Avian Adversaries on Ice

[Judy Howle]

I don't have any good snow photos since we rarely have snow but we did have a deep freeze last January and all the lakes, big and small, were frozen to some extent. I braved the cold to go to the waterway and take pictures of the ice and several birds cooperated for a few photos. This one was from a long way off using the 100 - 400 lens. The action went like this: the heron was on the ice trying to use it's beak to get something under the ice. A pelican spotted it and crash-landed and slid on the ice looking for food since nearly the whole lake was frozen and they were hungry. It landed right where the heron was which sent the heron squawking loudly into the air and it was still squawking as it flew off in this photo.

I first used Topaz Clean, then Topaz Adjust. I decided to have a little fun and added a blue-background snow texture, plus I added snow via the tutorial here http://goo.gl/6ElVi which I think is a very good one although I modified it a little. Then I added another texture with larger snow flakes and used the Photoshop snowflake shapes to add a few more. I used a snowy frame from PhotoFrame and put the image on top of it since the opening was too small and added a stroke and drop shadow with Layer styles.

[Patti Edens]

I love the photo and the treatment. The snowflake shapes and background really do make it fun. I also enjoyed reading the story! We don't get much ice around where I live, so I've never seen birds try to chip food out of the ice or Pelicans slide in for a landing. I think, for another image, it would be funny to paint a runway under that Pelican.

[denise ippolito]

Judy, I wonder how a small black border around the entire image would look. I might tone down some of the whites on the pelican. Nice job w/ the snow and this has a very winter-wonderland look to it. I like the added "snowflakes" and that they are not all square to the frame. Nicely done.

[Judy Howle]

I love the photo and the treatment. The snowflake shapes and background really do make it fun. I also enjoyed reading the story! We don't get much ice around where I live, so I've never seen birds try to chip food out of the ice or Pelicans slide in for a landing. I think, for another image, it would be funny to paint a runway under that Pelican.

Thanks Patti! I think a runway would be cute but time is short right now!

[Judy Howle]

Judy, I wonder how a small black border around the entire image would look. I might tone down some of the whites on the pelican. Nice job w/ the snow and this has a very winter-wonderland look to it. I like the added "snowflakes" and that they are not all square to the frame. Nicely done.

Thanks Denise! I did tone down the whites some from pure white by painting over them with light gray, but I could darken it some more. They were totally blown, unfortunately. It happened so fast I didn't have time to compensate for the white bird. :o I can try a dark border too.

[Judy Howle]

Version 2 with another edge applied on top of the original one and then a stroke border and darkened the pelican.

[Christopher Miller]

Very nice interaction, Judy! I wish the pelican's head was more visible. I love the added snow and snowflakes. The snowflake frame is cool and adding the border on around definitely makes it look better.

[denise ippolito]

Does look better Judy!!!:)

[Paul Lagasi]

I vote for version two....almost looks like the Heron is laughing at the Pelican slipping on the ice...I would only wish we could see the pelicans head...well done

[Judy Howle]

Thanks Christopher, Denise and Paul! I liked the first photo I took better of the heron where the it shot straight up in the air with it's head feathers standing up and beak open but the pelican had it's back totally to me in it.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Judy, I too vote for #2. It must have been comical to watch the pelican crash land on the ice.

[Anita Bower]

I'm enjoying this picture and chuckling at the humor in it. Wonderful capture. Even before reading your description, I could see there was a commotion. Nice post processing. I think the border around the border in the second post works well. Thanks for sharing.