Half Collard Kingfisher

[Jan Fourie]

This was taken at Wilderness,near George ,South Africa
Camera :canon 1 D mark 111
Lens :canon 100-400mm f5.6
ISO 400
Shutter speed: 1/2500
f/7.1
Exp +1/3

[Kim Rollins]

Very nice! Great color, exposure and just enough blur on the far wing to show action too.

Perhaps you could have shifted everything to the right slightly but IMO well done as is.

[Arthur Morris]

Hey jan, Pretty darned amazing. I wish that you had been just a bit more to your left; this would have opened up the view to the head a bit and given a more dorsal view of the back, both plusses in my opinion.

Here's what puzzles me: assuming that this is right out of the camera i am wondering why the feet are pretty much even with the top of the perch (while the bird is already at such a steep downward angle). If you have an image of the bird on the perch, I would love to see it (or any others in the takeoff sequence as well). Just curious as heck.

Lightening the eye, the eye socket, and the face just a bit would likely improve it.

[Doug Brown]

Very cool image. Love the diving pose, and I'm interested in the answer to Artie's question. I would probably sharpen the bird a little, and I agree about lightening the eye.

[Tony Whitehead]

Answer to your question is here, Artie http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=50389
PS work looks a lot better than when previously posted, Jan. Perch pruning should be disclosed as per the sticky at the top of the page. I realy like the soft texture of the sky as a BG.

[Arthur Morris]

Answer to your question is here, Artie http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=50389. PS work looks a lot better than when previously posted, Jan. Perch pruning should be disclosed as per the sticky at the top of the page. I realy like the soft texture of the sky as a BG.

Thanks Tony. I am confused as to why Jan posted this separately. And yes Jen, we ask the following: " If you have significantly altered your image by adding or removing elements of the composition, we ask that you let folks know that as well." I know that you were not trying to fool anyone but I had not seen the original post....

[Jan Fourie]

I did not remove anything as the bird perched on a higher branch As I posted it before.It is incidental that he dived past this branch on his way to the water
jan

[Tony Whitehead]

I did not remove anything as the bird perched on a higher branch As I posted it before.It is incidental that he dived past this branch on his way to the water
jan

Confused when you say you didn't remove anything, Jan. The whole right hand twig has gone:confused:.

[Arthur Morris]

Jan, I too am quite confused; have you forgotten that you posted this:
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50389 ?

[Ofer Levy]

Hi Jan, how about this repost without the branch? I think it works nicely as I don't feel the branch really adds to the image. Also converted to sRGB for web presentation.

[Nevil Lazarus]

I agree -- much better without the perch...! Really nice capture of a bird not easily seen or photographed.

[Jan Fourie]

on this shot I did remove the twig,sorry for confusion:o
jan

[Arthur Morris]

on this shot I did remove the twig,sorry for confusion:o jan

No sweat. Thanks for letting us know.