The Ringed Kingfisher can perch as much as 30 ft above the water earlier than plunging headfirst towards its prey – making a split-second burst of movement that’s notoriously troublesome to {photograph}.
But photographer Felipe Esteban Toledo Alarcó captured the second completely.
His dramatic picture of a Ringed Kingfisher explosively rising from the water, frozen at 1/3200 sec, has now gained the Grand Prize within the Chile and Colombia competitors on the Audubon Photography Awards.
Chile and Colombia: Grand Prize Winner
Image info
Species: Ringed Kingfisher
Image Location: Valdivia, Los Ríos, Chile
Shot info
Gear: Sony A7 IV + Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS
Exposure: 1/3200 secs, f/6.3, ISO 2500
The story behind the shot
Toledo Alarcón explains, “While looking to photograph frogs’ mating rituals at a lagoon in Parque Saval, my friend and I noticed a pair of Ringed Kingfishers hunting fish, completely submerging themselves in the water.
“No one can ignore such a scene. While the female was far away, the male dove unsuccessfully time and time again—and with each try, he moved closer to us.
“Even though the sun was not in the perfect position, I set up my camera in burst mode with a high shutter speed, moderate ISO, and “zone” focus.
“I was ready.
“After the bird made six dives, I got the image that I’d been chasing: a kingfisher explosively rising out of the water, displaying its beauty, elegance, and power.”
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