Secretary Bird Flight - OutdoorPhoto Gallery

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Secretary Bird Flight

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Morkel Erasmus Frequent Member Registered: June 2008 Location: Secunda, South Africa Posts: 22,471	Just back from a lovely 12 days spent in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. One afternoon I found this guy walking among the long grass near Twee Rivieren. I stopped and grabbed a shot, when it suddenly ran and took off towards me in golden light. I managed to get quite a few frames sharp, though I wish I stopped down to f8 to get more of the bird in focus. This is just about full frame. Check out my: WEBSITE \| FACEBOOK \| BLOG
	· Date: Mon 12/3/2012 · Views: 433 · Tags: 1
	Additional Info
	Camera used?: Nikon D3s
	Lens Used?: Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
	Other Specific Notes:: 1.4x TC
	Mature Content: No
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Mon 12/3/2012 04:32

Hennie Cilliers

Frequent Member

Registered: October 2006
Location: Stellenberg, Cape Town
Posts: 5,151

Great head on shot Morkel. I like the BG and the look on his face as if to say: "you got me". Yep things happens fast and not always possible to get settings the way we want them. Look forward to more from Kgaligadi.

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Mon 12/3/2012 04:40

AllanB

Gallery Moderator

Registered: June 2006
Location: Umhlanga Rocks
Posts: 42,165

Great angle of approach and super detail captured.

I think there is more than enough of this bird sharp at f/5.6.

Well done Morkel.

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Never give up!! Its out there somewhere.

www.photoedge.co.za

Mon 12/3/2012 04:42

Manana

Frequent Member

Registered: April 2010
Location: wellington
Posts: 14,387

Stunning shot Morkel. Great detail and light.

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Mike

Mon 12/3/2012 05:30

Jan Saunders
Frequent Member

Registered: December 2011
Location: Pretoria
Posts: 1,658

Ditto Allan and Mike, I also love the bg, VWD Morkel.

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Kind regards,

Jan Saunders

Mon 12/3/2012 05:57

CarlNicholson

Frequent Member

Registered: September 2009
Location: Rustenburg
Posts: 3,434

Lovely light and head-on bird against a very different Kalahari BG, eye contact certainly makes up for f8.

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Mon 12/3/2012 06:26

Pieter Venter

Frequent Member

Registered: December 2009
Location: Amanzimtoti
Posts: 5,879

The bast i has seen of these birds. Great BG pose and awesome light.

Mon 12/3/2012 07:10

PieterdW

Frequent Member

Registered: June 2009
Location: Pretoria
Posts: 18,460

Good detail and perfect angle.

I would just attend to the little blue spot top right corner.

VWD Morkel

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Die lewe is sommer net lekker

Mon 12/3/2012 08:28

Kotisaya - Kobus Saayman

Frequent Member

Registered: March 2011
Location: Pretoria
Posts: 5,384

5.6 fine,bg super,great one Morkel

Mon 12/3/2012 08:46

khulu
Frequent Member

Registered: July 2010
Location: Witbank
Posts: 2,057

I agree with all above, nothing wrong with f stop. Fantastic shot

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Wally Tollemache

Mon 12/3/2012 09:45

Grant Atkinson
Frequent Member

Registered: February 2011
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 1,815

Super image Morkel, another great secretary bird shot that you have taken, I also enjoyed your last one from MZNP. Nothing to critique on this image, apart from Pieter DW well-spotted blue patch.
Well done
cheers
Grant

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My website
My blog
My e-mail

Mon 12/3/2012 09:48

Piet Venter

Premium Member

Registered: September 2005
Location: In transit
Posts: 18,103

Super image, enough DOF imho. VWD.

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You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you. (John Bunyon)

Relocating to Paradise Beach, Jeffreys Bay on 1 August 2013.

Mon 12/3/2012 10:07

TinusL

Premium Member

Registered: June 2011
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 2,718

Super shot Morkel. WD !! I think there is more than enough detail here. f/8.0 would've slowed your SS quite a bit and you might've gotten more wing blur. I like this a lot (didn't even notice the "blue spot")

Mon 12/3/2012 10:18

Morkel Erasmus

Frequent Member

Registered: June 2008
Location: Secunda, South Africa
Posts: 22,471

Thanks for the kind comments, folks!

Regarding the blue - I was in 2 minds there. I don't like to clone my natural history images so the only option was to crop it out entirely, which would have made the image too tight especially at the top. So I left it

.

Tinus - f8 wouldn't have robbed me of shutter speed as I shoot on Manual and use the ISO to adjust the EV values up an down - thus going to f8 would've forced me to go to an ISO setting of about 1250 or 1600, which my camera can handle...

