Distracting?

[Aravind Krishnaswamy]

I really like the way the chocolate colored nape came out in this image. Unfortunately the Pelican turned around only for a moment and where I was sitting on the cliffs, it wasn't possible to reframe without the Pelican in the back. That and at the time I thought it would be an interesting composition with the the other Pelican in the background. I could of course clone stamp + CAF it out but wanted to see what people here think. Too distracting? Comments?

[Marina Scarr]

I can see why you were so intent on capturing this bird. His colors are gorgeous, as is the BG. For me, there is too much space to the right and top of the frame. If I were going to process this image, this is how I would crop it. However, because of the way the rear bird intersects with the beak of the front bird and the front bird's head angle is not optimum, I would opt to go back out and try again.

[Bryan Hix]

I don't know if it's necessarily too distracting, but if it were mine I would try to at least see what it looks like with the second bird cloned out. I might bring the crop in tighter from the top, but not the right IMO.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Arvind, loved the colors, exposure and details. But not crazy abt the OOF bird. HA issue, you already noted.

[Alan Lillich]

I like Marina's crop. I don't think the BG bird is distracting. Maybe even an help since the FG bird is more or less facing away. The BG bird kind of stops the wandering eye and bounces it back.

[Daniel Cadieux]

For me personally I find the OOF bird distracting. If you do wish to keep it I'd darken its pupil to match the main subject. Speaking of the main subject, I wish its head was swiveled more our way. Beautiful colours colours though, and very nicely detailed.

[Arthur Morris]

I like Marina's crop. And I like the image. The trick would have been for you to be three feet to your left at this exact moment. That would have yielded a perfect head angle for the bird on the right and had the two bills meet in a "V" reminiscent of a heart shape.

[James Salywoda]

I'd clone out the oof Pelican and save the one that looks great.

[Stu Bowie]

lovely colours on the pelican, and agree its a pity about the OOF pelican.