Bighorn on the Run: Wildlife photography does not always allow for perfect composition. Sometimes you have to just take what mother nature give. This ram was trying to rejoin his herd...

treadwl Loc: South Florida

Wildlife photography does not always allow for perfect composition. Sometimes you have to just take what mother nature give. This ram was trying to rejoin his herd as a coyote was coming up the ravine. I would have liked him either a bit lower (to lose the dark ravine on the left, to higher to get him on the ridge itself. He never did cooperate.

So here is my ram on the run offering. 1/800, f5.6 at 500 ISO in a light misting rain. Please offer your suggestions. 200-400 mm lens hand held.

Larry

Joe F.N. Loc: Oshawa, Ontario

Hi Larry,
First off, great shot. Wished it was mine. If you lose the dark ravine I think your defeating part of the story. This is where he lives, on the precipice. I'd keep it. Have you tried cropping in 16:9 format? Try it and keep the subject to the far left of the image and as much free space in front as the crop would allow. You would loose some off the bottom but I think that would be OK. IMHO that would show space and speed. Just an opinion.
Joe

treadwl Loc: South Florida

Joe F.N. wrote:

Hi Larry,
First off, great shot. Wished it was mine. If you lose the dark ravine I think your defeating part of the story. This is where he lives, on the precipice. I'd keep it. Have you tried cropping in 16:9 format? Try it and keep the subject to the far left of the image and as much free space in front as the crop would allow. You would loose some off the bottom but I think that would be OK. IMHO that would show space and speed. Just an opinion.
Joe

Thanks for commenting Joe. Personally I like the photo as is. I figured some of the purists may object to the edge of the ravine that shows. As you know, shooting wildlife , especially big game, you can't always control everything. And for me the environment is part of the story -- I do not always like the eyeball approach and the tight crops. I'll give your 16:9 format a look. Thanks

OK, here is the 16:9 format. It brings the ram a bit closer and as you said it crops the rocks at the bottom. Personally, I still like my original because of the rocks at the bottom. He was running at high speed and still picking his way through the rocks and I think the rocks at the bottom are really part of the story.

docjoque Loc: SoCal

I prefer the original crop. Did you get any where his feet were blurred? Definitely keep the ravine. Perhaps lessen the shadow of the horn across the face and bring out the eye. A simple dodge with bring out the highlights and contrast of the eye, then just sharpen a bit.

Did you get giddy shooting this? I know I always do.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

I don't know how much of this was cropped, but I would actually like to see more space around him and more of the ravine. As usual your focus and clarity are excellent.

jrb1213 Loc: McDonough GEorgia

Second photo feels claustrophobic, prefer the first.
Next time get the bighorn to run through your field of view at eye level. I know they would cooperate.
Having never seen one in the wild that close, I would have gotten buck fever, and missed the shot. Nicely done.

treadwl Loc: South Florida

Country's Mama wrote:

I don't know how much of this was cropped, but I would actually like to see more space around him and more of the ravine. As usual your focus and clarity are excellent.

The original scene is just about full frame. The only crop was a tin bit of leveling it out. I always try to get it right in the viewfinder so I don't have to do much cropping later.

Thanks for commenting.

treadwl Loc: South Florida

docjoque wrote:

I prefer the original crop. Did you get any where his feet were blurred? Definitely keep the ravine. Perhaps lessen the shadow of the horn across the face and bring out the eye. A simple dodge with bring out the highlights and contrast of the eye, then just sharpen a bit.

Did you get giddy shooting this? I know I always do.

I got another ram with a bit more foot blur. But those are part of another series. (will post later).
I'll look into the dodge on the shadow later.

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

treadwl wrote:

OK, here is the 16:9 format. It brings the ram a bit closer and as you said it crops the rocks at the bottom. Personally, I still like my original because of the rocks at the bottom. He was running at high speed and still picking his way through the rocks and I think the rocks at the bottom are really part of the story.

I guess technically, the wider shot gives him more room to 'run in to', but I have to agree with the other posts that the first one somehow works "better" for me.

vicksart Loc: Novato, CA -earthquake country

I like the original with more of the ravine and the rocks at the bottom. The rocks seem to help lead the eye to the ram even though he already stands out. Like you mentioned, he has to run and negotiate his route over the rocks, and that's part of the story.