Pelican Take Off
A Pelican at Collaroy Beach takes off after having his fill on fisherman's left overs.
A Pelican at Collaroy Beach takes off after having his fill on fisherman's left overs.
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Jan, 2014Views
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chriscousins
February 09, 2014
Thanks! Just had this shot published on the WIRES facebook page, so very pleased :-)
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at Collaroy Beach in NSW, AustraliaTime
It was late afternoon when I took the shotLighting
I deliberately headed down to the beach in the late afternoon, as I prefer the lighting when the sun is lower in the skyEquipment
This shot was taken with a Canon EOS7D with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. This obviously isn't a Macro shot, so it really shows how versatile this 100mm lens is! I didn't use a tripod, hence the fast shutter speed - and the only lighting was the light from the sun.Inspiration
This was taken at the south end of the beach, where there is a table that the fishermen bring their catch to clean. What inspired me to take this shot was that I knew that the fishermen normally turn up in the late afternoon - and not far behind (actually normally waiting) are the Pelicans! I love Pelicans, and I can happily while away a couple of hours watching them and trying to capture them in motion as they fly in and out to grab a free feed.Editing
There is very little post processing on this picture at all. Imported into Lightroom and cropped with a few minor adjustments.In my camera bag
I normally carry a selection of lenses, a neutral density filter, a powerful torch for evening and night shots, a flash, a tripod, and some spare batteries.Feedback
My advice to anyone who wants to capture something similar is to always keep your eyes open for the location. I spotted the fact that the Pelicans always turned up with the fishermen in the late afternoon, so I waited for a nice clear day and then settled down and took a LOT of shots with many different settings and different lenses. I guess the main advice here is to be patient and to accept that you are not likely to get a great picture with just a handful of shots - at least that is the case with me. I delete more pictures than I keep :-) Oh - And one more thing; never go out without your camera. You never know when you are going to need it for that impromptu moment!
