Toucan Barbet

[Nate Chappell]

Here's a Toucan Barbet from one of our trips to Ecuador. This one and a couple of others were coming into banana feeders at Sachatamia Lodge in Mindo. Cropped a bit on top and left.

MkIII 500F4 1.4X 1/100 F7.1, iso 1000, evaluative metering -0.3, 580 ex -1.3, Gitzo Tripod

[Randy Stout]

Nate:

A very nice image. Sharp, well exposed, good composition, interesting perch, nice background.

Makes me want to head way south!


Randy

[Dick Glover]

Nate,
I like the pose, sharpness, BG and this unusual bird. All combine to make a very fine image. Only suggestion might be to remove the small white spots on the head. We missed this one while in Ecuador, so thanks for sharing.
Dick

[Aidan Briggs]

Lovely BG and subject. Very sharp throughout. I would like to see that interesting perch more in focus, but judging from your settings, there wasn't enough light for a higher f-stop.

Well done.

[Simon Bennett]

Very crisp presentation of a very cool bird.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Lovely control of flashlight, great looking bird, cool perch and beautiful background.

[Ramon M. Casares]

Great light, detail, BG, pose, perch and colors, great DOF in the bird. COngratulaitons!

[Arthur Morris]

Nate, please do not take this personally but this image is dead KILLER! A great bird, sharp, cool perch, a great bird--what colors--oh my!, wonderful EXP, great pose and head angle, and a sweet BKGR.

How were the hummingbird feeders at that lodge?

[Nate Chappell]

Thanks Artie! The hummingbird feeders are very good there, if we run a tour to the west side we always stay there when in Mindo. It's the best place to see and photograph Velvet-purple Coronet, one of the most beautiful species. Of course, there are many other species there as well. Besides that, its a really nice lodge, particularly if you stay in one of the detached units.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for the info Nate. Do you know if the Toucan Barbet is regular there or were you just lucky?

[Nate Chappell]

The Toucan Barbet is regular there. Sometimes they will come to the banana feeders, which is ideal because then you have a chance to get this type of shot. However, sometimes they will only come in the early morning to pluck insects from the trees near the lamp post. I think it depends how much wild fruit is available in the surrounding forest. If they are just coming for the insects it's more difficult to get a clean shot, but it's certainly the best spot I know of in Ecuador to get a good image of one. I have head shots from the feeders as well.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks again Nate. I keep scrolling back up to enjoy that beautiful bird. Is the red at the base of the bill fruit or part of the bill?

[Nate Chappell]

Thanks Artie, it is part of the bill.

[Mark Schmitt]

Just love the bird, and the exposure is excellent. If I may, if it were mine, I might do some PP on the darker portions of the wing to lift some of the detail that is there: perhaps in a layer of it's own and use curves and a bit of selective dodgeing: just MHO. Great shot, that being said. ;-)