Spot-billed Pelican

[Poorna Kedar]

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/11701282593_4a6b95b9f1_b.jpg

It would have been great if I managed to leave some more space around the bird, this is a full frame shot with a prime lens. The action happened too close to me and this is all I got to manage from a rocking boat.

Shot with:
Nikon D800E, Nikon AF-S 300mm f4 + Nikon AF-S 14TE II

Post Processing:
RAW Processing in Nikon View NX2
White Balance, Brightness/ Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation in Photoshop CS6

[Daniel Cadieux]

What I like here is the colours of the pelican against the dark BG. The splashing water looks good too. Nifty reflection. I agree with you about the tight composition but with a black BG like this it should be easy to extend the canvas seamlessly. I'd also remove the various spots in the water, and too bad the pelican is looking away.

[Grace Scalzo]

Lots to like here, but the head turned away causes a disconnect for me. Any more from this series that might address this?

[Diane Miller]

Although a head turn toward the viewer is more engaging, I don't mind the head turn here because he is involved in some action. What I would suggest is, as Daniel said, extend the top of the canvas and do some cleanup, and then burn down or fade out the reflection. It pulls my eye out the bottom of the frame. Maybe some lightening of shadows and darkening of highlights, too.

Very nice action caught, though, with good focus and sharpness.

[Poorna Kedar]

Thanks for all your valuable feedback and comments. I usually don't do much of cloning and similar modifications to the images posted online, but I can certainly try out these for prints.

[Poorna Kedar]

Lots to like here, but the head turned away causes a disconnect for me. Any more from this series that might address this?


Thanks for the feedback. I should have a few with the proper head turn, but the wing position may not be good. I have to live with this :(