HiKey Burchell's Coucal

Gallery: AvianPosted April 30, 2012183 views10 comments

This elusive bird is rarely seen as out in the open as this. The weather was abysmal, but provided me with an opportunity to create a high-impact high key rendition, enhanced by the wet look of his plumage after the previous night's incessant rain.

Taken recently in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa.

Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f4.0 @ 1/500 SS @ ISO-2500
handheld
EV +1.7
I don't normally go for a square crop but I did it here to maximise detail at web size and to limit the amount of dead space.
Curious to know what you think?

(I posted another sighting of this bird a while ago in better light - check my gallery)

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on April 30, 2012 at 11:21 PM

Very well done. An out of the box capture...

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on May 1, 2012 at 12:42 AM

Wow, Morkel, just wow! I don't know what else to say...

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on May 1, 2012 at 1:30 AM

Excellent bird, Morkel. I'm not usually a fan of high key but it works very well in this case. The detail in the feathers and the sheen is very impressive. I'm fine with the square crop.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on May 1, 2012 at 7:16 AM

I don't think anything but a square crop works for this, Morkel. Not the most flattering pose--I'm sure the bird would agree

--but I like the unique look.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on May 1, 2012 at 9:22 AM

You definitely made some lemonade with the rainy weather. I really like the detail and color of the bird against the white bcgrd. I do with there was a little more dof for the green lichen on the perch. I feel the same way as you about square crops but it works well in this case, for the reasons you give. I did the same in my eagle photo.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on May 1, 2012 at 11:56 AM

I'm not usually a fan of High Key images. This one seems to work pretty well with the stark contrast of the bird and sky. I'd look at removing the branch on the right below the tail to complete the high key look.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on May 1, 2012 at 4:53 PM

Thanks for the kind comments, folks...

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on May 1, 2012 at 5:36 PM

Neat bird and good IQ for such a high ISO. The black border always helps these high key images. The square format is fine for this image.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by David Hemmings on May 3, 2012 at 9:24 PM

Excellent image Morkel, lovely high key work, well done

Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on May 3, 2012 at 9:35 PM

High impact image! The pose shows off the plumage well, I think. Good it looked back over its shoulder for you to accommodate a nice comp.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments