Brown pelican
On the pier in Fairhope, Alabama 2015. He was not afraid of humans, swooped down and it looked like he was posing for a photo. ...
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On the pier in Fairhope, Alabama 2015. He was not afraid of humans, swooped down and it looked like he was posing for a photo.
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Jan, 2015Views
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Awards
Zenith Award
Fall Award 2020
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
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Impressed
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on the city pier in Fairhope, Alabama. Fairhope is on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay and one of the most beautiful small towns in the US. My wife, brother, and sister-in-law were with me, as we were staying in Orange Beach and had driven to Fairhope for lunch.Time
It was about 1:00 PM central time. After lunch we rode over to the pier, I walked faster than they did, and got out to the end of the pier. As I was sitting on a bench waiting for the others, this fellow came flying in and I turned my camera on and started shooting. For the shot above, I do believe he was posing. Brown pelicans were almost extinct in that area, but due to conservation efforts have made a strong comeback. My brother was talking with some of the local folks and was told this fellow had been around for some time and was a favorite of the "regulars" who spent time at the pier.Lighting
Not really, it was a bright sunny day in January, actually kind of warm. I know best natural light situations are usually in early morning or early evenings, but when an opportunity presents itself, then you take the picture.Equipment
At the time I had a Nikon 3000 (still do) and that was all. I was not expecting this fellow to show up, so I was glad I had at least carried my camera with me. I had planned to take some photos of all of us on the pier with the city of Mobile, which could be seen across the bay, as a background.Inspiration
The pelican just came to see me while I was enjoying the view from the bench.Editing
I cropped the above photo, and that is all that I did.In my camera bag
Now I have Nikon 7100, Nikon 3000, 3 different lenses, a circular light, a flash with ability to redirect the light, and various filters.Feedback
In this particular photo it was just being at the right place at the right time. In a place such as Fairhope, one could probably set up early morning or early evening on the pier and get much better captures than this one. Also, this was in January, and although it can be warm on the gulf coast during the winter months, you do not encounter the crowds that would be there between April-September. So, my advice would be to go "off-season." Also, rental rates for condos and beach houses are much lower. Without the crowds, the pelicans and other sea birds are much more likely to make themselves available for photos.
