Pei-Fan Mu
April 2026 - Great Hornbill
Original
About the Image(s)
I captured this photo of a Great Hornbill two weeks ago in Malaysia. This bird has a Fascinating Nesting Habit. The female enters the tree cavity and seals the entrance using mud, droppings, and fruit remains, leaving only a narrow slit. The male stays outside, taking on the full responsibility of foraging and feeding the female and their chicks through this small opening until the young are ready to fledge.
I used Sony 600mm Prime Lens, 1/2000s | f/4.0 | ISO 640. I adjusted the overall brightness, lifted the shadows on the black feathers, enhanced the yellow tones on the beak, and applied a slight crop to improve the composition.
7 comments posted
"Nicely captured and well cropped image, with good overall processing. However, in my view, the background tree and the bird are lit quite similarly, causing the bird to blend in a bit. Separating them through selective adjustments-perhaps working on two layers-could help the subject stand out more and give it the pop it deserves. I've attached a quick edit as an example; it's not perfect, but with a bit more refinement, you can achieve a stronger final result." Posted: 04/03/2026 02:55:33
Thank you for your suggestion. Adjusting the image using two separate layers can help distinguish the subject from the background. Posted: 04/04/2026 11:23:12
I agree with Sunil. Would like to see the bird "pop" more. Posted: 04/04/2026 19:34:31
I agree with Sunil as well! This bird is beautiful, and your capture is great. To really make the bird stand out, you might want to do a bit of post-processing. Posted: 04/06/2026 17:23:41
What Sunil said... Posted: 04/07/2026 04:06:24
Sunil did a beautiful job showing off your image even more. I would especially make sure the eye shows up, as that is key to a strong wildlife image.
I also suggest that the "hole" to feed the chicks is also very clear and maybe add texture and clarity, so that the interesting "story" of this odd nest is easy to follow.
How fortunate to see such a beautiful bird and story! Posted: 04/08/2026 23:01:44
I also suggest that the "hole" to feed the chicks is also very clear and maybe add texture and clarity, so that the interesting "story" of this odd nest is easy to follow.
How fortunate to see such a beautiful bird and story! Posted: 04/08/2026 23:01:44
I feel the same as has been expressed above. Posted: 04/14/2026 16:08:28