Results 1 to 23 of 23

Thread: My Catch

  1. #1
    IOTY Winner 2010 Chris Kotze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    1,254
    Threads
    137
    Thank You Posts

    Default My Catch

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    This Pied Kingfisher caught this snack at a low water bridge in the Kruger Park.
    Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
    Lens 300 2.8
    SS 1/2500
    ISO 400
    f5.6, f8.0 would have been great
    Chris Kotze

  2. #2
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hindsight is 20/20 on aperture, but I don't think f/5.6 hurts you too much. Great looks at both predator and prey. Super detail and a solid exposure. I love the scales on the bill!
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  3. #3
    Nico Steenberg
    Guest

    Default

    Great exposure Chris, super sharp detail and the bg is a killer. Catch a bonus. Super shot

  4. #4
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Pretoria, South Africa
    Posts
    510
    Threads
    118
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Stunning detail Chris! Love the detail in the eye!

  5. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Stoney Point, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    6,868
    Threads
    512
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great image Chris. I like the details, prey, exposure and BG.

  6. #6
    Forum Participant BenBotha's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Alberton, South Africa
    Posts
    569
    Threads
    126
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Exellent shot, sharp and well exposed. The scales is a bonus.

  7. #7
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Posts
    500
    Threads
    50
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Could you get any closer so we can actually see the fish's tonsils? Very nice, only nit would be focus should be back a tad more in order to get that feather detail right behind the eye.

  8. #8
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    NJ
    Posts
    626
    Threads
    55
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Excellent capture for you and the KF..... very nice!

  9. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    2,162
    Threads
    668
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great capture. Yes, you could argue for F8, but this moment only lasted an instant, and you caught it!

  10. #10
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Aquebogue, NY
    Posts
    168
    Threads
    41
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    A real stunner scales and all!

  11. #11
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Rotonda West , FL
    Posts
    3,642
    Threads
    198
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Closest I've ever seen one so good for you with only a 300mm. Are they not as skiddish as the belted? More dof would have been great but this image works for me and I would be proud to own it.

  12. #12
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,266
    Threads
    3,976
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    DOF is okay with me...sharp where it needs to be. Scales on upper mandible are an awesome bonus. Excellent image, lots to like here!

  13. #13
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Merida, Yucatan,Mexico
    Posts
    2,809
    Threads
    453
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Stunning image with great eye contact from both prey and hunter; nice BG and yeah, the scales add a lot here. Congratulations.

    Lorant

  14. #14
    Ofer Levy
    Guest

    Default

    Fantastic image!!! Have you selectively brightened the eye? From my experience with these birds the eye is almost black rather than this brown.

  15. #15
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Pune, India
    Posts
    328
    Threads
    26
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    this is terrible image grt details on body and superb moment..

  16. #16
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in Africa
    Posts
    3,723
    Threads
    251
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very nice, Looks like the critical focus was on the shoulder so the head is sharp enough, but not as sharp as the shoulder. Love the eye contact from the fish...Ofer always comments on the eye about PK's, but the eyes are actually brown, not near black as he always says. Its the eye catchlight that makes the eye look darker, when I usually remove the catchlight in PP you can see the true color.. This does look a bit lighter than normal but can attest that the eyes are brown.

  17. #17
    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

    Awesome pose and the fish is a big plus, I agree with Dumay that shoulder is sharper than the head a bit selective sharpening on the head might help. an excellent photo overall, the intact fish with open mouth makes it very special
    New! Sony Capture One Pro Guide 2022
    https://arihazeghiphotography.com/Gu.../Sony_C1P.html


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

  18. #18
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Vernon, N.J.
    Posts
    480
    Threads
    76
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great capture Chris. I like the sharp eye and the fish catch is surely a bonus here.

  19. #19
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Johannesburg - South Africa
    Posts
    2,114
    Threads
    190
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Superb capture Chris, also love the scales and catch TFS

  20. #20
    Ofer Levy
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dumay Boulle View Post
    Very nice, Looks like the critical focus was on the shoulder so the head is sharp enough, but not as sharp as the shoulder. Love the eye contact from the fish...Ofer always comments on the eye about PK's, but the eyes are actually brown, not near black as he always says. Its the eye catchlight that makes the eye look darker, when I usually remove the catchlight in PP you can see the true color.. This does look a bit lighter than normal but can attest that the eyes are brown.
    Hi Dumay, here is my camera sees the eyes of this same species....
    http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ied+kingfisher

  21. #21
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Centurion, South Africa
    Posts
    21,360
    Threads
    1,435
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great close up Chris, and being on a low level bridge, I know why you went for a portrait. Good overall exposure, and thats a fair size fish he's caught.

  22. #22
    IOTY Winner 2010 Chris Kotze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    1,254
    Threads
    137
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks for all the kind comments and advice it's much appreciated.
    Ofer yes I did lighten eye, that said it's defiantly brown and this shows in the RAW file.

    More info on this species
    Pied Kingfisher ( Ceryle rudis, family: Cerylidae)

    Identification assistance for this avian species ...

    The Pied Kingfisher is a bird about the same size as a starling. The height of the Pied Kingfisher is about 25 cms and its weight is about 85 gms
    You will find that the male Pied Kingfisher plumage and colours are different to that of the female Pied Kingfisher

    • Head is black.
    • Eye is brown.
    • Bill is black.
    • Throat is white.
    • Back is black.
    • Legs are black.
    • This bird has normally proportioned leg length
    Chris Kotze

  23. #23
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Lovely detail as usual Chris. I love that the fishtail is OOF but agree with Dumay the shoulder seems sharpest - not a biggy though (I do this lots of times ).
    Agree their eyes are brown and I am sure some members of the species have darker and some lighter brown eyes.
    In Ofer's link the eyes are brown, just dark brown...in this one it seems lighter...could be an acceptable variance like some leopards have green and some blue and some grey eyes
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


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