Malachite Kingfisher

[Geurt Bloem]

I created this image last year and forgotten it a little. This was taken early morning at Marievale, a bird sanctuary close to Johannesburg. The image is a vertical crop from the landscaped original.
Stats are:
Canon 1D M3 with 600mm plus 1.4TC
Av: f8
Tv: 1/800
ISO: 800.

Thanks for looking and any c&c helps my photography.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great find, head angle and details. I might put the bird a bit higher in the frame and remove the lower catchlight. Wider DOF would have been nice.

[Glenda Simmons]

What a beautiful bird. Wish it were on a prettier perch to better comliment him, but Wow!

[Tony Whitehead]

Agree with the above comments. I might crop a little from above. You have some significant red channel clipping which is causing some loss of detail - pushing the red saturation back a few points would be helpful. Lovely bird and light. Looks like there are a few algal threads on his face from his last dive!

[Fabs Forns]

I was going to say to go back on the red saturation, just as Tony suggests, you will get more detail in the bill. Lovely head angle and pose, congratulations.

[Art Kornienko]

Agree with Tony about the red channel and not sure about the crop, find a little too much room at the top.

[Geurt Bloem]

Thanks all. Did not look at the red channel clipping and that is my bad. As to cropping, I cannot do much at the bottom from original and will have to add some canvas there. Space at top was a pain for me yes and thanks for pointing that out as well.

[Ken Watkins]

I know it is extremely difficult to get decent images of this bird not only is it small but it rarely sits in an uncluttered spot. I have tried for years with no success, the best I have have a wooden bridge post as a perch!
I also agree with the previous comments that there is too much room at the top and the suggestion to reduce the red.

[Arthur Morris]

Lovely bird and pose. The perch leaves much to be desired. Like the light and the BKGR.

The yellows and the reds both need some de-SAT.

[Arthur Morris]

I know it is extremely difficult to get decent images of this bird not only is it small but it rarely sits in an uncluttered spot. I have tried for years with no success, the best I have have a wooden bridge post as a perch! I also agree with the previous comments that there is too much room at the top and the suggestion to reduce the red.

Check this one out Ken: http://www.birdsasart.com/bn243.htm (and scroll down). I got lucky on a boat ride in Kenya....

[John Deakin]

Hi Geurt, the red does look a tad overdone as has been pointed out already but doesn't look too overly un natural. I would also crop from the top to just above the point where the beak is pointing. The clear bg is great and very difficult to achieve with these guys.

Arthur, took a look at your link, great images as usual, is the Pygmy KF not a juv MK though ?

John

[Tony Whitehead]

Arthur, took a look at your link, great images as usual, is the Pygmy KF not a juv MK though ?

John

I have to agree with you, John. Pygmy would need an orange eyebrow - looks like a juvenile Malachite

[Ken Watkins]

Art,

Thanks for providing the link I have seenthis before, I did not get your newsletter back then. The Malacite is one of the best I have ever seen, also love the Wildebeeste.
Having checked in my SASOL book I have to say thart John and Tony are correct about the Pygmy, but this is also a great picture.

[Arthur Morris]

You are all correct, it is a Malachite. We knew, but have fogotten to make the correct. Thanks all on all counts.

Hey, I just quoted from Bulletin #14 in a gear and equipment post; now that is an old one!

[Callie de Wet]

Hi Geurt - Nice one, as mentioned elsewhere. Good to see you around and over on the Dark Side:D