Pelican preening

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

40D. 400 f5.6L at f/6.3. iso 320. 1/2000s.

I always spend a weekend or two in March photographing these. they have the best plumage at this time of the year...just before they migrate. All comments welcome.

[Marina Scarr]

Stunning portrait!!! Love the pastel blue BG which matches it's eye. There is so much details in the whites you can almost see each feather!!! The light is killer. Love the breeding bump and the comp you picked works really well with that great HA.

[Jamie Douglas]

This is a fine portrait Kaustubh and I certainly don't have any nits. From one 400mm F5.6 user to the other :5

[Stu Bowie]

Hi KD, your comp works well here, and you have captured a super pose. Good DOF on the pelican, tack sharp, which in turn has brought out the plumage very well. Great eye, and an opportunity well used.

[Arthur Morris]

Ditto all of the positives. You might try an alternative crop or two from the bottom as this is a bit awkward as presented.... Not sure however that there is a better one :).

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Ditto all of the positives. You might try an alternative crop or two from the bottom as this is a bit awkward as presented.... Not sure however that there is a better one :).

Artie, I have tried tigher crop. When I crop tight from bottom to get rid of the black feathers on right side, then the black feathers on the left draw the eye too much I felt. I think those black feathers on the right side balance the ones on the left.

[stuart wanuck]

great!

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Excellent pose, light and IQ. The feather detail is astounding and I love the comp as is.

[Sid Garige]

Fantastic pose and details KD. Excellent comp.

[dankearl]

Very nice, the eye makes it for me.
Perfect exposure.

[Arthur Morris]

Artie, I have tried tigher crop. When I crop tight from bottom to get rid of the black feathers on right side, then the black feathers on the left draw the eye too much I felt. I think those black feathers on the right side balance the ones on the left.

Understood. That's why I said that it was a tough one... Consider this: with the exact crop as you described the remaining black in the llc balances nicely with the large area of blue on the right side of the frame both top and bottom; at least to my eye :).

[Karl Egressy]

Its a beuty, Kaustubh. A truly amazing portrait.

[Randy Stout]

Kaustubh:

Lovely! Excellent techs, great looking bird, wind helped fluff him up a bit.

If you have any more room below, might be interesting to tinker with the crop, but very effective as is.

Cheers

Randy

[arash_hazeghi]

nice pose, light and details.

[Sachin Saraf]

Another beautiful image KD...I love pelicans and you have some nice images in your collection...Great pose showing plumage and beautiful Eye.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Thx everyone. I personally get a lot of satisfaction from such images. Making full-frame, well exposed images of preening Pelicans is easy at this location....but getting that shot with feather in bill tip, parallel to sensor HA, wind blowing the crest upwards( and not have any oof coots and cormorants in BG :-)....that needs patience, timing and attention to detail. Which is what BPN has taught me and I am eternally grateful to everyone here.

still working on the perfect head-throw shot :-)

[Melissa Groo]

Kaustubh, you have this one down, you can cross it off the list. Just a fabulous portrait in every respect. I think crop is fine as is. Just a stunning image that really has a lot of interest, detail, and depth. Wish it were mine.

[Frank Schauf]

Beautiful portrait, great details and sharpness.

[Robert Holguin]

Wow!!! Excellent shot. Detail is just superb, love the light and pose, exposed perfectly, and great background.
Very well done.