gate ornament

this white throated kingfisher has made my gate a kind of base camp, from where quick sorties are made, to grab a snack..!!..grasshoppers that have arrived with the monsoons to feed on the fresh greens around the place..

Welcome to IndiaWilds..!!

Nice sighting of this colourful bird. Good eye contact. Which equipment are you using?Please post the EXIF details to help in commenting better. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Mrudul..
Can you tell me how do I edit the text of my post..so that I include the EXIF data at the end of my description.
I don't seem to find the edit tool..
thanks.

The post can be edited only for half an hour after you make a post. You can include the EXIF detials for all future posts. Thanks.

You can post the exif details as a reply in this post so that others can see it.

Is this a cropped image? The Kingfishers will use any object at a higher elevation as a perch.

Nice eye contact. I like the long powerful bill, a gift of nature, for feeding upon lizard, small reptile etc., if need be. Good that you have got such a beautiful gatekeeper.Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild

Hi Sabyasachi....

The image is just a bit cropped..
Since you mention it...could you explain the significance of cropped and uncropped...
I always read that in comments everywhere hence my curiosity...:)..thanks..:).

This kingfisher is regularly perched in-between the bars of my gate..quite close to the ground...i think its because of the abundant grass hoppers in the bushes..and i makes quick flights to the ground for a pick up...
I have also this one perched on a low branch very close to the ground...

thanks Saktipada...best wishes.

Canon 600D with Canon EF 55-250 mm
F6.3, 1/400, focal length 250 mm

Nice capture!! Feel like reaching out and touching its glossy plumage.Cropping an image is magnifying it.Percentage of cropping reflects the degree of magnification,TFS

I agree with Shyamala. Cropping is like magnifying. It also magnifies the mistakes and shortcomings. If you are using a 250mm lens and want to get the view as seen through a 500mm lens, then the crop will not just be 100%. Since image size is a function of the square of focal length, the difference between a 500mm and 250 mm is 300%. While cropping you don't realise that.

There is a rule of thumb for sharpness which we used to use in the film days. It says that for a sharp shot you need a shutter speed which is = 1/focal length.
So for 250mm lens handheld the shutter speed should be minimum 1/250.

However, when you crop the image you are selecting or magnifying one small portion of the image. A large crop means perhaps it would be equal to a a view from a 500mm or 600mm lens. So shutter speed wise often it is inadequate.

Large crops also test the capability of the lens. Unless the lens is good, the crop doesn't come well. One also gets much more noise when you crop. The details will be less.

As they say "there is no free lunch".

thanks Shyamala..

thanks Sabyasachi...that was detailed information...
I did not realize that cropping can be analyzed in so much detail..:)..
I am bit of a novice in these matters..:)...besides the points you mention here...can you inform about steps to keep in mind while cropping/magnifying..as in your lightroom tutorial..