Critique Kingfisher

FourRingCircus

FourRingCircus

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John
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Unusually for me, this picture has had a bit of (amateur) editing. Taken today at the edge of the River Tay, this young chap just posed to my hearts content. He didn't seem at all concerned when I was busy snapping twigs and pulling grasses to clear the view! I watched him on several perches and I reckon I'll be able to go back to the same place and find him again. Shame it's a 120 mile round trip though.

560mm F5.6 1/512s ISO400

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For the sake of transparency, here is the original pic. Feel free to comment at will.

11838573_1028427183843690_7201676669611288053_o.jpg
 
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I prefer the original ( second pic ) John as it appears to have less shadow and the colours seem more natural, do not even mind the twigs to the right as they help to frame the bird. a shot I would be very happy to have got :)
 
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Thank-you Mike. I did say it was 'amateur' editing!

Like you, I actually prefer the original too. I think I may have got carried away and pushed the saturation a bit too far into the bargain. Perhaps I'll just stick to 'keeping it real' in future! ;)
 
Where about on the Tay are you seeing these John? I may take a trip down. Ain't seen them up here tho I have heard they are on the Dee and Don.
 
Don't think the are on the Ury, Cowie, Carron, Bervie but may be on the north Esk.
 
BRASH said:
Don't think the are on the Ury, Cowie, Carron, Bervie but may be on the north Esk.
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Definately on the North Esk. We have them on several small burns / field drains round here. There's about five of them at the Lurgies too.
BRASH said:
Where about on the Tay are you seeing these John? I may take a trip down. Ain't seen them up here tho I have heard they are on the Dee and Don.
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This was the Tay Reed Beds at Errol.
 
Cool. Ta!!
 
Hey John ,how ya doing? John,I think we prefer the original too,I say we because I oft discuss these pics with my better half,good eyes mate,I value her opinion. Anyway my particular curiosity raised by the image is actually to do with colour,but not from the point of view of your editing endevors.(which although I'm in a similar place not doing that much,I'd encourage you to keep pushing). It's the blue I find unusual John,I've never seen one quite so dark,almost indigo,I don't know whether this is just a light thing as these iridescent blues are so variable in different light,or maybe a young bird.I simply haven't a clue hence the curiosity.

Oh mate regarding the image ,for me I would be very happy if I had taken it, dunno if that means anything,but it's true. My preference is with the sticks removed
seeya

Stu
 
Stuart Philpott said:
It's the blue I find unusual John,I've never seen one quite so dark,almost indigo,I don't know whether this is just a light thing as these iridescent blues are so variable in different light,or maybe a young bird.I simply haven't a clue hence the curiosity.
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Hi Stuart. Well, the first thing to say is that I haven't had much oportunity to photograph these guys at such close range, so I've nothing much to compare with. I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it, but now I see what you mean. The colours are as I saw them. He is a youngster and although he wasn't in any significant shade where the pic was taken, it wasn't exactly a sunny day. This is the same chap on another (shaded) perch about 2m from where the original shot was:
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I think this one is more realistic in terms of what the eye actually saw. The vibrant blue is on his back, but the rest isn't so striking. I've also heard that the blue colour is an illusion anyway! Apparently, their feathers are actually brown, but the ambient light makes them appear blue/green to humans. Another one of those useless 'QI' type facts.......
 
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I think that useless fact might be all here John. I haven't any images of my own yet but I guess like yourself i've looked at a couple of images of the bird,ain't we all,that indigo really stuck out for me,I think it's just the light mate simple as (read that as haven't a clue really). Really useful posting the original for me personally, John cheers!! You take some cracking pics mate, I really like the second,love the sparkle on the top of the head which is set off by the erm face being slightly too dark?? Here's a thought tell me which is your favourite and why? Do you dislike the later image because the face is darker?
sorry mate had to ask :p:D

Stu

ps john I'd have been so thrilled if those were mine,is it wrong i want the dive though :banana::banana:
 
Stuart Philpott said:
Here's a thought tell me which is your favourite and why? Do you dislike the later image because the face is darker?
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My favourite is actually the last image here - the one I put up yesterday. Reason is simple - it's exactly what I saw and it hasn't been messed about with. The original image at the top of this thread seemed good at the time, but after being messed about with, neither of the two have the appeal now. I originally chose that one becasue it was out of the shade, but even then, it wasn't lit by sunshine so I don't know why I persisted with it. Sometimes, I'm blinded by what I want to see, rather than what I actually have in front of me. I recall a few months ago, @den pointed out one of my Puffin shots which he said was the pick of the bunch, but I hadn't even given it a second thought. Just shows I'm not always right, which is one of the reasons I'm here.;)
 
Ha I've just written the words"keep an open mind" in frogland. John a thought,I used to be an obsessive painter of animals time permitting ,the best way I had of analysing/ evaluating my own work,which is hard because one is too damn close sometimes, to see the wood for the trees. Is to put it away for six months and not look at it at all. I'm already finding this with my own pictures ,i've so little time I can't keep up,so when I go back I guess I really see them. hmmm sunlight or no kiddo lovely to see and interesting to ponder:)
stu
 
BRASH said:
Where about on the Tay are you seeing these John? I may take a trip down. Ain't seen them up here tho I have heard they are on the Dee and Don.
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Seen the Kingfishers up on the river Don in Aberdeen, just beside the Don bridge.
 
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