Another (Better?) Malachite

[laurie golden]

I processed another Malachite, picking one that was larger with a better angle to the camera, I lightened the face and lowered the sharpening.

Nikon D3S, 500mm plus 1.7 converter
ISO 800, F9, 1/400 sec

Blurred background and 10% crop

[Randy Stout]

Laurie:

I think this one is an improvement with better head position and more detail visible because of the larger size in frame.

I might try to lighten the eye just a tiny bit more.

Sharp and well exposed. The sharpening looks good to me. You don't want the feathers to look too overdone, they start to have unnatural textures. Good here.

The colors seem just a bit muted for this fellow, perhaps the lighting that day.

Cheers

Randy

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Laurie, typical pose for this little guy, and captured out in the open. Normally, they are busy in foliage around water, so cool BG. Looking at your techs, the light obviously wasnt great, thus the slightly muted colours as Randy stated. Having said that, well done for not over saturating the colours either, as some tend to do that to these guys. Where was this captured?

[laurie golden]

Photo taken in the upper Mara. It had been raining and was cloudy when I took this photo in the late morning.

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks for the feedback Laurie. At one of my locations, I get to see these little jewels often. Infact, this past sunday I saw one, but as stated previously, he was busy flittering around, and the angle wasnt ideal. However, in good light, their colours are really striking. I hope you get another opportunity sometime. :w3

[Daniel Cadieux]

Neat little bird, and I like the curled feathers on the head. Excellent BG, good perch that I wish wasn't broken and dry at the tip. I wouldn't mind seeing the subject a bit higher in the frame but I still like it as is.

[Robert Holguin]

Real nice shot, lovely background, nice perch, and great pose.
Well done.