger...South Africa. I waited ages and ages ... but he would not fly...so had to settle for portait on a perch.

[Randy Stout]

Peter:

Those birds, they either fly away when you want them to stay, or sit still when you want them to fly!

Well exposed,nice HA,BG. The light angle is well off to the left, which has caused the shadowing issues. A bit of a move towards your left might have helped, but I know you were hoping to catch him flying away, plus perhaps moving the vehicle wasn't an option.

As a matter of personal taste, I might give it a bit more space on the top, and consider toning down the orange leafs under his feet, but just minor points.

Thanks for sharing!!

Randy

[Daniel Cadieux]

Beautiful subject, I like the smallish feet holding on to the thin perch. You could clean up some of the OOF stuff at the bottom. I find the subject tight in the frame. With all the time it gave you did you think of pulling back on the zoom, and also of flipping the camera over to take some verticals too?

[Mark Dumbleton]

Must agree with the bird being tight in the frame - Ive spent many hours waiting for these birds to fly, and also find they sit and sit and sit. Super HA.