# PREPARING FOR SPRING **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** birds\ **Created:** [April 27, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/preparing-for-spring/34896 "2023-04-27T23:17:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_Gavin](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jim\_Gavin](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Gavin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/preparing-for-spring/34896/1 "2023-04-27T23:17:32Z")
![FJG.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/4/a/4af6b0d6bba29272c421e145dcaabbed91ac0450.jpeg) > **Critique Style Requested:** _Standard_ > > The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image. ### Description The pelicans have returned to the Yakima River. These are part of several others that settled in behind the Rosa Dam for a couple hours. Usually they stay in an area a short time and move on. I waited for them to do their spiral take off but they out waited me. Perhaps another day. ### Specific Feedback Is it too closely cropped? Whites are tough for me to deal with. How are they here? The crop, mostly from sides and top is about 60% of original. ### Technical Details 7DII; 1/4000th; 5.6; 1250 ISO; landscape; hand held; some noise reduction and sharpening. ---
**Author:** ![Merv](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/merv/32/50395_2.png) [@Merv](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Merv)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/preparing-for-spring/34896/2 "2023-04-28T15:27:04Z")
Hi Jim, What a nice composition! I really like how they are all in a line with the center one’s head reaching above the rest. Awesome reflection and the exposure looks spot on to me. I like the tight crop, and the color of the water nicely contrasts the white of their feathers. I may be wrong but aren’t those little fleshy flags on their beaks for attracting a mate during mating season? I’ve read where those little beak flags fall away after they’ve mated but I may have misunderstood. I’ve also read that only white pelicans have those flags, not sure if that’s correct either. Very nice image, well done! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 4:44pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/preparing-for-spring/34896/3 "2023-04-28T16:44:32Z")
Very good, Jim. I do like the composition and all the preening poses. I could see a touch more space on the sides. To me, the whites could stand bringing up a touch. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Bostock](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/david_bostock/32/34921_2.png) [@David\_Bostock](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Bostock)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 11:35pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/preparing-for-spring/34896/4 "2023-04-28T23:35:26Z")
Awesome image, Jim. Great collection of pelicans. And each one is doing something slightly different. Adds to the interest of the image. Well done. ---
**Author:** ![Allen\_Sparks](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/allen_sparks/32/63507_2.png) [@Allen\_Sparks](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Allen_Sparks)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2023, 9:10am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/preparing-for-spring/34896/5 "2023-04-29T09:10:07Z")
Hi Jim, nice capture showing a lot of interest with the preening birds working away on themselves. I could see raising exposure some and adding room on sides and bottom. However this is a fine image as presented. ---
**Author:** ![Robena.Sirett](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/robena.sirett/32/50153_2.png) [@Robena.Sirett](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Robena.Sirett)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2023, 3:13pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/preparing-for-spring/34896/6 "2023-04-29T15:13:55Z")
This is wonderful! Beautiful story of all the poses, the reflection, and being in the line. Great detail in the whites and I love how the orange eyes and interesting beaks pop out! If you have room I would pull out the crop a tiny bit…maybe the width of a pelican on either side? ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Gavin](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jim\_Gavin](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Gavin)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2023, 5:22am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/preparing-for-spring/34896/7 "2023-04-30T05:22:57Z")
@Allen_Sparks @Dennis_Plank @Robena.Sirett @Merv @David_Bostock Thanks for the helpful comments. I do have some space on the left and bottom. There was another pelican on the right that I cropped out very close to it. The white probably could be brought up a bit.