Biting the dust?

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 4, 2013564 views8 comments

This may look like an unfair battle, but believe me, it was a completely innocent one.

The two rhinos ‘fighting’ were moving rapidly from right to left and in the original frame of them in this position the small one appearing from the dust is only half in the frame. Seeing it I immediately regretted it was not there entirely. However since I was shooting the action sequence at a high frame rate and panned with the subjects I had captured the ‘content’ beyond the right frame edge and decided to try and stitch that on; this is the result. Further I cropped the bottom off, which was the (bright) water of a waterhole and OOF grass in the FG, to focus all the attention on the rhinos.

The image title refers to the uncertain future of this amazing animal species.

White Rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum) in a playful mood.
Khama Rhino Sanctuary, Botswana (which is actively protected by a (trigger-happy) Botswana Defence Force unit – so poachers don’t even think about getting near!

)
Camera Model Canon EOS-1DX
Shutter Speed 1/1600 Sec.
Aperture Value f/7.1
ISO Speed 320
Lens EF500mm f/4L IS USM
horizontal stitch (3 or 4 images), cropped bottom off

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on March 5, 2013 at 9:32 AM

I can't believe I'm the first to comment after seeing this in the airport yesterday. Really interesting image, Vincent. Most folks would naturally prefer to focus on the combatants, with good reason. I think the inclusion of the onlookers gives this a completely different dynamic, as though something greater is at stake (that's a romantic notion of course, but there's nothing wrong with an image like this evoking such thoughts). The fact that the two on the right are walled off by that dust cloud is a nice visual touch as well.

Max

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

Comment posted by Don Westbrook on March 5, 2013 at 9:16 PM

Really nice photograph and excellent job of stitching. I like your composition and your eye. I would have probably been so focused on the fight that I would have missed the impact that including the other rhinos into the image brings.

Registered on January 4, 2013, 11 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on March 5, 2013 at 11:06 PM

Pretty cool action, Vincent. The dust is a major enhancement. I would love to see this full size!

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

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on March 7, 2013 at 1:31 AM

Wow, dramatic lighting and some wonderful atmospheric affects from all the dust being kicked up. Nice job combining the multiple exposures into one pano of the action. I think Lon is quite correct that seeing this large is the best way to do this one justice. Great title by the way, and I like the attitude of those game wardens, give 'em lead!

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

Comment posted by Johan Malmros on March 8, 2013 at 2:45 PM

That turned out really well Vincent. I am glad the impala wasn't in this frame ;-)
Nice effect from the dust and the pano makes a great comp.

Registered on January 6, 2011, 20 Posts, 154 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on March 9, 2013 at 5:09 PM

The dust, the spectators, the backlight and the pano presentation make this compelling, Vincent!

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

Comment posted by Don Randall on March 9, 2013 at 11:44 PM

Wonderful shot and great post processing! The position of the two rhinos fighting along with with the dust and back-lighting make this quite a strong image!

Registered on March 9, 2013, 4 Posts, 17 Comments

Comment posted by Joe James on March 10, 2013 at 10:16 PM

I really like that the two Rhinos are in profile as it accentuates the dust and the incredibly large horn of the one on the right. Like Max, I like the inclusion of the onlookers although this would make a great crop with the focus on just the antagonists.

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