...I was actually using f8 and opened up the aperture when the bird was standing in the grass to get more separation from the BG.

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Morkel Erasmus

Rom 1:20"...his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made..."

WEBSITE | SAFFASCAPES BLOG | FACEBOOK PAGE | GOOGLE+

Mon 12/3/2012 11:40

Paul Collaros

Frequent Member

Registered: August 2009
Location: Ruimsig
Posts: 4,413

A beautiful image and capture Morkel

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For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also ... Matt. 6:21

Mon 12/3/2012 12:40

Jason Stander

Gallery Moderator

Registered: November 2010
Location: Polokwane
Posts: 12,754

Yes yes yes yes!!!!! This magnificent Morkel... sorry brilliant as is... I knew that would bring awesome shot back... so VVWD!

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Jason

Photography is my way of painting the world which was created by Him.

Mon 12/3/2012 12:52

Jay van Rensburg

Gallery Moderator

Registered: November 2006
Location: Edenvale
Posts: 5,772

Great stuff Morkel. All has been said. VVWD

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Wildlife Photographic College of South Africa
http://www.wpcsa.co.za
http://www.jaywildpix.com

Mon 12/3/2012 15:10

Vrystaaat

Frequent Member

Registered: October 2008
Location: Tugela Mouth
Posts: 3,719

Morkel how lucky can you get but with out a expert behind the lens luck means nothing-------Stunning image,and I nearly missed it.

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God can bend lower than any man can fall.

Mon 12/3/2012 15:49

Ettienne v Niekerk

Frequent Member

Registered: March 2009
Location: Kempton Park, South Africa
Posts: 6,406

Excellent image Morkel. Pin sharp detail and great colours!!!

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Regards
Ettienne

Failure is not the worst thing in the world. The very worst is not to try.

Mon 12/3/2012 16:02

Craig Kerr

Frequent Member

Registered: August 2008
Location: Pretoria
Posts: 5,509

One of the best Secretary birds in flight I've seen to date, period !!

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Kind Regards,
Craig Kerr

Mon 12/3/2012 16:58

DanieBenade

Frequent Member

Registered: April 2010
Location: Pretoria
Posts: 2,569

Great shot Morkel.

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FaceBook Page

all things were created by Him, and for Him - Col 1:16

Mon 12/3/2012 16:59

Morkel Erasmus

Frequent Member

Registered: June 2008
Location: Secunda, South Africa
Posts: 22,471

Thank you so much folks...

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Morkel Erasmus

Rom 1:20"...his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made..."

WEBSITE | SAFFASCAPES BLOG | FACEBOOK PAGE | GOOGLE+

Mon 12/3/2012 17:10

Hetsekind

Frequent Member

Registered: November 2006
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Posts: 18,736

Well done Morkel! A great shot.

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Rik Coetzee
Long suffering son and symbol of triumph over early adversity and genetic disadvantage.

Mon 12/3/2012 17:37

Colin Pym

Frequent Member

Registered: October 2009
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 2,260

Yip, stunning image, all has been said! Excellent work!

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Colin Pym
"If you want truly to understand something, try to change it"

Mon 12/3/2012 17:40

Phill Ovens

Frequent Member

Registered: October 2009
Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 3,543

Excellent image Morkel it has all been said already but just wanted to add my bit

Tue 13/3/2012 04:10

MJ Sesto

Frequent Member

Registered: October 2011
Location: Long Beach, California U.S.A.
Posts: 13,350

All been said above..........and here's my 2cents worth, Morkel.........I LOVE IT!!!!!

Tue 13/3/2012 04:22

Morkel Erasmus

Frequent Member

Registered: June 2008
Location: Secunda, South Africa
Posts: 22,471

Thanks so much everyone...

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Morkel Erasmus

Rom 1:20"...his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made..."

WEBSITE | SAFFASCAPES BLOG | FACEBOOK PAGE | GOOGLE+

Tue 13/3/2012 14:52

Basil Dardagan
Frequent Member

Registered: March 2008
Location: Pretoria
Posts: 4,108

Top class as usual - must say ive driven around the KTP in senile

short bursts trying to get an in flight image of these guys however only ever failed !

Sun 25/3/2012 16:08

Mark Drysdale

Gallery Moderator

Registered: January 2010
Location: Joburg / Dullstroom
Posts: 5,647

Not many in flight captures of this species, all the specs handled well, and a excellent image presented....Great capture Morkel

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Wildlife Photographic College of South Africa.
http://wpcsa.co.za/
http://imageweb.co.za/

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