On the last trip to Costa Rica, I felt fortunate to encounter not only a single quetzal but two, a male and female AND they were ready to breed, too. I still treasure the experience until now...
We were there maybe for 2+ hours or so watching their activities. Both took turn to create the nest in a tree trunk pretty high above. Well, frankly the female did most of the work while the male was just busy inspecting the work in progress. When the female was inside, chipping wood away (you could hear the noise she was making pecking wood and wood chips flew out), he was perching and posing for us on a nearby branch. And when he was inside the nest, there was definitely less chipping activities, if any. From time to time, they took a break and both rested on a branch together. What a sight!
Thank you for looking and please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions.
These are beautiful images of the most exotic bird I've ever photographed (and I still have him as my phone's background ). I love seeing the pair together and I think the 2nd to last is the winner for a big print.
I feel the colour is off in some with too much blue...the 2nd looks more like the quetzal's colour to me although I see the others were likely in shade. You really needed a higher SS for the flight shots (I know you already know that)...I understand wanting to post as Quetzal IF is very cool with the long tail streamers but they are very soft and I think the entire post/set would present stronger without the flight ones included.
What magnificent birds Joshua...and having the pair together is really wonderful...I'm not remembering anyone posting a pair together like this. The colors are just amazing and my color vision isn't as accurate as Geoff's so I don't see color issue (is that a good thing that I don't have the capability to discern that? I imagine many see things differently with respect to color but since we have no frame of reference it is "normal" for us).
Eric
canon.eos30d wrote:
Gorgeous images, Joshua. Rarely see them both and you nail it with in-flight shots at the nest too. Well done
-Tam
Thank you very much, Tam!
Fred Amico wrote:
Wonderful set, Joshua!
Fred, thank you very much!
arbitrage wrote:
These are beautiful images of the most exotic bird I've ever photographed (and I still have him as my phone's background ). I love seeing the pair together and I think the 2nd to last is the winner for a big print.
I feel the colour is off in some with too much blue...the 2nd looks more like the quetzal's colour to me although I see the others were likely in shade. You really needed a higher SS for the flight shots (I know you already know that)...I understand wanting to post as Quetzal IF is very cool with the long tail streamers but they are very soft and I think the entire post/set would present stronger without the flight ones included.
Thank you for your kind words, Geoff! I noticed the color difference, too and brought it up to Juan later but while still there. He told me that it has to do with how the lighting falls on those feathers and how the feathers are rendered between in the shade and under the sun. The bluish tint is definitely more pronounced in the shade. Basically, the colors are not off but for noticing.
You are absolutely correct, the shutter speed wasn't enough to actually freeze the motion. But that was my first experience of catching a quetzal in flight and as such, I had to include in the thread . We waited and waited for the quetzals to repeat one more round but they didn't... Oh, well.
eyelaser wrote:
What magnificent birds Joshua...and having the pair together is really wonderful...I'm not remembering anyone posting a pair together like this. The colors are just amazing and my color vision isn't as accurate as Geoff's so I don't see color issue (is that a good thing that I don't have the capability to discern that? I imagine many see things differently with respect to color but since we have no frame of reference it is "normal" for us).
Eric
Joshua, did you ask or do you know if quetzal feathers are similar to hummingbirds' in that it is the light passing through them that gives them the color and that they are not intrinsically the color they appear.
That would to some degree explain the color variation.
From the site (Wiki) that knows all...."Resplendent quetzals have a green body (showing iridescence from green-gold to blue-violet) and red breast. Depending on the light, quetzal feathers can shine in a variant of colors: green, cobalt, lime, yellow, to ultramarine."
Eric
What a glorious opportunity with these beautiful birds! Juan comes through AGAIN! !
I agree that the set would be stronger without the IF shots. I shot the quetzals in January. They were quite far away and in heavy shade and with terrible background. But Juan commented that my colors were quite accurate. For example:
Have you created a custom WB for your camera? I use the Xrite Color Checker Passport and create a custom WB for each of my cameras. It really makes a difference in getting accurate colors in difficult situations.
These are spectacular images! The first and last with the pair of them are the best I have ever seen. The next to last shot of the male is superb. They would all make great prints.
AGeoJO wrote:
Thank you for your kind words, Geoff! I noticed the color difference, too and brought it up to Juan later but while still there. He told me that it has to do with how the lighting falls on those feathers and how the feathers are rendered between in the shade and under the sun. The bluish tint is definitely more pronounced in the shade. Basically, the colors are not off but for noticing.
You are absolutely correct, the shutter speed wasn't enough to actually freeze the motion. But that was my first experience of catching a quetzal in flight and as such, I had to include in the thread . We waited and waited for the quetzals to repeat one more round but they didn't... Oh, well.
I understand completely, I waited at what actually looks like could have been the exact same nest (although I'm sure they all end up looking similar) for 3 hours trying to get an incoming or outgoing flight shot and failed also...I even had my shutter speed up and ready....needed an A9 for that I think....was stuck with a 1DX2
And yes, as I sort of alluded to I do realize some or all the colour was due to the shade in those shots...I just wonder if just a slight push towards yellow on the WB might correct them...I understand they shouldn't end up looking like #2's colour based on the light though.
Thanks for taking my comments politely as I know at least for myself I am usually somewhat proud of what I post on here and it is always hard to hear (at least for me) dissenting remarks. I weed through 1000 images a day to come up with what I post on here
Great set, Joshua! The 1st image is on the cool side for sure because they were in the shade. I’ve got the same exact image shot at almost the same exact time, and my shots are on the cool side too, but you can certainly change the color temperature slider to warm it up so the colors are somewhat truer.
eyelaser wrote:
Joshua, did you ask or do you know if quetzal feathers are similar to hummingbirds' in that it is the light passing through them that gives them the color and that they are not intrinsically the color they appear.
That would to some degree explain the color variation.
From the site (Wiki) that knows all...."Resplendent quetzals have a green body (showing iridescence from green-gold to blue-violet) and red breast. Depending on the light, quetzal feathers can shine in a variant of colors: green, cobalt, lime, yellow, to ultramarine."
Eric
Hi Eric, from what I could gather, the iridescence colors of quetzals are similar to but not as pronounced as those of some hummingbirds. For example, the color variation of iridescence colors in fiery-throated hummingbirds is so wide range, covering almost the entire spectrum and that within a fairly small area. Thank you for pointing it out.
butlerkid wrote:
What a glorious opportunity with these beautiful birds! Juan comes through AGAIN! !
I agree that the set would be stronger without the IF shots. I shot the quetzals in January. They were quite far away and in heavy shade and with terrible background. But Juan commented that my colors were quite accurate. For example:
Have you created a custom WB for your camera? I use the Xrite Color Checker Passport and create a custom WB for each of my cameras. It really makes a difference in getting accurate colors in difficult situations.
Thank you for your kind comments, Karen! I assume that you had Juan as your guide in CR, too, huh?
I am fine with the set being less strong with the in-flight images. Again, those are my first experience with quetzals in-flight and somehow I felt compelled to include those .
birdied wrote:
Joshua, magnificent set. You are bringing back some wonderful memories.
Beautiful job.
Birdie
Thank you very much, Birdie! Yes, the experience throughout the trip was wonderful.
on a nearby branch. And when he was inside the nest, there was definitely less chipping activities, if any. From time to time, they took a break and both rested on a branch together. What a sight!
for noticing. 
!