White pelican

[Charles Glatzer]

White pelican, MN

1D Mark IV, 70-200 f/2.8 II
Manual (Spot on white chest +2 EV), 1/1600 @ f/9, ISO 200
Post-production- 15in MBP, LR3, CS5, NIK

See you where there is light, or at the computer

Chas

[Stu Bowie]

Chas, well timed to capture the 'yawn' and it shows how large their bills are. The exposure is spot on, but only wish you had a different BG to shoot against.

[Gerald Kelberg]

The contrast between the bird and the background is really surprising - there is an illusion that the bird is breathing out the the bubbling foam. Which is fantastic!

The detail and the exposure on the whites of the pelican are excellent - as we have come to expect! A really extraordinary image!

[Randy Stout]

Chas:

Striking image. The pelican is very nice with excellent texture, definition in the feathers, great yawn, sharp and well exposed.

I do think the BG is a bit too bright and busy with lots of bright highlights to pull ones eye away from the bird. The separation of bird is really good form BG, but my eye keeps wandering off the bird.

Might consider a version with a multiply blend mode done on background to tone it down just a bit.

Cheers

Randy

[jack williamson]

The detail on the pelican is so good that it sets it apart from the BG. I don't mind the BG. Great shot!

Jack

[Charles Glatzer]

I have a different objective when shooting images, preferring to give my subjects a place of context when possible, rather than shooting in a sort of illustrative manner.
The inclusion of environment tells a story, providing the viewer with a sense of time and place, as well as subject scale.

When shooting I make a mental storyboard, shooting as many variations of my subject as possible, as if I were on assignment and my job was to provide my editor with a complete story. Both, styles can coexist when I am shooting. I do have other portraits taken with a 500mm where the background is completely nondescript, and other images taken with a 16mm and almost limitless DOF. DOF, camera angle, focal length, selective focus, composition, etc all play a significant role in how we wish to communicate the natural world to our viewers.

I think many forget that photography is a means of communication, as well as an art form.

Most people think of pelicans being only on flat water, this not always the case. I hope this image helps to educate as well as inspire.

Best,

Chas

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Chas, I'm a big fan of your work for exactly that reason. Almost every one of your images that I have seen has a dynamic, story-telling quality to it. I instantly liked this image when I first saw it for some of the reasons that you have already covered.
I simply hesitate to post comments on images that are posted this small.
This is superbly composed and masterfully processed.
791px x 521px doesn't do this fine image enough justice imho.

[Sachin Saraf]

Fantastic shot Chas....Love the separation of bird from BG in such tricky situation... I visited your web site and man I am blown away...Wonderful work...TFS