Bali Myna
Apr, 2018Views
850
Likes
Awards
Contest Finalist in Endangered Species Photo Contest
Peer Award
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Superb Composition
All Star
Superior Skill
Outstanding Creativity
Emotions
Impressed
Happy
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I photographed this critically endangered species, the Bali Mynah, in the Edward Youde Bird Park in the heart of Hong Kong. The Bird Park is a little piece of Paradise hidden amongst the tall buildings.Time
We spent most of the day there as there are many exotic and highly endangered species hiding amongst the foliage. The Edward Youde Bird Park is built such that it doesn’t feel like a Bird Park. One cannot see the boundaries of this huge enclosure, and therefore the time of day doesn’t really influence or have any impact on the images, as the Park is pretty much in dappled shade all through the day.Lighting
Natural light, with the ISO pushed up a bit so the correct speed can be reached. Dappled shade is often a more complicated problem than deep shade or bright sunlight, so I tried to manoeuvre myself into a spot where I was in the deeper shade and my subject in the dappled shade. I had a small reflector with me ( a piece of Perspex the size of an A4 page with a mirror-like finish on one side) and I tried to get a bit more light reflected onto the subject’s face.Equipment
I used a Nikon D500 with a 300mm Lens, mounted on a tripod for better stability , plus the reflector.Inspiration
These Bali Mynahs are critically endangered. It’s estimated that fewer than a 100 adult birds currently exist in the wild. The protection of the species is therefore very dependent on Bird Parks with birds bred in captivity to ensure the continuation of the Species. The Bali Mynah is also extraordinarily beautiful with it’s snow-white feathers, long crest that hangs down way down it’s back and the blue in the face.Editing
I do very little processing, although I Shoot in RAW. Just the basics...exposure, contrast, highlights, b&w balance and clarity with a bit of sharpening and de-noising, should the image need it in Lightroom.In my camera bag
I have a Nikon D500&600, plus a Sony A7III. Lenses: 300 mm Prime, 105 Macro, 70-200 Nikkor Lens and a 100-400 for the Sony.Feedback
It is not a difficult environment to shoot in as the birds are a bit more tame and used to people, unlike the wild bird I saw in Bali , saw fleetingly and fell in love with irrevocably. Be prepared to spend at least 4 hours ( or more) in the Bird Park and take your time, ensuring you have an uncluttered BG and try and catch the bird ‘doing’ something so it’s not just a straightforward ‘record shot’
