Alan McFadyen finally captured the perfect kingfisher photo in 2015: the precise moment just before plunging into the surface of the water. The kingfisher in the photograph appears to be as majestic as an Olympic diver. But do you know what happened before that?
The kingfisher hunts by diving headfirst into the water. The precision with which its beak is pointed at its prey can be seen in the perfect kingfisher photo. The process of catching and then flying away takes less than a second, much faster than the human eye can see.
How Did That Perfect Kingfisher Photo Come To Be?
Alan McFadyen’s 2015 photograph of a kingfisher in flight is nothing short of breathtaking. The thrilling dive is captured just as it breaks the water’s surface and nabs the prey. The still surface of the water reflects its body as well.
When diving, the usually small birds can reach top speeds of about 25mph. McFadyen explains that 10 frames per second may not always be enough to capture the action. His fascination with kingfishers began in his childhood in Scotland. To him, kingfishers are one-of-a-kind birds in the UK. He believes that the brightly colored birds are better adapted to the tropics.
McFadyen faced a one-of-a-kind challenge with the kingfisher. The bird is well-known, and there are numerous photographs of it all over the world. As a result, Alan sought to capture a photograph that was as one-of-a-kind as it could be. This was the beginning of his obsessive search for the perfect kingfisher photograph.
He estimates that 720,000 exposures and 4,200 hours were required. 4,200 hours equates to approximately 5 to 6 months. But he actually spent his entire six-year career as a photographer looking for that photograph. 1/5000 was the shutter speed. He waited in a hidden blind for a long time for the right moment.
The perfect kingfisher photo is so good that some people think there are two kingfishers in it. Their beaks were just touching. Even though it is now 5 years old, it is one of those photos that will undoubtedly keep us coming back for more.
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