The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I visited the state park pond this morning. It has filled back up with water with all the rain we’ve had recently. This kingfisher stopped by for a brief visit.
Specific Feedback
Wondering about the composition in the first image. I decided to leave in the tree branch it took off from.
Technical Details
Canon R7, 400mm f4 DO IS II, 1.4x extender III, monopod
ISO 800, f7.1, 1/4000s
Processed in DXO PureRaw 3 and Photoshop.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Both are marvelous, but I also prefer the second. It is so gorgeously sharp and that is such a lovely wing position! And the BG is perfect, with just the right amount of detail to show it is trees but not enough to distract. In the first, he is far enough from takeoff (probably 1/30 sec!) that it isn’t obvious he just took flight or that it was from the stick.
If you are into such things, you could re-locate the bird closer to the stick, and probably higher in the frame, since most people might expect he had been perched on the top of the stick. (Adding sky above would be needed then,)
I saw the first image in the thumbnail and thought what a great shot and then I saw the second shot which is even better-I prefer the wing position and the background and the angle of the flight. In the first image the branch adds some context and I’d keep it.
For a very skittish bird you’ve been getting some great shots of the kingfisher in flight. What’s your secret? I believe the R7 has a pre-capture option; are you using that? (pretty ticked off Canon didn’t add that as an upgrade to the R5, but I’m not paying $4300 for that feature.)
Hi Allen, thanks for the comment. No real secret but since finding the pond at the state park which has standing dead trees, kingfisher opportunities are more available as they perch on the tops of the trees to dive and preen. I’m finding my R7 with animal/eye tracking is also a big help as I can set the full viewfinder field for autofocus and the R7 is fast enough to maintain focus on these fast moving birds. I also have to be more aggressive in panning with the kingfishers since they move a lot faster than big birds such as great blues.
I haven’t used pre-capture. The shots I am really after are either straight in flight or especially diving shots entering and leaving the water. Pre-capture could probably help with the water shots if I was having trouble tracking the bird (which is fairly often) so that is something I might try in the future.
Hope that helps.
Allen, they are both very nice shots. These are hard to capture as they move quick. I had got a shot of one in flight a couple of weeks ago, but now I don’t see it in LR!!! I can’t believe I would have deleted it. It looked okay on the back of the camera, so I remember seeing it there. When I saw yours I went back to look at mine, and it isn’t there. The one and only shot of a Kingfisher in flight and I deleted it, it looks like. Oh well. I sure like both of yours. Yes, that eye tracking capability is great. I have had much better success rate with it. Just need better success at keeping them on the card. I still need to edit my photos from that shoot and post some. I am so glad that these guys are giving you opportunity at the state park to photograph them.
