Kingfisher II

The lighting in this photo was a challenge. The kingfisher was in the shadow, moving pretty quickly (as was the stickleback in its beak), the background, fully out of focus with the bird being very close, was very bright. I went for a fast enough shutter speed and slight underexposure and decided to 'rescue' the image in PP. While that worked out well enough to create a decent image, I am not completely satisfied with the shot, mainly because there's hardly any detail in the shadows.

Kingfishers aren't much bigger than the fish they catch; that's why the fish needs to be dead in order to be eaten. They beat the fish against the branch they're sitting on ( this branch is frequently visited by them, as you can see looking at the surface of the branch, which has not only lichen, but also fish scales on it) until it stops moving, then toss it around skillfully to get the head into their beak to swallow it. All this takes about 10 seconds. This bird deserves its name.

I enjoy your narrative as much as I do your photography. The photo feels almost like an illustration for a child's book or even a decal but for me it works very well on its own. You can imagine this picture in a young person's book on birds or nature along with the accompanying commentary. If I were a child reading such a book, it would open my mind to all the treasures in the world around us (as it really did when I was a young boy. I was a voracious reader and in love with books, especially those with good illustrations.)

Hi Jack,

 

thanks for your interesting comments! The reference to illustrations in a child's book on birds is very pleasing to me, as I was a child who also devoured books on wildlife and nature in general, especially the ones with beautiful pictures. I remember a book from the early 20th century with heavily retouched (I didn't realize that at the time) black-and-white animal photos that we had in our home that really inspired me to go out and discover the beauty of nature.

An exceptional image, very well composed, I like the diagonal composition, the blurred background brings out the sharpness of the bird and its prey, perhaps but it could be my monitor I see a bluish cast that hides the greenish component of the plumage, your note adds value to the image, Bravo Vincent, ciao Giangiorgio

Hi Giangiorgio,

Thanks for your visit and very nice comments! I see what you mean regarding the colors. I think the bluish cast may be caused by the shadow the bird was in. Kind regards, Vincent

Hi Vincent, in my opinion you made a masterpiece, it isn't easy to seize the moment of a similar photo, and an occasion that you have yielded very well, it will be difficult to have another.

Best regards, Max

Hi Massimo,

 

that's a great compliment, thank you! In fact it is part of a series of shots, so there are others, but not all of them have come out out so well. As I said in my comment, this all goes very fast, so you're lucky if you have one good image. Kind regards, Vincent

Vincent, you did an excellent job with capturing this photo as well as processing it into this beautiful image. I have taken a lot of bird photos in difficult lighting and wasn't able to get as good of results as you have, but the fun is to keep trying. Warmest regards, Todd

Hi Todd,

 

thanks for your appreciation of this image with which I struggled quite a bit! I knew the photo's action was fine, but in order to keep some sharpness, I had to increase my shutter speed and hence the outcome was an underexposed shot. After some serious editing I think it looks okay, but as you say, I will do it differently next time, i.e. an even higher ISO and a little more noise, but better exposure. Kind regards, Vincent

The composition presents the bird and fish very nicely. Getting the fish in focus while the bird handles it is an amazing moment. The bird and fish stand out beautifully from the background. A very nice image. Best regards, Paul.

Hi Paul,

 

thanks for your appreciation and interest in my photos! Yes, the composition and the moment are fine, but as I said in my comment I didn't handle the light as well as I could have. Kind regards, Vincent

Excellent shot!

Hi Warren,

 

thanks for your friendly comment and appreciation! Kind regards, Vincent

Great shot...nicely captured! Regards.

Hi Walter,

 

thanks a lot for your friendly comment! Kind regards, Vincent

Unbelievable capture with fantastic aesthetic and technical quality! I can't believe my eyes, Vincent! My sincere compliments, maestro! PDE

Hi Pierre,

 

many thanks for your very friendly comments that are more than I deserve for this shot. It's a good picture, but I messed up the lighting a bit. Kind regards, Vincent

Vincent,

Quality work,

Well done!

ZT,

Vincent, having little time now to determine if I could come up with original comments, I'm going to take the easiest way out and agree as sincerely as possible with those already posted. My general observation is that this image fires on all cylinders in whatever manner is significant in photography. - - My best always, michael

You should be (almost) completely satisfied. Next time you get a shot with all the details preserved in the shadows. But then the bird might not have such an interesting catch in its beak. And so on. Photography is almost impossible to get perfect . I think it was the great Richard Avedon, who once stated that throughout his entire career he had only made about a handful of real "keepers". Oh well... In Danish we have a proverb saying that "the best is the worst enemy of the good."

Hi ZT,

 

thanks for your appreciation! I'm glad you like it. Kind regards, Vincent

Hi Michael,

 

I appreciate your taking the time to comment when you actually don't have it! I am honored to get such a compliment coming from you and thank you wholeheartedly! Kind regards, Vincent

Hi Philip,

 

thank you very much for your wise comments! Of course I know what you say to be true, but there's always this nagging thought of the 'better' photo, certainly in bird photography; I'm sure you know what I mean. I think that Danish proverb is right on the money. Luckily I'm not quite so self-critical as Richard Avedon. Kind regards, Vincent

By the way, Vincent, now unravelling some of the mysteries and telling me that you are Dutch, do you then perhaps happen to know Pim Leijen or Menno Schaefer? Maybe you even went together that day taking pictures of the kingfisher and its fine catch? The bird seems to be sitting even on the same twig on both theirs and your picture? Is it at good place to shoot the little bird, and maybe you can tell us the location?

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/kingfisher-on-twig-green-background-488148262

 

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/kingfisher-fish-487834069?src=eHrj1q4LexEYWWljloMx1Q-4-99

Hi Philip,

 

alas, the link you sent doesn't work, but I know after some checking it is the same spot and twig. Maybe I have met the photographers you mention, but I don't know for sure. I have checked their profiles on 500px; they're both brilliant nature photographers! The location is called 'vogelkijkhut Lepelaarplassen', Almere, the Netherlands. You can get there via a small road starting at the 'Bezoekerscentrum de Trekvogel'. Kind regards, Vincent