(c) Sleeping Beauty...

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 24, 2010344 views17 comments

is watching you!

When the light gets low all wolves find a place in the snow to curl up and go to sleep, but don't you dare think you can sneak up on one!

I saw this wolf make ready for bed (a.k.a. prepare his spot and curl up) and decided to wait and see if he would open his eye for me one more time. After a while he obliged and I was able to make this image.

Thanks for looking!

Tech: Canon 7d, 400mm @ f6.6, iso 800 & 1/250.

note that (c) means this image contains a captive subject

Comments

17 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on March 24, 2010 at 9:01 AM

Really nice composition and example of behavior. This is a shot most people wouldn't think to take. I would clone out (or heal) that spot (dust??) along the top of the frame

- Luke

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on March 24, 2010 at 9:20 AM

Hi Luke, thanks for your comment. In the larger version the dust spot is gone (made the small version in an earlier stage). Thanks for noticing!

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on March 24, 2010 at 10:43 AM

Excellent job, Jorne

Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by mark cillo on March 24, 2010 at 12:28 PM

Very interesting image. I like your comp and the contrast between the snow and dark wolf.

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

Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on March 24, 2010 at 12:38 PM

Great forethought! A very different shot but I like it. Perfectly exposed too.

Registered on November 27, 2007, 250 Posts, 2468 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on March 24, 2010 at 1:46 PM

This is certainly my favorite of your wolf shots presented here Jorne! Very creative image. Exposure is indeed perfect. Don't know what else to say... I love it!

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Loulou Beavers on March 24, 2010 at 2:38 PM

Creative image, simply like the eye the wolf gives here.

Registered on June 21, 2008, 73 Posts, 205 Comments

Comment posted by Alessandra & Rocco on March 24, 2010 at 3:34 PM

Beautiful shot! Perhaps I would have crop the frame a bit

Registered on March 3, 2007, 122 Posts, 778 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on March 24, 2010 at 4:16 PM

This is a beauty Jorne. I love the outline of the snow when you stare at the wolf's fur and vice versa. Very well composed.

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on March 24, 2010 at 6:01 PM

Very nice; quite interesting behaviour.

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on March 24, 2010 at 6:24 PM

A very good idea but I think a tighter crop would help you see the eye a little better. IMO all the excess snow doesn't contribute too much to the shot. At this small of a crop it's pretty hard to see the eye which is the focal point of the picture.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on March 24, 2010 at 7:08 PM

Thank you for the kind words everyone.

Robert: While the eye seems small in the normal version, it really stands out much better in the bigger version, let alone in a print. For me the empty snow adds a sense of enviroment, a curled up wolf with a little snow around it would be a less trong image (for me). Thank you for your input!

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Walt Sterneman on March 24, 2010 at 9:10 PM

Great capture Jorne. Perfect exposure and great focus on the eye. Nicely done.

Registered on March 24, 2010, 73 Posts, 1268 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on March 25, 2010 at 12:07 AM

Creative approach! I think you could pull in tighter for the same effect and less of the the mostly featureless snow. Your patience was rewarded.

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

Comment posted by Martin Stankiewicz on March 25, 2010 at 7:09 AM

This is a vary strong image. It's hard to appreciate the smaller version but the larger version shows the eye very well.

Registered on October 26, 2008, 52 Posts, 462 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on March 25, 2010 at 9:23 AM

Hi Jorne,

Interesting idea and your patience proved to be a real asset here. I like what you've done here, but I'm in agreement with Robert and Lon about pulling in tighter. I think the fact that one has to view the larger image reinforces the "pull in tighter" view and while I appreciate your argument of the snow adding a "sense of environment", I think better emphasizing the "focus" of the image (the eye) takes precedence over showing THAT much environment.

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Roger Hayden on March 27, 2010 at 11:07 PM

Jorne,
Where exactly are you finding the wolves and bear images you post?

Registered on November 21, 2009, 41 Posts, 201 Comments