Not Your Usual Pelican Photo – Weekly Travel Photo

I find that there are a lot of subjects out there that are beautiful, but so overly photographed or seemingly every-day that getting a photo that stands out is almost impossible. Pelicans are a great example of this.  Photos of Pelicans are prolific, though usually taken of them in flight or as full body shots. They’re a bit of a challenge to get close to, which discourages ultra-closeups and not always exactly the most gorgeous of birds which detracts somewhat from the allure of getting super close for a photo. So, I was thrilled with how my recent photo series came out. This photo in particular really stood out because it gave me the chance to take a Pelican photo that was not only cropped in quite tight but which also avoided the traditional silhouette-profile-style shot that I see most often.  I love how a very thin band of focus leaves the Pelican’s forehead, beak, feathers, and neck out of focus while capturing its gorgeous eyes in perfect clarity.  He also looks like he has one heck of a goofy hairdo don’t you think? 

Make sure to head over to flickr to see the rest of the album.

Would you like to see previous Weekly Photos? View past travel pictures here. This photo was taken on a Canon T3i (600D) Camera.

I am a travel blogger and photographer. I also am involved in academic research into the study abroad and backpacker communities.

2 Comments

  1. Your travel blog is among the best (and there are a lot of excellent ones out there). I learned a lot from your packing list esp about hotel bookings and hostels. I did not learn about packing light. I have been traveling for close to 60 years, both alone and with my husband. I have always had to travel super light I can not carry stuff too heavy, esp if we have walk long distances up hill which can happen. I bring 1 pants, 1 shorts (actually workout type which can double as bathing suit) and 1 skirt. I bring about 4 light underpants, and 2-3 tops. I do laundry almost every night, even if it means letting something still damp strapped to my bag until dried. Everything dries, except in Norway. What is heavy is my netbook, Canon S95, binoculars, and sometimes my prescription snorkeling mask. For a carry on / valuables bag I use a collapsible soft cooler. It sits up straight so all my stuff is available. Once landed it acts as a cooler either in the rent-a-car or the hotel. I always bring a white small collapsible umbrella for rain and for sun. And a light scarf for dress-up or for places where women need to be covered.
    Alex, your PHOTOS are SUPERB! I really enjoyed your Grand Canyon vids. I look forward to continuing to browse through your YouTube vids and blog postings to see and learn more. Thanks for sharing with us.

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