Juvenile Brown Pelican In Flight

[Barbara Ponder]

I normally don't shoot the juveniles mainly because of the lack of color in both feathers and eyes but this sweet one I really became fond of. I know it is a little tight on the crop but in order the straighten the horizon I needed to do that. He was coming back around and at an angle so the horizon was at an angle as well CC always welcome and appreciated.

[Shadowman]

Nice composition.

[Barbara Ponder]

Nice composition.

Thank you John!

[Stagecoach]

Great capture Barbara. Ok so it's a bit tight but an easy job on this one to add some more canvas to top and right and clone in.

[Barbara Ponder]

Thanks Grahame!

[NorthernFocus]

That's a pro quality shot, Barbara. Yes it could use a bit more room particularly on the right side of frame. Techs are awesome and the position on the bird it great. Nice job.

[ied]

Beautiful capture Barbara. Nice and sharp.

Irene

[Barbara Ponder]

That's a pro quality shot, Barbara. Yes it could use a bit more room particularly on the right side of frame. Techs are awesome and the position on the bird it great. Nice job.

Thanks Dan! Wish he had been more straight on the horizon but i am happy with the shot otherwise.

[Barbara Ponder]

Beautiful capture Barbara. Nice and sharp.

Irene

Thanks Irene!

[FootLoose]

Great shot, Barbara.

[IzzieK]

Very nice, Barbara...I would suggest a little bit of dodge tool will help the eye pop a little bit...(I was doing this yesterday on my little birdie so I remember...)

[bnnrcn]

Great photo Barbara

[John 2]

I like that Barbara. It's a lovely comp. You have caught it so well. It might just be worth lightening the area around its eye and whitening the catch lights in its eye. Nice shot.

[DonnaK]

Awesome, awesome, awesome, Barbara

[Barbara Ponder]

Great shot, Barbara.

Thanks Greg!

[Barbara Ponder]

Very nice, Barbara...I would suggest a little bit of dodge tool will help the eye pop a little bit...(I was doing this yesterday on my little birdie so I remember...)

Thanks Izzie. I will see what I can do about the eye.

[Barbara Ponder]

Great photo Barbara

Thanks Binnur!

[Barbara Ponder]

I like that Barbara. It's a lovely comp. You have caught it so well. It might just be worth lightening the area around its eye and whitening the catch lights in its eye. Nice shot.

Thank you John!

[Barbara Ponder]

Awesome, awesome, awesome, Barbara

Thank you Donna!

[Downrigger]

Obviously superb, I’m on board with all the superlatives here. But for CC, here’s something: The technical mastery (from shooting to processing) that renders for us this amazingly crispy-sharp bird results in a perfect pelican ON a soft image of the sea and sky, rather than IN the image.
I think this can happen often with well-shot, well-lit wildlife subjects for whom the only context is distant homogeneous sky and land or water (but particularly water). Maybe some post-crop vignetting to allow the image to acknowledge that it’s apparent subject is its only subject? Otherwise, I think including context that adds (booming cumulus clouds, waves crashing on rocks) and provides opportunity for more complex composition is an avenue to pursue.
I’ve sort of formulated this idea that to be more than documentary wildlife images need context or interaction, (think Audubon – who got both) but I’m a novice – perhaps there’s more.