Motif- Frozen Pelican Photographers


Posted by Chip Estabrooks on Tue Oct 21, 2003 6:47 pm

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Brown Pelican

Last January I visited my son at college in Jacksonville Florida. I never visit FL without hookin' up with Sandy and Alex. (unwritten rule at our house). Alex couldn't make it but Sandy was game and met us at the AF in St. Augustine. Temp ---- 35 degrees F. The Night Herons at the AF were frozen to their perches and in a bad mood.
After an hour or so of shooting the ill-tempered and grouchy BCNH's we ventured forth see what else was available. Julie (my loving wife and chief bird scout) had located some Hooded Mergansers on a nearby lake. Success at last!
Not being content with mergansers we ventured forth to the beach. By this time Julie was bored leading two old crotchity photographers around and settled down to read a book. Sandy and I were on our own.
On the frozen beaches of N Florida we found pelicans. True nature photographers to the core we stayed until almost dark.
I caught this juvenile just starting his dive.
D1X 300/2.8 2x 1/500 f/12 ISO 400 SB80DX Beamer. Slight crop

Comments appeciated

Enjoy,
Chip
Chip Estabrooks
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by E.J. Peiker on Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:25 pm
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Very cool body position - there has to be a descendency from Pterodactyls here :)
 

by Jim Urbach on Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:26 pm
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Chip,

Much better tha the splashes I captured Sunday. Your pelican is dropping in from a much higher level. Nice capture. I'm not sure your flash fired.

Jim
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by Ken Newcombe on Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:42 pm
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Chip,

Interesting pose, took me a few seconds to figure out what was the head and wing as it loaded.
 

by Alan Murphy on Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:53 pm
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Awesome shape in the bird. Would like to see more detail in the darks. Great comp. Great photo Chip.
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by AlexC on Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:46 pm
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Chip, I was very sorry to miss you guys on that outing, But I hope I made it up to you during your visit down here with the Black Bellied WD!!
Lovely dive bomber !!!, Nice capture to boot!!!, I know the weather was bad that day and you did good!!!, Congrats!!! 8)
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by Sandy Mossberg on Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:48 pm
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Whatta bird! Clown to the end - the bird, Chip, not you. Great position.
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by LHays on Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:11 pm
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Chip
You certainly made the most of your "balmy" Florida weather while you were down there. I like the pelican in action....great capture. What I really love is the story......the visions that I can conjure up with that one.
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by Paul Fusco on Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:17 pm
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Chip -

Perfect position with no overlapping of wings and bill.

Great action!

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by Bill Whala on Tue Oct 21, 2003 9:53 pm
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Chip,

The wing spread is very nice. As has been mentioned, there are no wing/bill mergers. It looks like a little more flash output would have opened up the shadows but this is excellent as is. :)
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by Dennis Olivero on Tue Oct 21, 2003 10:29 pm
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Great dive shot Chip, I dont think placement in the frame could be any more perfect. Wow!
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by Sheri Whala on Tue Oct 21, 2003 10:59 pm
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This is very cool! I love his feet!
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by Mike Wilson on Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:51 pm
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They are goofy looking at times but they certainly are graceful in the air. I have always wanted to shoot these guys diving for fish. Very nice.
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by Bruce DiVaccaro on Wed Oct 22, 2003 5:32 am
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Chip,

Excellent shot. The placement within the frame is great. No merging between the wing and the bill is a big plus here.
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by Penney Goodwin on Wed Oct 22, 2003 11:29 am
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This really made me smile - he sure is in divebomb position...very sweet image. And I'm just as amazed that anyone could remember - let alone how to spell Pterodactyls - except of course, Peiker :) But you know, he's absolutely right! Great image!
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by Anthony Medici on Wed Oct 22, 2003 4:54 pm
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Not bad for a couple of frozen old men. :wink: I like the position of the wings. Good thing you stayed out. :D
Tony
 

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