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Candy is dandy...

Gallery: Regional: UKNPPosted September 29, 2011195 views8 comments

..but lizard is quicker. A slight misquote from Ogden Nash, but the same sentiment. I am just back from central Tanzania, where Lilac-breasted roller was one of my target species. On our very first game drive after arrival we were watching a roller in a tree when a second one flew in, and presented a lizard. As soon as this was accepted he moved into a mating position. Unfortunately the light had just dropped, and there was no time to alter iso settings, I just had to run with what I had. I have got better roller photos (I hope), and will post those when I get to them in processing. In the meanwhile I thought the action here compensated for the lower technical quality.

David

Nikon D300, 300mm f2.8 Nikon, 1.7x Nikon converter, bean bag, 200 iso, 1/50th @ f4.8

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Graham Goddard on September 29, 2011 at 2:41 PM

So nearly a great capture David

Registered on November 21, 2008, 66 Posts, 253 Comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on September 29, 2011 at 3:14 PM

The action is very good David, and as you say you had to go with the settings to hand, would have been an absolute belter if it had been sharper.

Looking forward to some more Roller shots too, so don't wait too long

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Ellard on September 29, 2011 at 3:43 PM

so nearly, i'm glad you posted it though, look foward to the rest. where abouts in tanzania did you go?

Registered on December 17, 2010, 60 Posts, 634 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on September 29, 2011 at 5:46 PM

Wonderful behavior, perspective, and colours.
Sure a shame about the softness. Looking forward to other images..what gorgeous birds!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Neil Burton on September 30, 2011 at 3:38 AM

Oh well, means you better had go back ;)

Registered on September 16, 2010, 26 Posts, 461 Comments

Comment posted by Barry Southon on September 30, 2011 at 1:19 PM

David

Isn't just the way it works most of the time. We need to be so lucky to have all the factors going for us.

That said you still have a fine image. One I'd be proud of.

Registered on March 13, 2006, 21 Posts, 150 Comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on September 30, 2011 at 2:38 PM

A wonderful capture anyway, with splendid specimens- Sadly you and Nash are right, birds and lizards love high iso setting, but that's a very common story with pictures of feathered beings- Thanks for sharing, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on October 1, 2011 at 2:44 AM

Awww, absolutely fantastic David, sharpness aside, how much more could one hope for in a capture of Lilac-Breasted Rollers?!?!? The courtship with the male's outstretched wings would have been plenty for me, but to have caught the gift of the Lizard - which gives new meaning to wining and dining in expectation of fun to follow ;^p - and the delightful head-nipping in a moment of heightened passion, well, all I can say is you were truly blessed :^)

You didn't mention what, if any, post-processing you might have done to this. I'm far from a master when it comes to using the appropriate tools in post-processing, but if you take a look at the Lilac-Breasted Roller in-flight shot I just posted up in the avian gallery, you might be surprised to know that the quality of the original RAW image looks a lot like the one you have here; i.e. I'm positive that you can get a lot more out of this picture with some careful selective sharpening. And if you do - as I very much hope you will - please zap me a quick line to let me know when you post up the result, as I'd love to see that too :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments