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Clear The Runway
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Clear The Runway

by Steve Thompson

Gallery: AvianPosted September 14, 2015235 views10 comments

This Brown Pelican was coming in for landing in their usual clumsy way. I liked the wide eyed look like he had. He finally did make a safe landing. I cropped this to a pano to eliminate some uneeded sky space.

Thanks for looking, comments & suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Large image provided for detail.

Canon 70D
Canon 400mm 5.6
1/6400
f/7.1
ISO 400
HH
Processed with Lightroom 5.7, CS5

Comments

10 comments
Comment posted by Jerry Marella on September 14, 2015 at 9:56 PM

I love it when these guys come in with flaps down.  Not the most graceful bird, but a lot of fun to watch and photograph. Not sure how big of a crop this is, but it looks like you got everything either in focus or in the zone of perceived focus. I don't mind the trees in the background so much, but if they weren't there it wouldn't hurt. I might try to clone them away to keep the attention on the pelican. Nice catch, you tracked him nicely and your timing was right on.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 142 Posts, 862 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 14, 2015 at 10:51 PM

 

I agree, Steve, the eyes really make this shot especially combined with that break neck landing pose.  Well done.

devil

 

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Archer on September 15, 2015 at 6:08 AM

Looks like a cartoon character blush

I really like the head on flight pose you captured here Steve, those wonderful eyes put this one over the top for me. Personally I find this photo very pleasing as presented.

Sweet One!

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments
Comment posted by Ray Whitt on September 15, 2015 at 7:39 AM

Great work here, love the head on pose. Detail is excellent and this composition works well for me.  Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on September 15, 2015 at 11:37 AM

Hard to get a good head-on flight shot like this, my hat's off to you Steve.

I like the 'tilt' that puts em' on the diagonal, great details and a must see large to appreciate those clear sharp eyesdevil
 

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by May Haga on September 16, 2015 at 12:01 PM

Fun shot.  Looks like he was heading staight for you.  Nice detail.

May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments
Comment posted by David Bogener on September 18, 2015 at 1:26 PM

Nice head on image in good light.  I like the diaganal wing position and agree that the trees could go without hurting the image.

Registered on October 30, 2013, 417 Posts, 1255 Comments
Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on September 18, 2015 at 10:51 PM

Really dig this angle Steve. The large image is a must for this type of shot, because the look on the Pelican's face is priceless as it comes in for a landing. Good work!

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on September 19, 2015 at 9:23 PM

Cool head on landing shot Steve, I like the diagonal wings, these guys are pretty comical sometimes. devil

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Watkins on September 28, 2015 at 10:58 AM

This llokslike a crash landing in the making, beautiful imagedevil

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments