Dive, Dive...

[Joseph Przybyla]

Sometimes I do dumb things, like trying to photograph swallows in flight or pelicans diving. This image is of a Brown Pelican diving at Ft. Desoto in Pinellas County, Florida. The dive seems to be choreographed, the wings fold back, the bird plummets down, just before the water the wings and legs extend backward and the neck extends so the bill pierces the water. Fun to watch. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D7000
Nikon 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 VR AF-S ED HH
1/2500 F/8 Matrix Metering EV 0 ISO 800 Auto WB, image captured at 300mm
Post processed in Lightroom Classic, Photoshop CC 2020 and Neat Image for noise reduction
Cropped for composition and presentation

[David Roach]

Love the pose and trailing droplets. Dumb but rewarding, I'd say:w3. TFS

[Steve Kaluski]

Don't think I have seen a diving Pelican before Joe, nice one. Is that the full frame height or do you have some more below?

TFS
Steve

[Jonathan Ashton]

A fun shot to view , if I had those opportunities I would be there all the time, I have seen this in (movie) film but not as a still......got any more?

[Joseph Przybyla]

Don't think I have seen a diving Pelican before Joe, nice one. Is that the full frame height or do you have some more below?

TFS
Steve

Hi Steve, thanks for viewing and commenting, Actually I added canvas below. I guess my panning was a tad slow, but I did have the bird and a small amount of the water background in the frame. Once they fold the wings in they rocket towards the water.

[John Mack]

Now that's a peak moment of action. Like the vertical framing. Like the water trailing off those feet.

[arash_hazeghi]

Pretty cool dynamic view Joe, light was getting a bit harsh otherwise you nailed it. the canvas adding also added some artifacts

TFS

[Arthur Morris]

Not your best with the harsh light and the shadows ... DeSoto is now open. As soon as the shelter-in-place is lifted I am there. Were you on a pier? That BKGR is awfully close ...

with love, artie

[Daniel Cadieux]

I love the action, curled feet, water trailing off. Good colours in the water. Light was harsh, but it is not too bad. Pretty enjoyable image.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Joseph ... wow , love the captured action !!!
Like Steve ... I would ask for more space at the bottom in an ideal world , for the bird to fly into .
All else is working nice .
Might burn the whites .... or try to extract more detail if it is in the raw , maybe double process it !!! One version for the real HL and bring them together in PS .

TFS Andreas

[Joseph Przybyla]

Thanks everyone for viewing and commenting, much appreciated.