Malachite Kingfisher.

[Loukie Viljoen]

This PK was absolutely against the sun, I am trying out the Better Beamer, this was an extreme case.So there are plenty halos to jump on but not my doing but the Contré Jour lighting.Thanks for looking.

Camera Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Date/Time: 2009:03:17 07:23:18
Shutter speed: 1/300 sec
Aperture: 18
Exposure mode: Tv
Exposure compensation: -1/3
Flash: External E-TTL
Flash exposure compensation: -1
Metering mode: Evaluative
Drive mode: Continuous
ISO: 400
Lens: EF500mm f/4L IS USM
Focal length: 500mm
Subject distance: 5.85 m
AF mode: AI Servo AF
Image size: 3888 x 2592
Image quality: Raw
White balance: Preset
Color space: AdobeRGB

[Dan Walker]

I like the pose and deatils, good DOF. I would like to see the bird a bit brighter. I think the rim light from the backlight works well. I would clone out the dark OOF object on the right side. Nice image

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Nice work Loukie with that backlight. Agreed about the dark BG patch. You should be very pleased! :)

[Zenon Char]

Nice capture.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the details, and look-back pose and would try to clean up the dark spots in the BG and raise the color temperature a few degrees.

[Kobus Tollig]

I think you did a great job here. Like the back lighting and exposure works with great comp to. Its a pied kingfisher. Well done on this

[Tony Whitehead]

Good use of flash and BB - works very well against the back light. Nice pose and head angle. Agree re lightening the dark areas in the BG. Would also mask sharpening off the perch as there are some areas of it that look oversharpened and some that look soft. What WB preset did you use, Loukie? Seems to be a significant colour cast on my monitor. How does this neutralised version look?

[Loukie Viljoen]

Tony the BG is the water of Mankwe Dam in the Pillanesberg, The WB was auto WB, your photo looks acceptable, but the perch is too brown, they have been in the sun/rain for years in the middle of the dam, so they are more grey/blue than brown, in other words bleached. thanks for the interest.

[Stu Bowie]

Great use of flash Loukie, and you have exposed the colours nicely. Tony has shown how a great version too. Still, well captured.

[Loukie Viljoen]

Thank you for all the suggestions & crits. All appreciated, taken to heart, regards.L