First pics of pelican in action!

[vsethuram]

Hi all,

Took these pics couple of weeks back. This pelican was lazily swimming along fishing for and eating a lot of seaweed. After an hour or so, I packed up my gear and was ready to leave, when it started cleaning itself and flapping its wings.. That was the action I was waiting for! Hastily reassembled my camera and lens, and shot some of the following pics - hand held. The only adjustments I made in post were increasing the exposure by half a stop, cropping, and sharpening by 30%.

Welcome your C&C!

#1


#2


#3


#4

[NorthernFocus]

The third one with the open beak is really nice. And the water is lovely in the first shot. The bird is still under exposed in all but the third shot. If you were shooting in any auto mode the bright water was likely causing the underexposure of the bird.

[chauncey]

The bird is still under exposed in all but the third shot. If you were shooting in any auto mode the bright water was likely causing the underexposure of the bird.

True enough, but we've all been guilty of that difficulty at one time or another. About the most that we can hope for, considering the limited dynamic range of most cameras, is to get exposure close enough to fix in PP. In these, boosting the shadows would help, if...if it didn't introduce excessive noise.

[Saorsa]

Hi all,

Took these pics couple of weeks back. This pelican was lazily swimming along fishing for and eating a lot of seaweed. After an hour or so, I packed up my gear and was ready to leave, when it started cleaning itself and flapping its wings.. That was the action I was waiting for! Hastily reassembled my camera and lens, and shot some of the following pics - hand held. The only adjustments I made in post were increasing the exposure by half a stop, cropping, and sharpening by 30%.

Welcome your C&C!


#3

That is an excellent behavioural shot of a White Pelican. They use their pouch like a dip net. The Brown Pelican uses theirs like a cast net.

[IzzieK]

But....but...but...Vish said he had already packed up his gears...so these will be surprised shots. Anyway, I applaud his efforts to even get what he got...they are all nice...OK guys?

[Shadowman]

Nice additional pelican images.

[bnnrcn]

Nice shots,I especially like #1 and #3

[FootLoose]

good captures, Vish I like the colour of the water in the first, and the pose of the pelican in the second.

[Stagecoach]

Very nice series Vish, thanks for sharing them. No 3 is an unusual capture, full marks for getting this one.

[Plumcrak]

Vish, very nice series...and yes I would agree that #3 is a great capture.

[vsethuram]

The third one with the open beak is really nice. And the water is lovely in the first shot. The bird is still under exposed in all but the third shot. If you were shooting in any auto mode the bright water was likely causing the underexposure of the bird.

Thanks, Dan. I have made it a habit to practice shooting in manual mode as far as possible (including these shots).. Yes I am still grappling with getting my subject exposed properly when the scene has a wide tonal range... Practice makes perfect, I suppose!

[vsethuram]

True enough, but we've all been guilty of that difficulty at one time or another. About the most that we can hope for, considering the limited dynamic range of most cameras, is to get exposure close enough to fix in PP. In these, boosting the shadows would help, if...if it didn't introduce excessive noise.

Thanks, Chauncey.. Will try your suggestion and post a follow up!

[vsethuram]

That is an excellent behavioural shot of a White Pelican. They use their pouch like a dip net. The Brown Pelican uses theirs like a cast net.

Cheers, Brian! I am learning to be patient to get such shots!

[vsethuram]

But....but...but...Vish said he had already packed up his gears...so these will be surprised shots. Anyway, I applaud his efforts to even get what he got...they are all nice...OK guys?

Thanks, Isabel! Fortunately for me, the pelican was patient with me till I got my gear ready .. but this is a learning phase for me.. so I welcome all the feedback I can get!

[vsethuram]

Nice additional pelican images.

Cheers, John!

[vsethuram]

Jon, Grahame, Binnur.. Thanks!

Now for another question - Personally I was happy with the pose in pic #2. Is it because its a relatively underexposed compared to the rest that you prefer #1 & #3 over #2?

[deetheturk]

Nice series Vish!

[bnnrcn]

For me ,the answer is no Vish.The reason for me is the shooting angle.You shot the bird from behind in #2 and you faced the bird in #1 and #3.But this doesn't mean #2 is not a good shot,I like all of them in general

Jon, Grahame, Binnur.. Thanks!

Now for another question - Personally I was happy with the pose in pic #2. Is it because its a relatively underexposed compared to the rest that you prefer #1 & #3 over #2?

[Bobobird]

Excellent shots Vish. Processing is fine too. Slight issue with #3 in that the left wing has portions of blown highlights possibly caused by the water running off the wing.

[Brownbear]

All nice, but I especially adore the 3rd image for the composition and the special moment captured.