Asian Koel (Female)

[Bibhav Behera]

Shot this in the morning today in our garden at Cuttack. The best part was that I was wearing a moss coloured T shirt and used a large banana leaf (yes you read that right) as a hide. The bird came to investigate as i sat on the boundary wall covered in a banana leaf. These guys are pretty used to humans I guess but I still felt good abt this shot... Shot this Full Frame... with the 135mm.

Nikon D80 with 18-135mm
SS 1/400 (+0.7 EV)
F 7.1
ISO 200

[Sabyasachi Patra]

A very good effort at 135mm. I have said several times earlier, that if you are chasing a bird or animal, then you need long lenses. If you allow the subject to approach you, then you will get full frame images at smaller focal lengths.

The angle is steep. However, that gives us a nice ventral view of the Koel. Eye contact is good. Composition wise, if you could have moved the camera slightly to the right, then you could have avoided the hook shaped branch on the left frame. Ofcourse, that is a minor point.

A longer focal length would have been better. Overall, this is nice.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Mrudul Godbole]

Nice image. Liked the eye contact and the head turn. Wish the diagonal branch on top left was not present. Agree about the long focal length, sure helps you with birds. Thanks for sharing.

[Praveen Siddannavar]

Nice sharp image Bibhav, these birds are quite shy & you have got it well in open, it seems that it is perched on a neem tree.
TFS

[Rahul Parekh]

lovely capture...hanging on thread .

Cheers, Rahul

[Bibhav Behera]

Thanks all:
Personal Critiques:
1. Wish the stick near the neck were absent.
2. Flatter Angle
3. more light in the eye.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Bibhav,
Agree with your self critique. I think it is better to include the self critique at the beginning, so that others can comment on it as well.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi