SouthFla
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So if you’ll indulge a brief bit of storytelling before the images: Lately I’ve been really practicing my BIF techniques, trying to nail down successful settings for my new-ish gear as well as spending much needed time improving on my panning. There’s a spot a few minutes from my house that’s on a bay looking east over the Atlantic. In the late afternoon the lighting from the setting sun behind is absolutely sensational, giving incredible late-day color casts and contrasts to the scenery, changing from brilliant deep blue to soft orange lighting....
For the past few weeks, I have sat on the rocks and patiently waited for the occasional osprey, hawk, and other typical wetland waterfowl to practice my photography on. I’ve done this maybe 6 times over a 14-day period, and without fail there’s always this pelican that shows up. I’m not positive it’s the same one each time, but in the absence of any identifiable marks I’m going to say it’s the same bird each day.
Anyway, while constantly looking for “pretty” birds to practice on, I never photograph my “face only a mother could love” pelican friend. I mean, it’s a pelican. But he’s always next to me, sometimes flying in circles around me, splashing down for some fishy snack then quickly back to the rocks just feet from me.
So the last few days I decided to focus strictly on him. And I have to say it’s been an absolute hoot. Every photograph I take of him, he’s always looking right at me, it’s hysterical. Sometimes he’ll perch in front of me, look back over his shoulders, make eye contact with me through my lens, and all I hear in my head is the bird saying “I’m so pretty!” I've taken probably several hundred shots of him now, some crashing into the water, some tossing fish up into the air, some just gliding or posing. It has truly captured what I enjoy most about this amazing hobby/profession/passion, the “in the moment” all-encompassing feeling of you and your subject, to the exclusion of life's worries, that is oh so rewarding.
So, without further ado, I give to you my favorite shots of “Pelican.” BTW I’ve actually named him Fred, and yes I talk to him now…Thanks for letting me share, best in health and happiness to all, John
Sony a7RIV w/FE 200-600
BIF shots at 1/3200, f7.1, AutoISO640-2000
Static Shots at 1/800, f8, AutoISO100-400
Cross posted in Nature/Sony forums
Truly “golden light”
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2802a9_cb40a57bf99f4c1b8e8053a6ada0fffe~mv2.jpg
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2802a9_9e78942d40814d2da588e3144bb6a3dc~mv2.jpg
“Sticking the landing”
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2802a9_75f9ec218b3a434f9a5100b80c9e4e3d~mv2.jpg
Watching, always watching me
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2802a9_3bdf97eb6c9c48d4a64cc721c96afbe4~mv2.jpg
The “I’m so pretty” pose
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2802a9_f437790f5ee142ee8f5f299084a02c15~mv2.jpg
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2802a9_ba55ee3d00524081a736d6ce527bda27~mv2.jpg
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Time to hit the field guide 
