Elk-scape

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 24, 2012502 views13 comments

My family and I recently went camping in Waterton for the elk rut. Nearly every morning we woke up early to go search for them, then again each evening but with no luck

. Then we got an early snow, and thought maybe it would make the elk more active. We didn't have any luck in the morning, but right at dusk we found this guy taking his harem across the road. My dad positioned the truck for me to get the best angles and I started shooting! This guy certainly isn't one of the monsters we get down there, but he did move his harem right past us! Before long, he began to go farther away, and the close-up shots just weren't cutting it for me

. So I decided to try my hand and an animalscape, or "elk-scape" if you will

.

I loved the mountains in the background, and that really helped with my decision for an "elk-scape". I waited for just the right moment, and then he bugled! I must say that this guy has THE quietest bugle I've ever heard (more like a whistle, really)!

Thanks for lookin'!

Nikon D7000
Nikkor 200-400mm f/4 ED VR @ 400mm
ISO 640
1/50sec @ f/4
exposure comp set to +0.3
approximately 95% of full frame (rotated slightly to correct horizon line).
Slight adjustments to tone and contrast in Nik Viveza

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on October 24, 2012 at 4:05 PM

Fantastic work Jenya, it is truly a beautiful Elk-Scape !

Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on October 24, 2012 at 4:24 PM

Great elk -scape! Like the color, BG and pose of the elk. Thanks for sharing.

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on October 25, 2012 at 3:28 AM

Awesome elk-scape Jenaya, nicely seen and captured. I like how the warm colors of the bull contrast against the coolness of the background mountain.

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Cam Held on October 25, 2012 at 4:54 AM

Very very nice Jenaya!
Love the contrasting tones of the elk and the BG. My only thought might be a tad bit more room on the left of the elk, it just seems a bit close. But thats very minor, and it is very nice as is! As always, I look forward to more!
-Cam

Registered on November 12, 2009, 59 Posts, 398 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on October 26, 2012 at 12:09 AM

Very well composed, Jenaya. As I've often said, I like such 'small-in-the-frame' images. The colour contrast of brown elk against the white snow is so striking.

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on October 26, 2012 at 8:54 AM

Hey Jenaya,

Really good eye here - "seeing" good animalscapes isn't always easy...it's sometimes hard to shed the "closer is better" view that can predominate one's thinking about wildlife photography. Well done.

I quite like the almost extreme placement of the subject - I personally REALLY like to keep subjects grounded in shots like this. Your choice of subject positioning really emphasizes the "massiveness" of the scene. I also quite like how the subject stands out (both colour-wise and through your use of selective focus and well-controlled DOF) from everything else in the frame. Nice use of visual contrast!

I do find the subject perhaps a bit too tight to the left side of the frame...if this were mine I'd experiment with re-cropping (assuming you have a little more space on the left) and opening up just a little more space on the left (but only a LITTLE more space). But this is a personal preference issue and as posted this is a very compelling image!

Cheers...thanks for sharing this (and keep up the good work!).

Brad

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

Comment posted by William Bickle on October 26, 2012 at 12:41 PM

Hello Jenaya

Very nice Image. Well thought out, like Brads comment, don't always see an Enviroscape, but by slowing down and enjoying the moment can steer you into these wonderful vistas!! the lower snow is Very Bright but the Elk image overides this mostly.

I too think a little tight & would enjoy (if you had the room) more on bottom & left side slightly.

Thanks for Sharing.

Bill

Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments

Comment posted by Ingrid Vekemans on October 27, 2012 at 5:02 AM

Ow, very nice - I love the overall composition of this shot.

Grtz, Ingrid.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 138 Posts, 780 Comments

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on October 27, 2012 at 8:15 PM

Beautiful shot !

Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 28, 2012 at 5:50 PM

I really love this one, Jenaya! (but you knew I would, right?

)
I too like the 'extreme' placement of the elk and the visual and colour contrasts...vertical framing is awesome with that prominent cliff/butte in the top RHS corner juxtaposing nicely with the elk.

All in all,

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

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on October 31, 2012 at 12:54 PM

Nice scene Jenaya, as pointed out some more space to the left and possibly even the bottom of the elk would have strengthened this even further. Just a small nit to an otherwise great image.

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

Comment posted by Saurabh Singh on November 2, 2012 at 1:36 PM

Hi, Jenaya

Composition , tones , mood ,background and esp.. the bugle.