Crested Barbet

[Hendri Venter]

I created this image in our garden.

Canon 1D MK III
300 F2.8 + 1.4 TC
1/3200 sec
F8
ISO 1250
Exposure -1 step

[Harshad Barve]

Stunningly beautiful image of beautiful bird in flight with nice wing pose , BG , light and details
TFS

[Daniel Cadieux]

Good downward wingstroke, and lovely BG. Good timing on your part - my guess is this guy has just sprung off a perch? Quite contrasty due to harsh light, and the image suffers a bit from subject motion blur (this guy must be fast!).

[Randy Stout]

Hendri:

excellent timing, composition, colors.

Agree about the blur. I am surprised at this SS to see this much blur, and wonder if there isn't a focus issue here as well. Do you know where the focus point was?

Cheers

Randy

[Hendri Venter]

Thanks guys. Not sure Randy but I normally focus on the eye. Yes they are fast but 3200 SS should have been adequate.

[Randy Stout]

Hendri:

On NIkon software, you can set it to display the focus point on the image. Do you have that capability with Canon? It is often very handy to check yourself. I would think it a real challenge to hit the eye on this fellow when he blasts off! :)

Randy

[Hendri Venter]

Don't have that luxury on the Canon Randy. What I've done here is focus on the bird's eye while perched, lock the focus and move away in the direction he indicates on flying off. Maybe the take off wasn't 100% on the same plane.

[Randy Stout]

Hendri:

I am guessing he did fly out of your plane of focus, as you surmised. I have tried in flight pictures of the birds in my backyard, and really appreciate the challenges. Often the camera jumps to the background and won't stay locked on the bird. Your strategy is probably better, but then you have to worry about flight path varying from what you anticipated.

Keep working them. Very nice bird, so close on this one.

Randy

[Chris van Rooyen]

Sounds like a good strategy to me Hendri. The SS is also right on the money. Overall a very pleasing image

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Don't have that luxury on the Canon Randy.

Canon ImageBrowser does allow you to activate the AF point display.

Although if your MO is One Shot mode + focus + recompose, then I'm guessing the AF point display will not account for the recomposition.

Love the composition and the background. Gorgeous bird.

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Hendri, great timing, and another vote wondering why that ss didnt freeze him. I love the wing position, and you nailed the exposure on those colours nicely, as they are tricky at the best of times.

[DanWalters]

Great action! Like the vibrant colors and the details in the wings.

[Hendri Venter]

Thanks all for your comments and Sidharth for pointing out the AF in image browser.

[Kiran Poonacha]

Loved the image, great looking bird and details.. congrats..

[David Fletcher]

Super action and colors Hendri. Can't fault your technique as looks a pretty sound strategy as mentioned. Beautiful bird and nicely done.