Close Order Flight

Gallery: AvianPosted May 11, 2010333 views8 comments

Today was a banner day for pelicans and shorebirds. I was at the North shore of Tybee beach, a collecting point for all manner of seabirds. I could have stayed all day with the good light and the antics of the birds, but I only had quarters for an hour's worth on the meter. Tybee is a great place, but the police are indefatigable in ticketing violators. Anyway, comments and critiques are most welcome. Thanks for looking. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed taking it!

F/7.1, 1/1600, ISO 400, D300 w 80-400mm VR @ 400mm. Monopod, kneeling. 70% of full frame. PP in LR3 beta2 and CS5.

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on May 11, 2010 at 5:23 PM

Cool shot! The birds are almost perfectly parallel!

Congrats

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on May 11, 2010 at 7:58 PM

Philip, I like the matching flight postures and the placement of the birds relative to each other. Just enough OOFness in the background to set the birds off, yet give a sense of place. Good look at the eye of both birds. To my eye the birds aren't tack sharp but they're not off by much and you were dealing with two birds, after all.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on May 11, 2010 at 10:01 PM

I like the little wave in the BG and the compression of the two birds. Very well done,Phil.

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on May 12, 2010 at 12:26 AM

Very cool, love the synchronization. Could use just a tad more dof, or alternatively a little more sharpening on the back pelican. I really like the appearance of the water.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on May 12, 2010 at 12:28 PM

Nice to have gotten these pelicans in breeding plumage Phil. I like the flight pose of the birds, the setting and the nice light in the bird's eyes. This might also look good as a pano.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on May 12, 2010 at 2:03 PM

Nice to see you back, Mia! I have a pano coming with three pelicans.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Dottie Short on May 12, 2010 at 2:36 PM

Position of the pelicans to one another and position in the frame are excellent. Pelicans are one of my favorite birds here on the gulf coast. I haven't mastered tracking flying birds yet, but obviously you have. Great job Phil! Dottie

Registered on April 12, 2010, 61 Posts, 375 Comments

Comment posted by Manjot Singh on September 13, 2012 at 3:58 PM

amazing shot! nice parallel birds just look like a clone. Congrats !

Registered on May 10, 2012, 25 Posts, 66 Comments