Make Room Please

[Stu Bowie]

Both these Pied Kingfisher's are males, and I was actually focused on the KF on the right, waiting for a take off shot. The other KF appeared in my viewfinder, and I just clicked away.

Taken from the Mankwe hide in the Pilanesberg nature reserve at the end of May.

Canon 50D
100-400 @ 400mm
1/2500
F/5.6
ISO 640

Exp Comp +0.33
Hand Held

[Ofer Levy]

Nice action and interaction shot! I wish more of the face of the bird on the right could be seen but still lovely.

[Chad Caswell]

Awesome bkg and yes a great interaction shot.. I agree about the face but feel it can be improved by just adding a more distinct catch light in his eye.. Great shot!

[Marina Scarr]

Lovely action/behavior you have captured here. I would dodge the right bird's eye and surrounding area to bring out a little more detail.

[Kiran Poonacha]

Beautiful light and BG here Stuart Bhai, the DOF has worked out well too.. :cheers:

[Sachin Saraf]

Beautiful Capture Stuart...very sharp and BG is also wonderful.

[Stu Bowie]

Thank you all for the feedback and comments.

[Steve Kaluski]

Your 'clicked away' paid off here Stuart. Would agree with Ofer about trying open up the blacks, especially the RH bird.

TFS
Steve

[gail bisson]

Lovely picture. Everyone has identified the issue with the dark face on RH bird so I think you HAVE to repost it with our recommended change!!:bg3:
gail

[Steve Canuel]

Hi Stuart,
Nice timing on catching the approaching bird. You got him on the perfect line with the downward sloping perch. Also like the BG here.

[Mitch Carucci]

Love the interaction... so hard to capture!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Main concern already identified (right bird's face), and I actually wish there was a bit more room at right for more perch showing. Otherwise super job here, excellent interaction. Great BG...

[Stu Bowie]

Thank you all for the feedback and suggestions. Here is my repost with opening up the head of the KF on the right, and having more perch for Dan. :w3 ( maybe the clump of perch is a touch overpowering - or is it fine ???? )

This was actually my original processed image without the lightened KF, but having included more of the perch.

[arash_hazeghi]

awesome interaction Stu, lovely pose, BG and perch, excellent details and sharpness as presented. It would have been more ideal if the perched one had its head in the sunlight but you did your job well!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yes, I prefer more perch! I know its very subjective, but here is how I envision the comp for this. Oh, and I performed a bit of eye doctoring:S3:

[gail bisson]

Love the repost! I like the little clump of wood as it introduces a nice diagonal line. Daniel's eye doctoring is amazing,

Gail

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Dan, thanks for your comp suggestion - it does work, as it center's the subjects. Great work on the eye.

Thanks to you too Gail.

[Ofer Levy]

I like your repost in Pan#13 more than Daniel's crop suggestion which is too tight IMO and doesn't let the birds room to 'fly'. I do like what Daniel has done to the eye (works in this small version for sure). Here is my take with your repost slightly cropped off the left and used Daniel 'doctored' eye....:tinysmile_shy_t:

[Doug Brown]

Nice teamwork from everyone to get the most out of an already outstanding image. Sure do love the KF on the left!

[Stu Bowie]

Ofer, Doug, thanks for your feedback guys.