Too Much Lens???

[Arthur Morris]

The 800 is simply too long most of the time on the cliffs of LaJolla. I struggled often even to get the pelican's heads in the frame.

Just made it with this one: Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS with the 1.4X II TC (forgot that I had that on for this image ) and the EOS-1D Mark IV. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/10.

This image had too many dust spots; for two great relevant Photoshop tips from Tim Grey click here.

Otherwise, don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[Sid Garige]

Exceptional details Artie. Wonderful image.

[Marina Scarr]

What an awesome image. The crop, colors and pose are great. I esp like the details of the pelican's brow and water droplets between the top and lower beak.

[James Yule]

Mr Morris, I love my 800 and almost never grab my 200-400 when an animal is close lol. I love the portrait, next time use a 2x hehe

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks all. James, which 800?

[denise ippolito]

Nice framing and sharp details. I like the water drops too.

[Ofer Levy]

Looks excellent to me. I often wish I had the 800 f5.6 as I love the sharpness and the fact you don't often need a converter. The 600 f4 IS is more versatile for sure but its heavy and very difficult for handheld BIF work. I am sure the 800 is fantastic HH for BIF.

[James Yule]

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS I mount a 7D to it. Nikon couldn't provide me with a 600 VR so I miss matched and got the Canon.

[arash_hazeghi]

very nice details and pose, it's a handsome specie.

[Tom Rambaut]

This is so sharp - Nice pelicans you have over there.

[Colin Driscoll]

Too much lens? Not if you can get superb shots like that! But too much for my pocket

[Vivaldo Damilano]

Fantastic series Arthur, so much detail captured. I am sure the long lens help capture this detail Love the colours and tight comp TFS

[Chris Kotze]

Amazing detail and colours. Great work and well presented

[Chris Martinez]

I love how white the whites are. Like the head has been soaked in Nappisan. The eye also looks amazing.
Gee your good!!! Inspirational too!

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks all. Note: I live in Florida. This is a California Brown Pelican. Only they have the red....

Ofer, Though well lighter than the 600, I find it much harder to handhold the 800 than the old 500. The big mysteries are: what will the new 500 and the new 600 weigh???

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Chris. What is Nappisan???

I ran about a 10% Linear Burn on the WHITEs and then added about 15 points of BLACK to them in Selective Color..... All as described in detail in Digital Basics.

[Bryan Hix]

Artie,
I think the more intimate portrait and close ups that you have posted as of late are wonderful as it gives us a different view of the bird that most don't get with a smaller lens. Your BIF shots with the 70-200mm and 2X TC are great too and have given me some great motivation to start using that combo especially since it is much more portable than the 600mm.

The thing I like most about this particular photo is the exposure itself. It doesn't get any better and with that comes some awesome detail of the bird.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Amazing IQ...The light seems perfect here...What a interesting looking Pelican!

[nancy hazen]

Beautiful portrait - I love seeing the Pelicans and other birds from San Diego. Not only are they a joy to see, but are an inspiration to keep working on technique. This is a wonderful pose and the colors and lighting are perfect. Lately, a long lens is needed in LaJolla because the Pelicans have moved to the lower cliffs. I hope to see more of your San Diego birds.
Nancy

[Johan Kruger]

Lovely colors.

The 800 is simply too long most of the time on the cliffs of LaJolla. I struggled often even to get the pelican's heads in the frame.

wish I had the same problem

[Aravind Krishnaswamy]

Beautiful image Artie, I love the composition and framing.

[Michael Lotito]

Sometimes less of the subject is more! This fits that bill. Well worth the struggle to get this in the frame. The 800 closes one door but opens another less explored area.

[DanWalters]

Really like the tight crop. More attention on the eye and open bill. Vibrant color as well.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks all for your wonderfully kind comments. Especially Bryan. I think that thebird was laughing at me for rolling one of my 1.4 TCs off the cliff into the ocean :) Click here for the full story on that escapade.

If you like tight, with image quality, wait till you see what's coming tonight!

[Arthur Morris]

Mr Morris, I love my 800 and almost never grab my 200-400 when an animal is close lol. I love the portrait, next time use a 2x hehe

James. Call me artie please :) I was thining mis-match; that would drive me to jump off the cliff!

[Kiran Poonacha]

Loved the pop, pose and colors in the frame guru... nicely done..

[Pieter de Waal]

Agree with the comments above Arthur nothing much to add except my appreciation of a fine image, love the eye and crest in front of it. Your Pelicans are so much more colourful.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Artie, the tightness is perfect here IMO. stunning details and pose with the open bill.

[Nico Steenberg]

The sharp IQ is out of this world :eek: Like the pose, colours and bg. Well done sir

[Bob Pelkey]

For someone like yourself that so readily gets closer to birds than most people realize, the 800mm seems like too much lens for the job. In anticipation (always) of a bird making a close flyby, I think at most 400mm with a converter is perhaps the best way to go. Internal magnification from the camera at hand helpful. The longer lenses detract from the best potential action photography.

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Bob, You are over-generalizing to some degree :) Lenses are just tools. Sometimes the 800 with a TC is perfect, sometimes the 70-200 alone, and sometimes the fish eye. My original point was that at LaJolla it was often difficult getting the head throws in the frame with the 800 without cutting off part of the bill. I should have been more specific.

[James Salywoda]

ALL has been said "Stunning Image"

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Love the frame. The exposure is just brilliant !! STUNNER from the guruji !!

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks guys!