Using the fast autofocus and stabilization of the Canon EOS R5, this shot of a wind-ruffled pelican captures incredible detail

A close-up, low-angle photograph captures a Dalmatian Pelican with distinctive white, ruffled head feathers and a large red-and-blue beak, floating on calm blue water against a pastel sky at sunset.

The winners of the 2025 British Photography Awards (BPA) have been announced, and one shortlisted image in the Birdlife category really jumped out at me for its striking combination of drama and detail. 

Jayne Bond captured this Dalmatian Pelican floating on Lake Kerkini in Greece. Its distinctive head tufts are caught mid-ruffle by a gentle breeze, creating natural sculptural forms against the softly colored evening sky, and earning it the pithy title Bad Hair Day. Every feather is rendered in sharp detail, from the windswept crest to the subtle textures across the bird's body. And that's despite conditions being less than ideal…