On the Move

Gallery: WildlifePosted February 24, 2013100 views3 comments

Within a minute of entering the local nature preserve just after sunrise, this buck appeared to my right and moved left, and crossed the path. I caught him at that point. As it was early, I had a high ISO but still only had a slowish shutter speed. So, the legs are blurred which I think helps to show the movement of the deer. Unfortunately, the rest of the body is softish. I cropped some from the right and top for compositional purposes which doesn't help the softness issue, either. Looks okay on the web, but I doubt this would print well large. Didn't do anything else to the photo as I thought it was pretty accurate in terms of color, etc. Interestingly, while the deer was only moving slowly at this time, just seconds later it spotted a man and his dog (illegal) and it took off quite quickly. Even though it was a small dog (corgi), it was obvious to me the deer don't like it. I admonished the guy but I think it fell on deaf ears. Comments and critiques welcomed and appreciated.

Tech Info

Canon 60D with EF 70-200mm f/4L with 1.4 TC = 152mm
1/125th at f/5.6 and ISO 1000
tripod

Comments

3 comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on February 24, 2013 at 3:44 PM

Fine looking buck Peter. I like your composition choices too. You have rightly identified the main issue with the image, the motion blur. It's easy being a Monday moring quarterback, but in hindsight loosing the teleconverter until you had more light to work with might have helped gain a stop of light/shutterspeed. FWIW I'd loose the tripod too, as I mentioned in an earler comment how (for me) the cons outweigh the benefits with a 70-200 shooting wildlife in motion (that lens has IS I believe?).

Also. I want to make it clear "I love dogs", but it irritates the heck out of me when people think it is their god given right to let their mutts run all over the place off leash, especially in parks and nature areas where they should be leashed, at the very least. I have removed quills from dogs that attacked porcupines in Jasper National Park, how does that happen if the dog is under the owner's control? Ok, said enough.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Andrews on February 25, 2013 at 11:02 AM

Fine looking buck indeed, and yes I think the crop works here although I would have maybe taken a bit more off the right side if it was possible. I think as you point out the deer is a little soft so a faster shutter speed would have helped. Looks like a great location to see and photograph deer.

Registered on December 31, 2011, 45 Posts, 222 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on February 25, 2013 at 5:16 PM

This comes across to me as a great "almost" because the action pose and clean surroundings with a nice looking buck are strong components, but the lack of critical focus is a significant negative. I don't believe the big problem is motion blur, however. If you study the ground and grasses directly beneath the deer and then allow you eye to follow back into the background you will see the real focal plane is well behind the main subject. In fact, it looks sharpest back near the brush line or about at the ends of those branches sticking out in front of the buck's face and antlers. I am guessing your auto-focus locked on those strong linear elements, rather than your intended subject.

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