Highland Stag

Hi everyone, another image from The Highlands. This time a Red Stag, against the skyline. I found these animals very hard to get close to, very different from Park Deer, where they encounter us more often. Although the weather looks calm, it was blowing a gale. All C&C's most welcome.
Regards,
Paul Rosser.

Canon EOS 7D
Canon EF 400mm f5.6 'L'
f5.6
1/320 sec
ISO 400
Handheld.

A lovely, sharp image
Well captured Paul.

Geoff.

It's rather underexposed - by at least 2/3 stop. I'm not sure what software you are using, but you might try processing the RAW image at 0-ev (this version), +1-ev and +2-ev and blending the exposures. If you don't have access to software that will blend exposures, try raising the exposure value by at least 2/3-stop to increase the detail in subject and surrounding vegetation and either let the sky go to a paler tone, or create a mask to control how your adjustment affects the sky.

Hi Phil, thanks for your C&C. My processing isn't the best I'm afraid. Here is a repost.
Regards,
Paul Rosser.

Dont know which image I prefer here Paul I would have liked to have seen the stags legs sperated from the background a bit more and the sky bluer as per the original, maybe a graduated mask on the sky wold tweak that, still an image to be proud of though and certainly more majestic thanparkland deer.

I think I would have just tried lightening the Stag but I am no great shakes at processing. Still a lovely image Paul and looks so much better in the wild.

Re-post looks a lot better to me Paul. Given that you have plenty of sky in this already, I might have tried a lower PoV as I think this might have made an even better shot if he had been on the skyline rather than having the horizon run straight through his body. But then I have all the time in the world to c&c this and you had only a moment to capture it.
Nice one.
eric

Hi Paul,

a fine shot and pose

I prefer the second one

Splendid shot, and I prefer the re post.

Hi Paul,

Repost is much better.

Cheers

Austin

Repost, brings up the exposure a bit I suppose....but in the highlands it can be dark and miserable! I have to say I kind of like the background in the first shot because of the blue tone it has (its just nice). Maybe somewhere in-between the two exposures shown would be better.

Ian