Inquisitive

[Stu Bowie]

Most of my Kingfisher images are of them perched high looking down to the water for their next meal. I thought I would try a different comp and quite liked the result. This guy was very alert of others flying around the perch, thus the inquisitive head turn. Taken very early morning in the Pilanesberg National Park back in April. Yes, the perch is a touch large in the image, but unfortunately, there are no small perches at this location. The BG is distant grassland on the opposite side of the dam. Im off there on sunday again, and really looking forward to some Kingfisher action.

Canon 1D Mark IV
Canon 300F/2.8 +2X TC = 600mm
1/1000
F/6.3
ISO 800

Manual exposure
Hand held.

[Jim Crosswell]

Beautiful image Stuart! I like the look back pose, open beak, exposure, perch and sweet BG. Although the perch is large it has character and it is mostly what they choose to land on. I tried a pano crop with the perch coming out of the top of the frame and liked it but it did eliminate some of that beautiful BG. I do like the crop the way its presented and was just looking at alternatives.

[David Salem]

What a beautiful frame Stuart. The pose with the upward gaze and a strong catchlight really looks good and that mottled colorful BG is awesome. I tried a pano and like it a bit better, brings the bird a little higher up in the frame, but still great just the same.
Nice work.

[Munish Kaushik]

Superb soft lighting in the frame. Loved the background & the perch. Agree with David & feel that the bird is tad down in the frame for me as well. But I still love it the way it is.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hello Stuart, lovely bird, lovely image. You might try a 4x5 vertical crop, it puts less of the perch in the image and lessens it's dominance.

[keith mitchell]

Good luck on Sunday Stuart hope you get some more that are as good as this one, bird ,perch, and all look great set off against that superb BG.

Cheers Keith.

[Mike Poole]

3 things working together make this a good shot for me - firstly, the bird has an interesting pose with the head angle and the open beak. Secondly, the composition with the large perch, which really shouldn't work but does, as it almost 'wraps around' the bird, and thirdly, the colour of the branch being similar to the BG puts the final polish on.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Stu - Beautiful image with nice light, pleasing bg and a good pose. I don't mind the large perch. Good luck on Sunday and don't forget to take some mammal shots if they pass by.

TFS,
Rachel

[John Robinson]

+
Good one Stuart
I would have liked a bit of OOF something in the BG but that's just my quirk
Great stuff
JohnR

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

Rachel, will try and stop for an mammal shot on the way to the hide.

[christopher galeski]

Beautiful image Stuart,BG is pure magic,nice light,like the pose of the bird,and the perch do's not spoil the image,to me.TFS.

[Richard Flack]

Stunning image Stu. I have seen a lot of photographs from Mankwe hide and it is nice to see something different. Well done. I like the idea of a vertical crop, may be worth experimenting with. Have fun on Sunday!

[Satish Ranadive]

Stuart Sir, Definitely something different. Very nice inquisitive pose, tack sharp, beautiful colors and lights.
Composition ,love as it is.

Regards,
Satish.

[Randy Stout]

Stuart:

Lovely colors, bird, pose, sharpness. Def. a frame with lots of different cropping options. I like the original, but would play around with a few others too!

Good luck on your next outing.

Cheers

Randy

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Hi Stu, this is an awesome image. Great composition, I would leave it as it is! Wonderful detail and eye contact as well.

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Exquisite light and BG. Lovely bird and I like your unconventional comp. The pose is great and the spider web is a nice embellishment. Nicely done Stu.

[Jonathan Ashton]

That's a really super shot Stu, lovely details and exposure, a large perch but it works for me.