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Female Kingfisher
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Female Kingfisher

by Karen Summers

Gallery: AvianPosted November 19, 2010222 views20 comments
I watched this kingfisher for ages bashing away at this poor fish, she just couldn t quite get it down for a while and was even flying around with it before trying again.The colours in this one are quite vibrant but thats just how they were I have done nothing to them, the sun come out and brought out the vibrancy.

Canon 1DMK4, Canon 500f4L + 1.4 convertor, ISO 400,f8, 1/500

Comments

20 comments
Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on November 19, 2010 at 6:36 AM

Another very fine KF image, Karen. Always great to capture one with a fish and great eye contact with the hunter and the prey.

Andy...
Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Moore on November 19, 2010 at 6:43 AM
Great colors and pose Karen.The little fish does look frazzled.It will be interesting to see what the others say - I see a little something going on on the shoulder area -perhaps a little too much sharpening?

Dan
Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments
Comment posted by Lee fisher on November 19, 2010 at 9:13 AM
Cracking colours and the light has really increased the level of detail captured here.
Like the eye of the fish too.
:toast: :toast:
Lee
Registered on September 10, 2010, 13 Posts, 89 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on November 19, 2010 at 9:20 AM
Karen,

I especially like how you presented this with the naturally vibrant colors of this species. Beautiful light, pose, details & sharpness. I also love how you not only got a catchlight in the bird's eye but in the fish too. Well balanced compositon and an appealing background.
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on November 19, 2010 at 9:25 AM
It's always nice to catch them with prey Karen - especially when you get light in the eye of both bird and fish like this. I also like your composition and think the clean background works well to show off the feeding behavior. If this were mine I'd try reducing sharpening a little.
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Teller on November 19, 2010 at 9:55 AM
Very nice image. The color, perch, background are all great. The fish in the bill really adds to the pic.
Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments
Comment posted by Karen Summers on November 19, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Thanks everyone have only done my normal level of sharpening maybe the bright light has made the difference, I can always take another look at the raw and reduce the sharening a tad, cheers for the comments
Registered on December 3, 2009, 83 Posts, 818 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on November 19, 2010 at 2:39 PM
Good detail and colors on the larger image, very stiking image, a nice shot for such bright light, way to go.
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by Danny Laredo on November 19, 2010 at 2:54 PM
This is real nice Karen. Love the moment and story you captured here.
Only wish for a better BG but still a very pleasing image.

BTW since I do not see any red in the lower bill I would say this is a male not female.
Registered on March 18, 2008, 71 Posts, 332 Comments
Comment posted by Karen Summers on November 19, 2010 at 3:14 PM
I think it is a female Danny you can just see the tinge of orange under the beak, I like the bg in this one as I have hyndreds of kingfisher shots and this one is different the bg is the water
Registered on December 3, 2009, 83 Posts, 818 Comments
Comment posted by Sally King on November 19, 2010 at 7:24 PM
Incredible image. Love the colors and the little fish in the bill. The perch makes a very nice contrast too.
Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on November 19, 2010 at 8:20 PM
awesome, Karen. love the perch, comp, and skewered fish. I might reduce brightness on the perch lichens a little.
Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on November 19, 2010 at 8:51 PM
Very sweet Karen, great eye contact from both kingfisher and prey. :toast:
Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Rob Drummond on November 19, 2010 at 11:30 PM
Wonderful image Karen - great detail, eye contact and the fish is a bonus

cheers
Rob
Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments
Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on November 20, 2010 at 7:19 AM
It has all been said! :smile:
Jagdeep Rajput :toast:
Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments
Comment posted by Tom Lusk on November 20, 2010 at 9:49 AM
Excellent shot! Everything is great - the bird/prey/perch/colours. :toast:
Registered on September 17, 2005, 312 Posts, 600 Comments
Comment posted by Geoffrey Baker on November 20, 2010 at 12:18 PM
A brilliant capture Karen, you've even managed to get the fish to pose perfectly for you too :smile:
Looks spot on to me, I can never tell if mine are sharpened too little or too much, it's a problem for me.

I'd be very happy with this one as it is.
Well done.

Geoff.
Registered on August 20, 2010, 192 Posts, 980 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on November 20, 2010 at 4:44 PM
Karen this is great. What awesome colors. Bird looks a bit oversharpened based on the wing area IMO and I might bring down the brightness of the moss on the perch just a tad if this were mine. Well done overall.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by David E Lester on November 21, 2010 at 8:08 AM
Great shot...WOW!!
Registered on March 24, 2010, 155 Posts, 793 Comments
Comment posted by May Haga on November 21, 2010 at 10:59 AM
Wow, pretty amazing. You even have the fish lined up so that we get to see the sad look in his eye.
May
Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments