Brown Pelican

This is a good portrait Angela, I like the way the vertical format emphasizes the colors and lines in the head and bill. It's interesting to look back at our older stuff and realize how we have learned and progressed. You might still be able to darken the edge of the peer to make it less obtrusive.

So beautiful, Angela. Wonderful comp as far as the pelican is concerned, and beautiful colors and detail.

Cool portrait, Angela ! Superb detail and sharpness to be handheld and in spite of the crop !
You are right: a lower angle would have been better, but posting on NP, we improve year after year !
Mauro

There's some lovely detail in this image and the diagonal beak works well

Geoff.

" I wish I had gotten a little lower to get the edge of the pier out of the image-but I didn't know to do that a year ago. "........

If I had a dime every time I said something like that to myself. I think that's the beauty of NPN, is it really gets you thinking about details.

Eliminating the pier would have been a good move, but this is a really nice, razor sharp portrait.

Wonderfully sharp and a terrific composition...beautiful portrait.

The white on the pier is minor for me. And is also something I probably wouldn't have thought about until after the first or second shot!!

The details are wonderful. I wouldn't really have noticed the dock in the background if you hadn't mentioned it. Lovely portrait.

Love these birds for the long, interesting bill. Nice work on this, Angela. Wouldn't be difficult to remove the pier if you wanted.

This is a beautiful portrait Angela. Great pose, nice light and excellent detail.

Beautiful portrait. Great detail and color. The capture of the eye makes the shot for me. No nits except the one you mentioned about the pier.

Very nice rich colors, and that sharp piercing stare is just magnificent. I'll try to file that hint about getting lower to remove unwanted items from the BG. A wonderful image Angela.

Very nice detail in this Angela. Like you, I also love the colors in these Pelicans (we only get white ones in Colorado). I agree about the angle, but would be easy to clone out the white edge of the pier. The only reason it bothers me in this shot is because it intersects with the bill. I think this portrait is definitely worth the extra work.

Very nice portrait Angela. Good detail and stunning colors in the bill. I'm not bothered by the pier because these guys are fond of hanging around piers-an element of their habitat.

Angela, beautiful colors and pose, love the eye contact. I agree a lower angle may have worked better but I also like this as posted.