Many people photograph Common Kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) when they gather in small ponds, lakes and canals in winter to find food. I am particularly fascinated by the colours and movement of the birds. The shimmering plumage of kingfishers should be photographed using a high-resolution sensor such as the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III. Even the smallest detail of each feather is clearly visible. But of course all these pixels are of no use at all if the bird is blurred or too small in the picture. It is important to select the right AF mode and suitable lenses. This ensures that the subject fills the picture. The image composition is really convincing when a subject is photographed at eye level and stands out against a monochrome, defocused background.
Long telephoto lenses are used for many bird photographs. This is only partially necessary when photographing Common Kingfishers. I often prefer medium telephoto lenses such as the Sigma 120-300 f 2.8 APO EX DG OS HSM or sometimes a Canon EF 400mm f/4.0 DO IS USM. I rely on my skill to get close enough to the birds.
I have used a floating hide for this. In particular, with a hide on a raft, I had to work very close to the waterline. Keeping the balance is a challenge in itself. If you then try to work with super telephoto lenses, it is difficult to follow the birds, as they move surprisingly far away when changing location. The longer the lens, the more precisely every movement is recorded, making it more difficult to keep the Common Kingfisher in focus. But if you sit in a hide that has been set up for a long time, for example, you can get close enough to the Common Kingfishers. With a little patience, you can even shoot with a short telephoto portrait lens like an 85mm lens.
Patience is of course the key. Not just at the time of shooting. You should also return regularly, not every day, and really invest time in the subject. You need a good hiding place and good camouflage. This makes it easier to get closer to the Common Kingfishers without disturbing them. Sometimes I wait several hours in my hiding place until they show themselves, or I don’t see them at all. Sometimes the opposite happens. As soon as I’m in my hiding place, they come very close to me.
Then, when an opportunity arises, the EOS-1D X Mark III has several important modes to ensure I capture the photos I’ve been waiting for. The silent shutter is a must so as not to disturb or scare away the subject. When shooting in continuous mode, I point your focus point at the subject and follow it with the tracking mode. It works so quickly and precisely that I can usually rely on an optimal focus setting, even when I’m photographing with the lens wide open. To ensure that I capture the shape of the bird perfectly when it dives in and don’t miss a splash of water, I like to photograph at the maximum possible 20 frames per second. I know that the noise behavior has a special quality in order to keep the ISO values high and to capture a sharp image of the subject. That’s why I often photograph at 1/1600, 1/3200 sec. or more. I only photograph at a lower speed when the bird is sitting relaxed on a branch. Then the photographer can also relax.
In order to meet the growing demand for top images of the rarer species of Palaearctic Bird-lens.com has specifically made trips to remote places. Additionally every chance is used, if a rare bird is around the homeground. This to do everything to ensure excellent photos of the Birds of the Western Palearctic. The yield of pictures also of rare Western Palaearctic birds is very good. There are other nice images of birds, that you will find behind the tab “Picture Shop“. Just give a notice if you need a picture of a bird which is not online.