Re: Thank you doggie - the cunning plan worked for me too

After doggie's recent post about photographing a Kingfisher, the stick in the bank technique worked for me too. The only thing is I can't take credit for putting it there as it was already in position.Still chuffed to bits to see this beautiful male posing for me outside the hide at my local reserve.

I can never decide with shots like these where there is no real background whether to to do a square crop ....

..... or a horizontal rectangular crop like these .....

...... or even a vertical rectangular crop like this.

Your opinions would be welcome.

I could kick myself because I had the opportunity to photograph one hovering above the water and couldn't get the camera to focus in time. Mustn't be greedy though.

Beautiful shots. Just love those colours.

Wow they are Stunning TJ as MrsT says just love the colours.

Fabulous TJ

All absolutely stunning but rather like the 'portrait' version as it makes the KF look larger in the frame!

Your next challenge TJ is to get it while your stood in full view of it lol.

Gorgeous shots. For me it's portrait every time for a shot where the item of interest is longer than wide...purely for maximum effect when printed out. Gosh there seem to be kingfishers everywhere...except here...boo

doggie

Your next challenge TJ is to get it while your stood in full view of it lol.

You are right, Alan. I did have the advantage of being in a hide. A lot more difficult when you are out in the open. You'll have to invest in one of those portable hides.

Thanks everyone. Sometimes you just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Marjus & Debz, I think you are right. The portrait crop frames the bird better. I tried it almost as an afterthought just to see what it would look like.I think one of these might make it to the calendar which I do each year for family and friends.

TeeJay

You'll have to invest in one of those portable hides.

I would look like a Dalek walking about in one of those lol.

Get some more like that and you could do a Kingfisher Calendar.

Super shots Teejay.  When you have a stunning bird like a kingfisher I don't think the crop matters as your eye goes straight to the bird... Simply beautiful.

Great shots TeeJay. Virtually every hide I've been in has a srategically position "Kingfisher stick." I've yet to be there when one perches though : -)

I think the crop depends on the intended display. For prints , square or portrait is fine as long as you have a complimentary frame. For web use I prefer landscape format , simply because it suits the traditional screen better. Don't get me started on that ugly 16:9 widescreen format though. I would never use portrait format for laptop dislay.

Fantastic shotsd TJ. I think for subjects with backgrounds like that it is worth considering elliptical or circular crops, with or without feathered edges - I think its useful to get rid of some of that sameness of background.  Please pardon the liberty I have taken with your pictures.

Superb photos, all of them, but I really love no. 2. As for shape, I like the square ones. The less background the better when it's all of a muchness with no secondary interest.

Interesting idea, Bob. It was the uniform background that made me wonder about the best way to crop it. I've tried out your approach with this.

Probably needs some work.

TJ, I tend to agree with Galatas that ona a computer screen, wide is better than tall. You could also consider putting your signature on the curve of the photo, just to add to the illusion.