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Thread: Hammerkop ( Scopus Umbretta)

  1. #1
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Default Hammerkop ( Scopus Umbretta)

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    Hello Everyone,

    I would like to share another image tonight, this time a Hammerkop. An interesting looking bird with a slightly flattened bill and long legs, hammer-shaped head and barred tail. It is not a bird of prey...and it mainly feeds on fish, so often found near dams, lakes and rivers. The Hammerkop builds huge nests out of twigs, usually in a large tree not far from water. Nests have a tiny entrance.

    This image was captured in May 2023 at Biyamiti weir, one of my favourite places in the Kruger Park.

    Techs as follows:

    Nikon D5
    Nikon 500mm F4
    ISO 640
    F7.1
    +2/3 EV
    1/2500s

    Processed in LR and PSCC. Full frame. Wish the OOF rock behind the subject wasn't there, would have loved a perfectly clean BG

    Kindly let me know what you think and how the image can be improved.

    Many thanks for your kind comments on my previous images - I truly appreciate your time to view and comment.

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Very nice. That is a crazy place for this species, no?

    with love, a
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  3. #3
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    Very nice. That is a crazy place for this species, no?

    with love, a
    Thank you so much Sir Arthur, glad you like it

    Indeed the place is stunning and offers great opportunities for photography, and especially after the rain when the river is flowing nicely. One often sees Fish Eagles, Saddle-billed Storks, Kingfishers, etc. The setting of the road on the weir allows for eye level images.

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela they are cool characters ... the Hammerkops !
    Never seen one resting like this , so you did well .
    I do like the overall frame for the most part , just the left hand side needs to go to have a cleaner edge . I do not mind the OOF rock ... tones and colors looking nice and you have fine details rendered in the subject .
    You become a aviation ... specialist.

    TFS Andreas

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Hello Andreas

    Must say I learnt a few things while going through those few avian shots from Kruger. Still learning. Deleted more images than I expected, for various reasons, one of them being DoF. Here I wanted to subject sharp in focus but wasn't so happy about the rock in the BG. Never gave a thought to the rock the subject is sitting on, and I agree with you a cleaner edge would have been ideal but...it is what it is...for now

    Definitely not a specialist, LOL...but I find it quite exciting, processing avian images, and being here in the Avian Forum is quite a thrill Thank you so much for feedback, I truly appreciate it!

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Regarding processing ... I have no difference in processing between wildlife and avian .

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    From shooting to PP, for me it is a very different ball game, Andreas
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    What a great bird, and it is sitting on a rather appealing rock too. Getting lower, if possible, would have helped to hide the oof rock behind the boulder, but it is still not bad. I love all the warm brownish tones throughout the image. Nicely done Gabriela!

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela, cool shot of this species, but it belies the size/scale of this bird and the head is just such a funny shape. If folk think an Osprey's nest is big, they should see a Hammerkop, its the size of a barn!!!

    The only thing I might suggest is a Midtone Curves, or add the Black adjustment and if you mask and it's too strong peg it back, think it might just pop a little more.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

  10. #10
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Thank you so much dear Daniel and Steve

    Dan, would have loved to get lower for a better POV but not possible in this instance. Even removed the bean bag from the car window and used my jacket instead

    And Steve, thank you, I will try the Black adjustment, pretty sure it will work nicely

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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