Printable View
Taken on the bridge leading in and out of Duba plains. Anyone who has been there will know the bridge only too well. Not something you wish to stop on for too long!!! Taken about 11.15am so the light was getting harsh.
Steve
Subject: Juvenile malachite kingfisher on reed (Alcedo cristata)
Location: Botswana
Camera: Canon MKIV
Lens: 500f/4 - HH
Exposure: 1/640s at f/9 ISO800 0 stop compensation
Crop: Slight crop for presentation (original capture horizontal)
Steve,
this is still a razor sharp being in odd lighting condition you managed really well capturing rich colors and look back pose.
Now that the bird is looking right top it would be nice to place the bird on more left size 1/3rd part.
It would be another view to have it vertical crop bit tighter if not cropped more as i see plenty of detail in image it would set for that.
here's my crop from yours. may be you can make larger from original
Light looks like harsh on this one and you did really well...Lot of details...I might try pulling up shadow details slightly or may be try masking back and getting some light on face...I liked the Mitals comp but would like to have some more space at top.What is that thing on it's neck?
Thanks guys.
Mital, I tend to shoot if time allows, the shot I want ie landscape, then change so I do have the KF shot in portrait format too, just liked the pose & HA on this.
Sachin, I think I will keep as is, when printed at A3 the detail is there albeit slightly in shade and if I lighten it it may give the wrong impression IMHO, however I appreciate the feedback, always worth another pair of eyes, thanks.
A beautiful picture. A beautiful bird. If it was mine would cut a little at the top of the image, and a little bit on the left side. Then the bird had been higher and a little out of center.:S3:
Nice subject and perch, Steve. Sounds like tough shooting conditions. It's too bad it was captured late in the day. In the OP, the bird is too centered for my taste. Mital's version isn't too bad but it takes away the artsy feel you had with your ferns in the OP.
Allthough i am not too fond of Kingfishers...:w3:bg3:...i really like this one despite the harsh light.
Would have been nice placed a tad more to the left and some more space to the right but i would be happy to have one of these in my files.
greetings,
Jeroen Stel
Jeroen, many years ago I marvelled at your KF and still do, this is getting close, but not that close sadly. :bg3:
Hi Steve,
I see you are coming over to the "good" side!!:bg3: I like the HA and the details in the feathers and the perch.Tack sharp. I like both the horizontal and vertical compositions. You are right about the light-quite harsh and casts some unfortunate shadows,
Gail
You managed to show the colors so well on this guy. I really like the perch and that would be my reason for keeping the horizontal yet the vertical is nice too. The only think I don't like is the light area in the bg behind the bird. Love the head turn too.
Beautiful photo Steve. I like the OP, but think some off the top would look nice.
Thanks everyone.
Cheryl that part is far smoother in print. :w3 I will be looking out for your next post, especially the colour. :bg3::bg3:
Steve
Im a big fan of your work but for me this doesn't work, the light angle and filling of shadows doesn't work or look good for me especially where the beaks shadow ends and the bright piece emerges on the contour of the breast. The sharpening is also overdone. I feel for bird photography 99.9 percent of the time the light needs to be behind you. I really like the original comp with the addition of the perch and leaves and the clean BG is always a winner for Avian...Just my opinion on the overall image:e3:S3:
I'll pack my bags Dumay. :bg3:
Steve, liked the colors, details and the look back. this is a tough one to compose/ crop for sure.
