Results 1 to 22 of 22

Thread: Alcedo atthis - Common Kingfisher

  1. #1
    Filipe Caetano
    Guest

    Default Alcedo atthis - Common Kingfisher



    Species(Tn/Eg/Pt) : Alcedo atthis - Common Kingfisher - Guarda Rios

    Camera: NIKON D70
    Shutter Speed: 1/250 seg
    Aperture: f/8
    Metering: Center-weighted Average
    Flash: SB-800, -1 stop
    Focal Distance: 450 mm
    Lens: Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX APO HSM + Sigma 1.4x EX DG APO Tele Converter

    This is my first post and I'm hoping that you'll like it. Anyway throw some critics or comments cause I am eager to learn more from you all.

    My best regards,

    Filipe Caetano.

  2. #2
    Glenda Simmons
    Guest

    Default

    Wow! What a keeper! Very sharp. Great behavior shot. The only minus thing that catches my attention, is the bright tone of the bottom of the fish. Welcome, and look forward to seeing more posts from you.

  3. #3
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Rock Hill, SC
    Posts
    886
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Well done! I would have opted for a wider aperture to get a faster shutter speed! What was your ISO? That said, you did a great job. Looks like plenty of sharpness and detail. Some may prefer a bit more room on the bottom, and I wish for a slightly better head angle.

  4. #4
    Filipe Caetano
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Glenda Simmons View Post
    Wow! What a keeper! Very sharp. Great behavior shot. The only minus thing that catches my attention, is the bright tone of the bottom of the fish. Welcome, and look forward to seeing more posts from you.
    Thank you Glenda. I know that the fish was not perfectly exposed, but is very difficult because it was wet and I had to blow some highlights to have an overall well exposed picture.

    Best regards,

  5. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Uk
    Posts
    503
    Threads
    84
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very nice, some careful cloning can reduce the highlight impact easily enough.
    Big fish, is there more, looks a mouthful.

    Tim

  6. #6
    Filipe Caetano
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by clknight View Post
    Well done! I would have opted for a wider aperture to get a faster shutter speed! What was your ISO? That said, you did a great job. Looks like plenty of sharpness and detail. Some may prefer a bit more room on the bottom, and I wish for a slightly better head angle.
    Thank you Colin. My ISO was at 200, that is the lower option on D70. You're right about the composition but at the action I didn't pay attention to that and I have some sorrow regarding that aspect, as this has no crop at all. Regarding the head angle, my choice was exactly as it is, because if I had wait for a better head angle I probably would loose that angle showing the all fish.

    Thank you both again for your kind words,

    Best regards.

  7. #7
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Rock Hill, SC
    Posts
    886
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Wow, full frame is a big bonus! Can you lighten the area about the eye at all? It might be nice to have some more seperation from the head.

  8. #8
    Filipe Caetano
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by timmunsey View Post
    Very nice, some careful cloning can reduce the highlight impact easily enough.
    Big fish, is there more, looks a mouthful.

    Tim
    Hello Tim

    Thank you very much for your kind words. I know that some cloning would make for a nicer highlights, but I don't agree with that. Not doing that will make me feel that I need to do better next time in the field.

    Best regards,

    Filipe Caetano.

  9. #9
    Filipe Caetano
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by clknight View Post
    Wow, full frame is a big bonus! Can you lighten the area about the eye at all? It might be nice to have some more seperation from the head.
    Thank you Colin to point me in the right direction. As opposed to what I said to Tim regarding cloning, I don't see any harm done lighten the eye, allowing for some more separation from the head, as you well said.

    Thank you again for the wise tip.

    Best regards,

    Filipe Caetano

  10. #10
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Miami, Florida
    Posts
    355
    Threads
    104
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    an EXCELLENT image!!! Very well done. Congrats!!!
    Mike

  11. #11
    Filipe Caetano
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Stern View Post
    an EXCELLENT image!!! Very well done. Congrats!!!
    Mike
    Thank you for your kind words, Mike.

    Regards,

    Filipe Caetano

  12. #12
    Laura Stiefel
    Guest

    Default

    Hi Filipe,

    An excellent catch for both you and the bird! I am liking this as presented other than wishing for slightly more room at the top of the frame. The mottled background is a perfect contrast for this brightly colored bird, in my opinion.

  13. #13
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Cheltenham, Glos UK
    Posts
    2,754
    Threads
    206
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Felipe,
    Cogratulations on a stunning first post! I love it as presented, and good for you for prefering to get things right in the field as opposed to tidying up in PS :)
    Best regards,
    Nicki

  14. #14
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,266
    Threads
    3,976
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Welcome to BPN Filipe!! An overall nice first post for sure. Good exposure on the KF, and perfectly sharp as posted. I love the small tongue almost touching the fish! For me, I'd personally prefer a better head angle than a better view of the fish...and I would also clone in some colour to the overexposed ares of the fish as per Tim - but I do respect your personal ethics so leave it as is if you wish. I find the comp tight top-to-bottom...you have a zoom so you might as well take advantage of it's versatility;)

    All in all a great start for you here, and I'm looking forward to more!!

  15. #15
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Sarasota, Florida, United States
    Posts
    3,522
    Threads
    475
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Filipe, great first post.
    Love the shot. Better HA would have been even better but getting a shot of a KF is not easy enough.

  16. #16
    BPN Member Bill Jobes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Pennsylvania
    Posts
    1,275
    Threads
    91
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I think it's a stunning photograph, Filipe ! Welcome to the BPN community!

    I fully agree that it's best to expose for the bird, first.

    However I would use some selective highlight adjustment to mute the bright lower fish. I would retain the glisten, as that's part of the scene, but just reduce the glare slightly so it doesn't beg for attention. :)
    Bill Jobes



    www.billjobes.com

    My BPN Gallery

    Walk Softly and Carry a Big Lens

  17. #17
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Bangalore, Karnataka
    Posts
    3,800
    Threads
    236
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Out pointed out.. Nice colours and sharpness here...

  18. #18
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    San Jose, CA
    Posts
    219
    Threads
    38
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Nothing common about this image! Well done!

  19. #19
    Filipe Caetano
    Guest

    Default

    Thank you all for your kind words, and for the effort in trying to help a newcomer with some great tips.

    Best regards,

    Filipe Caetano.

  20. #20
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Auranagabad ( MS ) India
    Posts
    12,833
    Threads
    766
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Big welcome to BPN and great image to start with
    TFS

  21. #21
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Posts
    18,545
    Threads
    1,318
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    exposure wise you did best, depending on camera model, sometimes sensor DR just doesn't allow having the brightest highlights and darkest blacks at the same time. here the fish was wet, directly reflecting sunlight like a mirror and the KF eye was pitch dark, your goal was to get the KF so your exposure is correct even though parts of fish are blown. keeping in mind this was an equipment limitation I would clone the highlights with no shame.

    head towards you would have been an improvement but most likely not possible.

    TFS, and welcome to BPN.
    New! Sony Capture One Pro Guide 2022
    https://arihazeghiphotography.com/Gu.../Sony_C1P.html


    ------------------------------------------------
    Visit my blog
    http://www.arihazeghiphotography.com/blog

  22. #22
    Filipe Caetano
    Guest

    Default

    Thanks for such good tips on this image.

    Best regards,

    Filipe Caetano

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics