This image was taken a few years back at the St. Louis Zoo on New Year's Eve. It was cold that day...about 15 degrees or so...and the area of water that the pelican is standing in was one of the few areas that didn't have ice forming over the top (there was a fountain nearby that caused just enough water movement). There are five or six white pelicans that are permanent residents of the zoo...during the winter the population will swell a bit as a few of the migratory birds will "make camp" for a few weeks (or longer!) and enjoy the easy meals; this was one of the captive pelicans. For processing, I used a combination of Topaz Simplify, Fractalius, and Topaz Clean, masking a few key elements (the eye and the bill primarily) at varying levels of opacity.
Last edited by John Storjohann; 09-03-2011 at 05:41 AM.
John, Excellent subject choice and pose for the filter. I like how you varied the amount of details revealed. The dark BG makes the Pelican stand out nicely. I like your choice with the comp. highlighting the hint of reflection. Nice work!!
Hi John,
Really like the pose of the White Pelican. I think you did a great job with the filtering effect. I also really like the colors in the water and the dark b/g. Nice contrast!
Hi John, Well handled overall! Filtering all but the beak and eye worked well along with the fading of the water from light to dark. The water also has enough interest to command that amount of space. Finally, and most important is the lighting is warm and appealing. Well done!!