I’m finally getting better at photographing diving kingfishers. My next goal is to learn how to convince them to dive from less cluttered fishing perches.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Just over a week ago this male Belted Kingfisher gave me several chances to photograph him diving for fish. This busy background was a problem for two reasons – it’s visually distracting and unattractive and it’s so close to the bird that my active focus point was likely to lock onto the branches instead of the bird when he took off after a fish.
But all I can do is try so that’s what I did.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
He took off in exactly the same direction and angle he’d been looking which is a tool I used to help me keep him in focus in flight. Typically, if I’m very lucky, I’ll get a single sharp shot after they take off.
But this time…
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I managed to get two where he was sharp. The next shot in the burst included part of a blurry kingfisher and some impressively sharp branches.
I attempted kingfisher diving shots for years before I got the first one I liked where the bird was sharp so I’m making progress. Now my biggest challenge is keeping them in frame when they launch because they do it so incredibly quickly.
I simply don’t need any more clipped or cut off kingfishers.
Ron
PS – At the last minute I decided to show you how this male kingfisher continued to try to frustrate me with his choice of perches. But this time I fooled him.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
On that same morning he tantalized me by perching close to me on this branch. But there were problems while he was perched here too, including:
- he had his back to me the entire time
- there were some out of focus and unattractive branches just above his head
- there were dark and extremely annoying shadows on his tail and the tips of his wings
- in many of his poses there was a distracting diagonal shadow going across his neck and head
But when he struck this particular preening pose his tail and head tipped down at angles that minimized the shadows on his tail and head and since he’s looking down I could crop the out of focus branches above his head out of the photo and still have a pleasing composition. Some of the shadows are still there but they’re far less intrusive than they had been.
There’s more than one way to skin a…. kingfisher.
WOW!!! (in spite of the picky, picky photographer)…great series…
I’m glad you liked it, Patty. Thank you.
NAILED it! YIPPEE!!
🙂
Outstanding diving shots Ron. So hard to get really good ones. Timing is everything. Reminds me though of your mentioning once some of the very unethical practices that have been used to capture this kind of photo. When we see your shots of a diving Kingfisher we know that it is real and genuine and that the bird has not been tricked into diving down to the water. Great job.
Thanks for bringing that up, Everett. I wonder of those guys who bait kingfishers could ever get a diving shot without their unethical hijinks.
While I love the take off shots it is the comfortable preening which has won my heart today.
Sadly I think your ambition to get them to pose in situations to your liking is doomed to perpetual failure though.
Thanks, EC. I had my tongue firmly planted in my cheek when I mentioned that ambition… 🙂
Cluttered background or no, I’m just happy to see a Belted Kingfisher! It’s a testament to you that he felt comfortable enough to preen in your presence. The last shot is definitely my favorite — there are times when I want the subject to fill the space. 🙂
“there are times when I want the subject to fill the space”
I get that, Marty. That’s one of the reasons so many photographers are willing to spend such outrageous sums on high quality super telephoto lenses.
Awesome shots Ron, really good looks at this super action!
Thank you, Dave.
Wonderful series Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
He is a stand-out guy and a little clutter doesn’t diminish his handsomeness. Or your images. I like the way the light falls on his right wing in the second photo so we see that flash of brilliant blue … and the last photo is my favorite. I’m glad you are having more success catching these guys in action, they’re such a delight!
“I’m glad you are having more success catching these guys in action”
Me too, Chris. First you’ve gotta find one and convince it to allow you to get close, then you have to get it sharp and in frame when it takes off – a very tall order with kingfishers. Thanks.
These are really nice Ron. I have given up on kingfishers, I don’t have the focal length and they are jumpy.
April, I often use my smaller zoom lens instead of my 500 to try to catch these guys coming out of the water with a fish. You might want to give that a try.
Despite all the photographic challenges you got some great poses. All the branch clutter=habitat and context to me. I have to agree with Kathy; that last photo is the essence of coy. Re the title: Did he ever get a fish?
Lyle, I saw him dive on fish three times and he caught a fish once. Can’t remember if it was this time or not because he flew off with it – it may have been meant for chicks in the nest.
Those dive shots are great. But I also like the first, where he seems to be saying, “You looking at me?!” And the last, where’s he’s a combination of coy and nonchalant, knowing we’re all super-impressed with him …
P.S. Sorry for the excessive anthropomorphism! 🙂
Thanks, Cathy. No need to apologize. A little anthropomorphism (if that’s what you wanna call it) allows many of us to enjoy bird photos even more.
The pattern on the wing in the first diving shot really grabbed me! Beautiful.
Thanks, Mary.
Good luck in getting the Kingfishers trained to perch in uncluttered areas. Let us know how that works out!
I think we both know how it’s going to turn out, Marcia… 🙂
Wow, Ron!! I love your captures and your description of what it took to get them!! Very happy for you too!! Love, love, love it!!
Thank you, Jo Ann.
YES! Wonderful shots! 🙂 Always satisfying to get something “figured out”! 🙂 The preening shot REALLY worked out! Since the 1 “mini” kingfisher I haven’t seen or heard any but they they are often “late” showing up here. Starlings have fledged – more of them than usual and DAMN are they noisy with their obnoxious sounds! 🙁
Ha, I don’t think we ever “figure out” kingfishers, Judy. All we can do is learn how to improve our chances for good flight shots from nonexistent to rare… 🙂
Personally I often don’t mind and even occasionally enjoy starling sounds. It’s some of their other traits that annoy me most.