I am still going through all my photos and deleting the non-keepers (which I should have done ages ago!!) and trying to make space on my hard drive by backing up to CD. Since I bought my Canon 5D mark11 the hard disc has just become full - too many pixels!!
This shot is another of my favourites as I love kingfishers. I took this in 2010 at the Loder Valley Reserve. I am in the bird hide across the river from their nest in the sandy bank behind the birds. I spent many hours watching these birds getting their nest ready and later feeding their chicks. This shot taken with my 100-400mm with a 1.4x extender. The trouble was you loose AF with the exteneder on this lens and I had to manually focus. These birds are so small and fast that it was really hard to get a shot in focus. I had to crop in quite a lot to fill my frame and I think I have lost quality (taken with my canon 40D). I was thrilled to get this shot - one of hundreds - mostly out of focus!! I thought I would share it with you before I take it off my hard drive.
Definitely looks better large against black.
Uploaded for my extras Album.
9th August - just seen this shot on the PP - what a lovely surprise!! Thanks everyone for your lovely comments and Favs which took it there!!
@gozoinklings@elaine55 Thank you so much for your Favs Catherine and Elaine - very much appreciated!! I can't tell you how thrilled I was to catch two in the same shot - the male and the female - bonus indeed!!
Beautiful shot! My hat's off to you - I bought an extender to use on my 100-400 lens, but found the added weight was just too much. Sadly, I had to take it back. Anyone who can lug around that much gear and still focus gets a pat on the back from me!
@timandelke Many thanks. I could only use the extender on my 100-400mm lens when the camera was on the tripod. No way could I hold it and manually focus on a fast bird. It is great on the tripod for animals which are standing still!! With the crop lens on the 40D it did add some much needed distance. I would loose that if I used it with my 5D full frame camera. AF did not work on this lens as it didn't let enough light in. AF does work when you use it with the 70-200MM lens and of course it is a much lighter lens.
@pixiemac Thank you so much Sarah I really appreciate the Favs!! Since taking this shot I have been out with a wildlife photographer who specialises in Kingfishers and he took me to spots where I live now to find Kingfishers. I had some luck and even got some flight shots which was my main aim last year. Then we had the floods and the River Nene was flooded and I haven't seen the kingfishers up here since. The nests must have been flooded!! So sad!!
@pixiemac Sarah I have been on a few trips with pro wildlife photographers and it has been well worth it! Expensive but I learnt so much and got so close to the birds/ animals that is was really was worth it! I went to Skomer Island with Ben Hall for puffins - magical! I have done two courses with Photographers on Safari - a big cat course in Kent and my trip to Bass Rock for banners. Both so exciting and I got some wonderful shots! Last year I found a local chap as I wanted to find out where the kingfishers were in this area. Plus he took me to Bradgate Park at dawn for the red deer rut! He also took me to find red kites and we saw a lady feeding about 30 kites. I had a wonderful day with him and hope to go out with him again.
I am (as usual) late to the party but I think this one's an absolute keeper - such vibrancy and detail - I was about to ask what you thought they might be nattering about - then I read that they're a couple - so I figure he's probably getting his instructions for the afternoon! You are truly blessed in the experiences you have had and it is reflected in the quality of your work - oh & fav btw - Congrats on the PP - extraordinarily well-deserved.
Such a shame you haven't seen them since the flooding....One day I will get a shot, so far (years ago) I just saw a flash of blue.
Congratulations on being popular too! :)