Common Kingfisher

[Nadir Boutaba]

Hi,
Last week, I made shots of the kingfisher (it was my first time).
I begin with a quiet photography.

Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC-20E III

f/5.6 - 1/400 - ISO 1000

From a observation post(public), small pond.
Near Neuchâtel Lake, Switzerland.
No monopod or tripod, it was better for me in this observation post, so VR activated.
Really cloudy, a very slight rain, and several minutes after this shot it was hard raining.

[Allen Sparks]

Nadir,
I like the exposure and colors on the bird.

I imagine getting close to kingfishers is as tough where you are as it is in the US. Accepting that you could get no closer to the bird, I think some things would improve this shot. I would clone out the gray blobs that I imagine are rain drops. The majority of the BG is very nice but I would clone over or crop the upper portion of the BG so it is more uniform with the rest. The size of the perch being so large is a bit distracting for me as well. I would also burn or clone over the bright patch on the perch. Having said all that I have no kingishers at all in my portfolio so I would say this is a tough subject to start with if you are just beginning bird photography.

[Dumay de Boulle]

I like th space in t6he image. i would maybe crop a touch off the top to get rid of the light grey patch on the top of the image.

[Nadir Boutaba]

Thanks for your comments !

I agree with you two about the top.
I tried several crops to leave the top, but I wasn't satisfied.
If I crop with the same format, the kingfisher will be too centered vertically and horizontally.
If I crop with a wider format, the kingfisher will be too centered vertically.
And I don't want to use cloning, so I am hesitating between original and crop with wider format, in both case I win and loose something :2.

I'll think again, and thanks.

[Nadir Boutaba]

I chose the wider format, thanks for your help.

[Doug Brown]

Definitely a tough subject to get close to. I like the pose and detail. I'm with Allen about the crop. A tighter crop will eliminate the horizontal gray line up top and the gray blob at the bottom. I also would darken the brightest part of the perch. What do you think of this recrop?

[Nadir Boutaba]

Yeah I agreed about cropping the top, but I don't know if I'm allowed to post the new version.

About the blob, I don't really understand, it's perhaps not a positive point but it's neither a negative point in my point of view. Same about the perch.
And I don't like to crop too much, I'm with a DX format.
Yes your recrop is perfect, but I'm loosing too much resolution.

Sorry to disagree about the bottom part , but thanks again about the top !
If you can explain me more the problem about the gray blob, I'm curious.