Pied Kingfishers
Pied Kingfisher Pair
Pied Kingfisher Pair
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Jul, 2017Views
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Peer Choice Award
Contest Finalist in Two Photo Contest
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jarrodreque
October 01, 2017
Without a doubt one of the best photos I've ever seen! Follow me on INSTAGRAM @jrequeallday :)
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
At Zimanga private game reserve in Mkhuze South Africa. the shot was taken from a hide close to a watering hole. The Zimanga reserve is an ideal place fro photographers as it not only has big five game, but also has purpose designed hides built with photography in mind, which overlook, water holes, bee eater colonies and more. They even have an overnight hide in which you can see animals as they come to drink at the lagoon at night. Other than the hides, they provide game drives hosted by fully qualified rangers who are also photographers, so they know exactly where to put you to get the best shots.Time
It was late in the afternoon at around 4pm. The winter sun was falling and there wasn't much time left to capture shots in good light. Kingfishers are all known to frequent this watering hole and they often fish oat this time of day. I had been to the hide before but never captured a pair of pied kingfishers, so I was hoping that today would be my day.Lighting
The location is fantastic for photography as the hide is oriented in the perfect direction to capture the late afternoon sun. However, the winter light was quickly disappearing and there wasn't much time left get a good shot. As the last shard of light were falling before the sun disappeared behind the horizon, the two kingfishers landed right in front of me, the mountains providing a beautiful purple like backdrop to the scene.Equipment
A Canon 7d MK II with a Canon EF600 F4 Version II lens. This is my go to set up for bird photography. I had the combination set up on a Manfrotto tripod and a Wimberley II Gimbal head for maximum stability while still being able to pan around quickly if I had to.Inspiration
King fishers often fish at this hide, diving in off wooden branches which they use as a perch to observe the water below. However they typically seldom hunt in pairs and never sit still for long. I had often thought about how great if would be to get two kingfishers on a perch with their heads in the same pose, so it was something of a dream come true for me to get not one but two birds with both in almost perfect synchronicity.Editing
I use primarily Lightroom for buy processing and I try not to allow my processing to deviate the image far from its original state. So for me, basic and fairly subtle shifts in sharpening, lifting of shadows and vibrance are the norm. Luckily I had controlled the highlights and whites fairly in camera using exposure compensation, so there wasn't really much else to do.In my camera bag
For wildlife I normally carry three bodies and four lenses....a Canon 1DX attached to a Canon EF200-400 L IS Ext 1.4, and Canon 7D MK II with the Canon EF600mm F4 and a Canon 5d Mk III attached to a Canon EF70-200 F2.8. I also carry a Canon EF24-105 just in case something large comes up close. All of this gets carried in various Think Tank bags and pouches. If I go to a tripod I use a Manfrotto 055 Carbon fibre unit, with Wimberley II Gimbal Head. Apart from that I always carry a Canon 1.4x and 2x Extender just in case a little extra reach it needed.Feedback
South Africa has abundant wildlife and many opportunities to capture birds at watering holes. From the Kruger Park, through to Zimanga there are always opportunities. Long focal length is need though if you want to capture detail, so investing in good glass is a must. Whoever you decide to do your avian photography and whatever equipment you use though, the lighting and orientation are the most important things. Go during the golden hours and get into position well in advance of this. Make sure you are well placed with the sun behind your back and be a low as you can to get the best perspective. Once you have done all of that then its a case of patience and luck to see what nature brings you.
