Laughing out loud + Re-post

Found this pod of pelicans mid morning just preening and sunning themselves. Really fun to watch.

What technical feedback would you like if any?

How to keep detail in all those white feathers? Any any other comments.

What artistic feedback would you like if any?

Any and all comments welcome

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

Nikon D7200, F/9, 1/2500 sec., 320 iso, 500mm - on tripod
(If backgrounds have been removed, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)

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Hi Linda. I think you did well keeping detail in the whites. I don’t see any objectionably blown areas and almost all the feathers have nice detail. With the birds relatively small in the frame, you obviously aren’t going to get that super fine detail of the tiny head feathers anyhow. I really like your central character and the array of poses. I do find myself wishing that one bird were a little further left in the array. You might play with a slightly tighter crop, coming in from the left to the first bird that has it’s head sticking above the rest and maybe take a touch off the top to keep the proportions reasonable. I think this is a really fun image as posted.


Thanks Dennis for your kind words and suggestions. I did crop this photo a bit on the left and top. I do like the re-post better. Thanks again.

Fantastic, Linda. I think you did a wonderful job with the details in the white feathers in mid morning light. I like your repost best. I think the crop helped. Good advice from Dennis. I just love how the one has his mouth open so wide. It is like he is giving out a command to the others maybe. :+1: :+1:

Thanks Shirley. That’s what I thought, the guy in the middle was orchestrating all the others. But in fact, I believe this was nap time and this movement is more of a yawn. But still really fun to watch.

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I like the re-post with more emphasis on the star performer. Good white/feather detail. Fun shot.

I’m glad this worked out, Linda. It’s just a great image that deserves to have the best brought out of it.

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Hi Linda, yes the repost is definitely an improvement of a very fun image. Nice exposure too. Amazing how they can expand their mouths like this. Nicely seen and captured.

Thank you @Shirley_Freeman, @Allen_Sparks, @Dennis_Plank and @Allen_Brooks for all of your encouraging words and great feedback/suggestions. I still have much to learn and appreciate your taking the time to comment.

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