Pelican

[Svante Larsson]

D300, 500 mm, ISO200, 1/800 sec, f/7.1

PP is mainly blurring the background. I am ETL so C&C very welcome .

[Stuart Hill]

Hi Svante,

Like this portrait. Nice diagonal made throuh head and bill with opposing corners. Like the muted background soft but still recognisable as to where it was. Find the diagonal 'slash' through the neck slightly distracting though and maybe bring back a little detail in the head whites with Arties linear burn trick?

Regards.
Stu.

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Svante,

Greetings. The light angle is problematic with the eye and most of the head and beak in the shadows. Best try for earlier or later in the day, standing between the sun and the subject. Good portrait composition, better light would "make" this image.

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Gerald Kelberg]

Hej Svante,

Agree with Michael that the light isn't ideal, but feel that you have made a nice portrait under difficult light conditions. Like the diagonal composition and the sharp bird pops nicely against the soft background.

Gerald

[Kerry Perkins]

Hello Svante, my first impression is that the lighting was a bit of an issue as Michael mentioned, but you did a good job with the situation and the whites are well controlled on the head which is often rather difficult. The shooting angle was one of those where you have to choose between head angle and light coverage - when the head angle is good you have shadow, and when the shadow is gone you have the bird looking away. Been there, done that! My only other comment would be that more sharpness and saturation overall would be nice. Well done under the circumstances.