Two open mouths...

[Stu Bowie]

...and one will go down the other. I wonder how these Pied Kingfishers get their catch just right for me to capture the perfect shot. Taken in the Pilanesburg nature reserve. Cropped to vertical. This was taken two years ago - today I would have maybe captured this vertical in camera. Not the perfect light direction either, but early morning.

Canon 50D
100-400 @ 400mm
1/1600
F/6.3
ISO 640

Exp Comp +0.33
Hand held

[Randy Stout]

Stuart:

I love the fish with open mouth and the scale falling off as he wacks it against the tree.

The light angle is the problem, because the face is so dark. I have been working more and more off the light angle, but it is hard to make it fly if the face is too dark.

A little head turn more to his left would have really helped with the lighting.

Still a fun picture.

Cheers

Randy

[DanWalters]

Great capture! Like the fish in the bill. Maybe just a little more detail around the eye.

[Don Lacy]

Hi Stuart great capture just needed some dodging and burning of the shadows and highlights to even out the tonalities.

[John Guastella]

Great capture. Don's repost is a major improvement, but there's only so much one can do in PS with an image taken at a suboptimal light angle.

John

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks a stack guys.

Don, I really like what you have done. As stated in my intro, I probably wouldnt have taken this shot two years ago, due to the light angle. This is how we learn over time being on this site.

[Tony Whitehead]

Great poses from victim and prey, Stu. Light angle is calling for fill flash. Catchlight in the eye suggests flash was used or was this added in post?

[Don Lacy]

Thanks a stack guys.

Don, I really like what you have done. As stated in my intro, I probably wouldnt have taken this shot two years ago, due to the light angle. This is how we learn over time being on this site.

Stuart I would take this shot in a second the fish with it wide open mouth more then makes up for the side lighting and for me is the main subject of the image now some more fill flash or a better angle would have improved it artistically but it is still a fine image.

[Stu Bowie]

Great poses from victim and prey, Stu. Light angle is calling for fill flash. Catchlight in the eye suggests flash was used or was this added in post?

Thanks Tony. No flash used, but there was a slight glint in the eye which I enhanced. Should have mentioned it in my intro.

[Arno Ellmer]

A fine shot , Stu ! Great improvement when shadows were enhanced !
Take nothing away from a super(fish ) moment captured!

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Stuart, loved the moment...nice timing.

[Mike Milicia]

Great pose and prey but light angle detracts for me.

[Doug Brown]

Love the poses! Don did a great job with the repost. It's really tough if you don't have some fill flash and the light angle isn't quite right on a bird with white and dark plumage.

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Yeah !! Great image , but the light was not with you . Don's epost looks good .

[Pieter de Waal]

Nice capture Stuart - both of you. It is amazing the size of prey these guys can swallow. Love the poses, both look a little surprised. Don's repost has helped a lot.

[James Salywoda]

Awesome Shot ! I love the pose captured.

[Jim Crosswell]

Nice image Stuart! I like the perch, prey and BG. Dons repost improves the image.

[Stu Bowie]

Thank you all for the kind words.

[Craig Brelsford]

To me, Don solved the problem of the light angle; what an improvement. Now we can relax and enjoy the double open mouths. Great work, Stu. Please never hesitate to harvest an opportunity like this!