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Yellow-billed Kite


Yellow-billed Kite
Photo Information
Copyright: Tom Conzemius (pirate) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 450 W: 100 N: 572] (2879)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-17
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L USM
Exposure: f/3.5, 1/2000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Prey- RAPTORS (II) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-04-18 7:02
Viewed: 679
Points: 12
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi
The african subspecies of Black Kite has a yellow bill. Black Kites are known to prey on everything they can find, from small mammals to birds, dead fish and other dead animals. Large concentrations can be found at rubbish tips or in large cities like Kairo or New Dehli.
The Yellow-billed Kites in the Ngorongoro area have specialized in a quite unique hunting strategy. They are catching chicken-sandwiches out of the hand of the tourists at the official picnic area. This is a unique possibility to take pictures of these great raptors.
Tom
simon182, claudine, vanderschelden, SelenE has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Tom,

Fantastic! Really eye-catching and deserves lots of praise.

Technical Quality:

Very high. You obviously have a good understanding of your cameras ability. The use of the very fast shutter speed has really frozen the movement of the wings. The wide aperture has paid off giving a nice sharp image where needed around the head. The fact the kite has turned towards us is brilliant. The light has caught the feathers on the back well. Talking of which, you've handled the exposure very well, given that you are pointing up at a dark bird against a bright sunlight sky it's amazing to see it nailed so well. The colours are very natural and the image is clear.

Composition:

Tricky to get in-flight shots right a lot of the time but you've done great here. The wings go from corner to corner and the head is central. I like the viewpoint you've gone for and timing wise is excellent with the angle of the body and the tilted head. Background is obviously smooth and undistracting.

Emotional Appeal:

Dynamic and very appealing to the eye. To see these incredible birds in the air is always a pleasure and to capture it on film so well is priceless. It seems to just glide through the air effortlessly and has certainly seen something interesting that will probably end up as lunch!

Nice work Tom,

TFS
Simon

Hello Tom,
What an impressive in-flight shot with excellent details, composition, POV and pose from the bird! I like this natural exposure and great eye contact too. We can clearly see those great patterns on its wings. This is very well done! Thanks,
Claudine

Hello Tom , very impressive flight photo of this elegant kite , TFS.

Hi Tom,
Nice in flight.
Well composed.
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • Bac Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 99 W: 3 N: 47] (586)
  • [2007-04-18 13:24]

Good picture, the sharpness and the colour are not very very good but it must be really hard to shot it, and the little problems of quality are nothing if i compare with the result of this picture. It's very impressive picture. TFS.

Christian

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2305 W: 59 N: 3685] (11810)
  • [2007-04-19 14:53]

Hi Tom,
Very good in-flight shot of this beautiful raptor. Nice pose.
TFS
Selen

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