Winter Sparring

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 29, 2011342 views10 comments

Yellowstone January 2010. These two younger bulls decided to have a small tussle. They were a part of a group of about thirty that was spread throughout the trees. Walking in wasn't going to work from any perspective. I had more trees and fellow travelers to my left, so the best compromise I could come up with was to drop to my knee and try to get them against the trees in the distance as much as possible. When you are there, you are in Wonderland, so you take what it gives you and are just happy to be there seeing it.

1D MK IIN ISO 400 100-400 1/400 F8 HH IS on.

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on March 30, 2011 at 3:00 AM

The extra thought and effort you put into this one really paid off Rick :^) I love the low angle you acquired, the contact with the eye is superb and the way you have it all set makes me feel as though I have the best ringside seat in the house ;^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on March 30, 2011 at 5:04 AM

Nice action here Rick! I like the eye of the left-side bison being so focused. I don't mind the background at all - in South Africa we more often than not have lots of foliage around the animals

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on March 30, 2011 at 8:26 AM

Great POV of the action Rick, like the close framing that isolates these two trouble makers also.
Very nice colors, details, exposure, and DOF.
Well done

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on March 30, 2011 at 11:11 AM

Love how you got that eye! looks like you did the best you could with the surroundings.

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

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on March 30, 2011 at 3:29 PM

It seems you did an admirable job isolated them within the surroundings. The eye is key and other lines lead nicely to it.

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

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on March 31, 2011 at 8:25 AM

Great details n eye contact !
BTW did you add any canvas to the foreground?
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on March 31, 2011 at 8:35 AM

Great momemnt and well captured Rick! I like you POV and the eye here, you made the best of this I think!

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on March 31, 2011 at 11:13 AM

Hi Rick.

Count me in with the rest of the crowd that thinks you did a real good job on maxing out on this opportunity. Even tho' the background is super clean (no fault of your's!), you did a good job isolating the subjects from it. This one works for me (and, of course, that eye does make a big difference to the shot).

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 31, 2011 at 2:43 PM

Thanks for the comments.

Jagdeep, no canvas added nor any cloning. I can see the line you are probably referring to. Not sure what it was from beyond being some form or small ridge.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on March 31, 2011 at 6:17 PM

Nice work, Rick. The low pov features those massive heads in action.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments