The last time I saw a Brown Pelican, I was shooting in OlympusCamedia C-2500 L, a 2.5 megapixel three times zoom point-and-shoot which used compact flash and a proprietary memory card which looks like an oversized SD card. So that might’ve been 2002? The Pelican was making a rare appearance in the South Puget Sound area. It has not been back since.
This image was taken in Costa Rica from a moving boat on a river which empties into the Pacific Ocean.
What technical feedback would you like if any?
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
I had a real difficult time with this composition, trying to figure out an artistic interpretation with a minimum of background components. So many times with in-flight shots, the skies really boring. Any other ideas?
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
(If backgrounds have been removed, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Iso-1600, 500 mm with 1.4 extender, F8, 2000th, D 500, handheld, full frame with added canvas.
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The sky is definitely not boring here, David. Especially with that light on the brown. It complements the bird really well. I love the open mouth and I think your composition works really well. I will brighten the right half of the sky by a touch as the light fall off seems to be a little off to me. But other than that, superb shot. It is about to dive bomb, I reckon?
Really cool shot! I do have the urge to see what it would look like rotated CCW just a little to make the wings a touch less vertical and more diagonal.
I like the sky, David. The bit of cloud works very nicely and the subdued blues appeal to me. Given that it looks like the Pelican is about to enter a dive, I might put a touch more canvas on the bottom, but this works as posted. Interesting detail in the pouch-I’ve never seen that lattice like structure shown before. I also find it interesting that it is apparently using the air to inflate its pouch prior to entering the water.
What a great shot, David. Looks like the wait to get to see and capture another shot of a Brown Pelican was well worth it. I like it just as it is, sky, composition, all of it. Very impressive, especially taken from a boat.
Cool shot - I’ve never seen them dive with the mouths and pouch open.
they usually seem to dive with beaks tightly closed to be streamlined, then SURFACE with their beaks and pouches wide open to catch and strain the fish.
Fine image, great detail, and nice BG.
Sandy R-B
You could add a little more canvas at the bottom. Bird is very sharp and the image has more than enough sharpness for printing. I like the pose too. Well done…Jim
