Taking the opportunity of going a little tighter to get some 'Texture & Detail' from this co-operative Buffalo, although with the plague of flies we certainly didn't hang around too long. I did think about going for a simple B/W or Duotone route, but I wanted to retain a bit more of the colour in the horn, although judging by the colour perhaps not?
Steve
Subject: Buffalo close up (Syncerus caffer)
Location: SA
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 200-400f/4 (560mm ext used) HH
Exposure: 1/640s at f/8 ISO400
Original format: Landscape, very slight crop.
Comments
5 commentsIf I'm being honest, this just doesn't work for me. It is a little too tight. If the eye were more visible, it might have worked better. I appreciate you thinking out of the box, however.
From the thumbnail, it looked like textured rock. Fascinating study of the stone hard horn and the roughskinned, wrinkeld face. I think a little more open eye would have been really nice. How come they don't accomodate us better when we are taking their portraits close up like this?
Hmmm...well, I can't necessarily articulate my reasons very well, but this one DOES work for me. The wonderful details and textures hold my interest while letting me explore the frame you've presented here, returning often to the eye and eyelashes, then gack to the polished ridges on the buffalo's horn, and of course that splash of green...
The more time I spend with this one, the more I like it. I've tried several times to come up with suggestions for possible improvement, but I keep coming back to what you've done here. The ONLY thing that comes back up for me is the lack of buffalo ;) in the top left corner, but I'm not exactly sure of what alternate crop would work as well. While you're at it, I've wondered several times about the dead-centered eye, but can't decide if it should be repositioned...maybe it's part of what works here and why I keep coming back to it! Still, I think it would be worth playing with in an effort to leave ONLY buffalo in the frame.
I actually really like this, Steve...a lot in fact.
Hi Jerry, sometimes you do have to think 'OOTB' at times and I will, at some point post an image which is perhaps more in keeping with the more 'predictable' , but I think it's healthy to keep exploring whilst out in the field and trying new thoughts & ideas, otherwise things get very 'samey/me2/static'
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Ed I agree, a bit more 'visible' eye would be nice, however think what happens when bright light hits your face, what happens, you squint and animals are no exception to this and this is what's happening here.
John, I shot lots of the more 'expected' shots of this sppecies and I just wanted to try and look for another angle and this, as I said was all about the texture & detail nothing more and to convey this hard wirey hair, tough hide and solid, hardened horn. Keeping it almost B/W was also an intention, really minimal overall. There isn't much image content to play with and so optional crops are very limited sadly, but value your input and thoughts, thanks.
Cheers
Steve
Hi Steve,
I like several things about this shot, including the trace of colour, how you framed it (including the placement of the diagonal line in the URC), and - of course - the rich detail and texture. But I think I'm thinking (as Jerry pointed out) that the closed eye is problematic - for me there's no "anchor" in this composition...and my eye had no real idea where to go first in this shot...and nothing to hold it in any single place. I think if that eye had been open it would have made a big difference to my appreciation of the shot. But good to see different styles and approaches being experimented with.
Cheers...
Brad