Photographed recently in the Peruvian Amazon - Tambopata River
I struggled with the crop on this one some. I have a vertical version but that makes it too big of a crop for some photo contests.
(If backgrounds have been removed, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Canon 5D4 500F4 1/250 at F5, iso 1250, handheld from boat
Very interesting image, Nate. Gives one a good idea of the size of the capybara. I really like the environment in the shot with both the caracara and capyrbara very sharp. Given they are both looking to the left, I think you can try recomposing the frame with them a little more to the right.
What a neat pose the two of them gave to you, Nate! I am not familiar with either, so don’t know if that is common for the Caracara to sit on the head of a Capybara, but I find it almost humorous. A neat shot.
Fun moment, and that caracara sure is striking. I can see how the crop is a tough choice. My initial instinct is in line with S Govindarajan’s: having them a little more to the right in the frame may work. I think you’re right that a vertical would work if you weren’t worrying about pixels, but otherwise, the left-facing directionality–though not extreme–may lend itself to a placement on the right side.
Max
Thanks Shirley, I think it’s quite rare, the guides down there had not seen it before. He at first thought it was a Giant Cowbird as this is the species which usually perches on that animals head.
Impressive behavior! Is there some kind of symbiotic behavior here, rare as it is, or is it an infrequent available perch? I think I’d like to see it with a tad more on the bottom and right.
Thanks David, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Caracara was looking for insects and therefore the Capybara was ok with him being there. Giant Cowbirds normally pick insects from this species in that area. The Capybara eventually shook his head and the Caracara flew off.
What a cool shot you got here, Nate. Of course around here I see this with cattle egret all the time. Fascinating how interspecies tolerance worldwide has evolved into symbiotic relationships among birds and larger animals. But this is my first such occasion to see with a Capybara. The composition, while a bit awkward, works pretty well considering hand held from a boat. Entertaining and thanks for sharing.
This crop works well for me, Nate. A very cute, unusual, and interesting image that should do well in contests.
Hi Nate,
A very amusing image. I’m OK with the crop of the image that was presented. …Jim
