Andean Motmot, Colombia

[Peter Dexter]

Canon 7D w/400 5.6 & 580 EX ll

1/800
F 7.1
ISO 1000
Flash Compebsation 0
Noise reduction w/Neat Image

This subspecies, M. a. aequatorialis is from Colombia and eastern Ecuador.

[Faraaz Abdool]

Hi Peter - lovely mot mot you got here! I like the perch with the mossy detail and the smidgen of vegetation on it. The bird seems to centred in the frame though - you could try cropping from the LHS. Although I'm not sure about the image quality, and if it'd stand up to a further crop. The flash is also too strong, I know that these birds are famous for never coming out of the shade. I had a similar problem with a Trinidad mot mot I posted a few weeks ago. Just curious - why did you use such a high ISO even though you were using flash? Also try to avoid the branch in the BG intersecting the subject.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Peter, interesting looking species, especially the end of the tail, and I do like the inqisitive pose. Nicely in the open for your part of the world, which gives us a great view of the colours. Good use of subtle flash, but I feel it still needs a touch of overall brightening. I would also run a round of NR on the BG.