Photo of the Month 03/10

Gallery: WildlifePosted February 10, 20102,323 views24 comments

Shiras Moose Courtship

Last fall I awoke on this morning with a fresh 6 inches of snow and moose all around my camp. I spent the entire day with a group of moose that included a couple young bulls, several cows and calves and this grand fellow. It was a great day to be a wildlife photographer.

Canon 40D, 100-400mm @190mm, f8, ISO 640

All comments and suggestions are very much appreciated

Ken

Comments

24 comments

Comment posted by Guy Runco on February 10, 2010 at 7:18 PM

A great day indeed! This shot is just beautiful, great comp and light - my only minor nit (very, very minor) is that the cow is looking away and partially obscured by my arch nemesis, oof fg brush...

Registered on September 9, 2008, 77 Posts, 705 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Wintergren on February 10, 2010 at 7:21 PM

A very beautiful scene, great shot!

Registered on January 24, 2010, 15 Posts, 174 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on February 10, 2010 at 8:55 PM

From this photo I would agree it must have been a great day for you. Very fine image, thanks for sharing. It is too bad the cow did not turn her head towards you.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on February 11, 2010 at 9:35 AM

Hi Ken,

I really like the subtleties and detail in this image - such a nice, peaceful scene (and, of course, well-composed). When I look at the larger version I almost can't take my eyes of that tree behind the bull - very well rendered. Guy already identified the only very minor nit I'd have with this image (cow looking slightly away and overlapping out-of-focus grasses in front of her), but this image is about a lot more than just her head, so consider this a VERY minor quibble at most!

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on February 11, 2010 at 10:08 AM

The pose of the bull with uplifted foreleg is terrific. I also like the hint of distance provided by the glimpse of snowy hill/mountain beyond the snow covered evergreen. I agree that in the perfect world the cow would have a more unobstructed face, but the composition is so spot on that this image qualifies, IMO, as top shelf!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by mark cillo on February 11, 2010 at 10:23 AM

Wow you were close! Awesome image!

Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments

Comment posted by JACK NEAL on February 11, 2010 at 3:14 PM

This is a great shot! Great photo, but also looks like a great painting. You have the best of both worlds. Thanks for sharing!

Registered on September 26, 2009, 131 Posts, 554 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on February 11, 2010 at 5:09 PM

Wow, what an incredible day you must have had! Beautiful image Ken.

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Atkinson on February 11, 2010 at 8:06 PM

I opened and closed the large version three times-I just kept wanting to take one more look. All I can say is: Print It and Hang It.

Ken

Registered on July 22, 2005, 20 Posts, 171 Comments

Comment posted by Ralph Kerr on February 12, 2010 at 6:28 AM

Like the others, I really like this one, Ken

Registered on January 30, 2007, 369 Posts, 852 Comments

Comment posted by Joe James on February 12, 2010 at 10:47 PM

Beautiful, beautiful image! The composition is just wonderful in spite of the pesky bit of foreground brush. Very well done.

Registered on November 20, 2009, 89 Posts, 808 Comments

Comment posted by Jonathan Sinclair on February 13, 2010 at 1:10 PM

Beautiful wildlife landscape scene!

Registered on February 11, 2010, 35 Posts, 39 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on February 14, 2010 at 9:05 PM

Really like the inclusion of the environment and the position of the moose.

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 15, 2010 at 3:48 PM

Hey big congrats Ken!! Love the photo and sounds like an incredible experience!

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by David Cobb on February 15, 2010 at 10:49 PM

What a pose for the bull moose Ken. Beautiful capture and congrats on the EP.

David M. Cobb

Registered on December 14, 2007, 312 Posts, 3243 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 16, 2010 at 12:07 AM

Congrats on the EP!
Wonderful shot -

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Christine Adams on February 16, 2010 at 6:28 AM

This is sooooo definitely one of my favorite moose posts on here Ken!! I hope you post more. The setting is very painterly like and adds to the whole. Congrats on your WP!!

Registered on January 24, 2006, 119 Posts, 1871 Comments

Comment posted by Andrea Marzorati on February 16, 2010 at 12:25 PM

Really a great shot

Registered on December 1, 2005, 86 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on February 18, 2010 at 3:30 AM

Thank You everyone for your inspiring comments about my photo

Ken

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Angela Classen on February 25, 2010 at 5:35 PM

Very cool shot. The dark moose really stand out against the light BG. Congrats on the EP!

Registered on June 13, 2007, 434 Posts, 2742 Comments

Comment posted by John Stuart-Clarke on March 2, 2010 at 2:48 PM

Absolutely beautiful. Very evocative and I wish I had been you on that special day

Registered on December 31, 2009, 6 Posts, 36 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Klarich on March 4, 2010 at 12:37 PM

Amazing Shot! Great light and clarity, excellent composition.

Registered on January 23, 2008, 10 Posts, 31 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Nelson on March 18, 2010 at 10:52 AM

Beautiful setting and capture. Very nicely done.

Registered on September 14, 2009, 0 Posts, 1 Comments

Comment posted by mark miller on March 18, 2010 at 12:26 PM

Ken, that's a great photo! It caught my attention right away, so I had to see the credit line, and it was you! In my book, the pose of the bull, the whole setting, the snow covered scene, and the atmosphere are all wonderful elements that make this a prize winning shot. MM

Registered on December 15, 2003, 0 Posts, 18 Comments