Hunting Trails

Gallery: WildlifePosted January 6, 2011825 views22 comments

Looks like a couple other folks here were in Yellowstone over the holidays.. it sure is a magical place! I haven't done much wildlife photography in the recent past, but it was one of the things I was hoping to get out of my trip. I know this probably won't appeal to many, but it's my favorite wildlife image from the trip because of the story it tells.

We watched this red fox patrol a section in the Lamar Valley listening, pouncing, and digging for prey. In order to conserve energy in the deep snow he would reuse his hunting trails (at least, I think these were his trails). If you look closely you can see the main trail, various side trails, and a spot where he tried to catch something earlier.

Please do view the LARGER version

Thanks for your thoughts!

Comments

22 comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on January 6, 2011 at 3:30 AM

Sweet winter scape Floris. Excellent Composition!!!

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Harshad Barve on January 6, 2011 at 4:53 AM

terrific scape this is

Registered on July 25, 2010, 39 Posts, 210 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on January 6, 2011 at 7:17 AM

Wonderful composition and simplicity, beautifully representative of this scene.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Oscar Benavides on January 6, 2011 at 7:36 AM

I like this kind of images in which you can see the animal in its environment.
This image transmits to me the feeling of huge open space. The fox stands out very well with his shadow.
Good job.

Registered on January 2, 2011, 12 Posts, 141 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on January 6, 2011 at 8:50 AM

Super nice. It is impossible to be sure at web posting size, but if you have good snow texture detail front to back, this will be spectacular printed large.

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

Comment posted by Max Waugh on January 6, 2011 at 9:04 AM

Funny Floris, I was envisioning (i.e., praying for) a shot like this. The foxes were everywhere, but I didn't have much luck with them. I'd be very happy with this one.

Did you have any luck with the "black" fox?

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 6, 2011 at 9:12 AM

Floris,

This has a real "van Oosten" feel to it! Excellent composition with the footrails acting as leading lines and the exposure is spot on. The long shadow adds to the lonliness

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on January 6, 2011 at 10:24 AM

Hi Floris,

Very simple, very nice. Personally I very much like scenes like this. My only minor nit is that to me the image looks a little over-saturated - the blues are a little too blue and the fox a little too red. But obviously an eye-of-the-beholder kind of thing...

Cheers...thanks for sharing...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Bill Fach on January 6, 2011 at 11:04 AM

Floris: Great comp and the shadow play is wonderful. Superb image.>=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on January 6, 2011 at 11:38 AM

Very nice winter fox photo. Thanks for sharing.

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

Comment posted by Balan Vinod on January 6, 2011 at 11:40 AM

Beauty is too small a word for this composition ...lovely scape ..well done Floris.

Balan Vinod

Registered on March 20, 2006, 889 Posts, 2312 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on January 6, 2011 at 11:45 AM

Neat shot, and well composed. On my work monitor it looks a bit bluish, but that may just be this crappy uncalibrated monitor (probably is).

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on January 6, 2011 at 2:20 PM

Thanks folks!

Brad - I appreciate the feedback, I thought it might be a hair much. It also really depends on the monitor too.

Max - we did see the black fox, actually in the same place as I saw this fox but the next day. I didn't get a great shot though.

Lon - the detail is reasonably good, though I would have liked it to be a little better (don't we always?). I find shooting these long distances makes it real hard to pick up real detail (700mm, 5D2, cropped to ~16MP). Fortunately it's a lot easier to make do with the detail I have for a snowy scene like this than a heavily forested scene!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Edwin kats on January 6, 2011 at 2:36 PM

Amazing shot. Love it.

Edwin

Registered on April 24, 2006, 177 Posts, 399 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on January 6, 2011 at 3:09 PM

A very arresting image Floris and a nice departure from the norm.

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on January 7, 2011 at 4:49 AM

Floris, I think this is SO spectacular!!

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Joe James on January 7, 2011 at 7:42 PM

Great environment shot Floris. I'm with a few others in thinking this would be real nice hanging on a wall.

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

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on January 8, 2011 at 12:49 AM

Absolutely amazing capture! Hat's off to you, Floris!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on January 9, 2011 at 4:58 PM

Awesome - the best fox image I've seen in years.

I agree on toning the saturation down a bit.

Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on January 10, 2011 at 2:09 PM

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the feedback! I put a new version on my website with the saturation (particularly the blues) reduced a bit.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on January 10, 2011 at 4:28 PM

Wonderful story you've captured here.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on August 30, 2011 at 1:56 AM

Dont know how i missed this earlier. Absolutely Gorgeous

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments