White Pelican

[Kerry Perkins]

First year breeding plumage just getting started. Captured in late afternoon on Cachuma Lake, California. Shot hand-held from a boat and presented full-frame.

50D, EF400mm f/5.6L
Manual mode, f/5.6@1/4000 ISO 400 WB 5100K
AI Servo autofocus, hand-held no flash

Thank you for your comments!

[Randy Stout]

Kerry:

Nice whites, head angle, sharpness.
Like the crest.

Wish there was just a bit more to the left ( I know there isn't anymore available)
Might consider cloning out the tail(wing?) lower left corner.

Cheers
Randy

[Alfred Forns]

Fine looking image Kerry !!!

Great comments and can add I wish you could have gotten in a little better sun angle not always possible from a boat !!!

[Randy Stout]

Kerry:

Alfred makes a good point on the sun angle. A slight improvement made have made the pouch stand out more.
I do however like the modeling effect caused by the shadows on the back of the head.

Cheers

Randy

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Kerry, I feel that for vertical portrait like this, it works better if the pelican is slightly looking inwards. But I still like this. Good on whites. I have taken a lot of pelican shots this winter and I know its not possible to blur the BG with 400 f5.6 and this shooting angle. And with lakes, going lower usually gets the opposite bank line intersecting the bird. Lovely head plumage.....the pelicans here have very good plumage too right now. Ready to leave, I guess.