A composite creation of a kingfisher rising out of the flames. It represents hope and renewal for the new year, 1-1-2018
A composite creation of a kingfisher rising out of the flames. It represents hope and renewal for the new year, 1-1-2018
Read less
Read less
Views
413
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in Artistically Altered Images in Nature Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Virtuoso
Magnificent Capture
Top Choice
Superior Skill
Top Ranks
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken at a nearby beaver pond.Time
Around 11 AM.Lighting
Since this is a re-created photo, I think the most I can say is that it was taken in fairly good light, with some blurring of the wing motion.Equipment
This was taken with a Canon 7D II, and a 400/5.6 f/4 lens. The shutter speed was 1/125, so that the wing blur would be evident.Inspiration
I love watching these athletic birds (This is a belted Kingfisher), as they dive and come up out of the water at lightning speed. They are so graceful. This picture just begged to become a "phoenix arising" as I envisioned it.Editing
I created the "flames" in Photoshop as a background by taking some colors and stretching them into flame shapes . Then I worked a bit with the colors on the bird and blended the whole thing to integrate the parts.In my camera bag
Presently I have switched over to Nikon as I find the equipment I usually carry to be lighter and more compact. My go-to bird camera is a Nikin D500 with a 1.4 teleconverter and a 300 mm lens. I also use a Tamron 150-600 with a tripod.Feedback
I go to places where I know there will be certain birds, and just wait and watch. The beaver pond is near my home, and it is a lovely place to just contemplate the natural beauty. At first it might look like there is no animal or bird life, until you see a flash- and the Kingfisher has made a dive, or a wood duck emerges from behind some reeds and flaps his wings. Patience pays off, as does knowing where to look.