Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Lately, the bull elk have been coming around our house quite regularly. A couple of evenings back, there were probably about fifteen or more bulls, right across the street. Several went up to the front door and windows of the house across the street. Just at that time, the homeowner drove up, and had to wait for one bull to get away from the garage door, so he could open it and pull in. Of course, once that happened, their dog got out. That was pretty exciting. By that time, it was nighttime photography, and I had to grab a flash unit, just to get anything. Those shots are fun, but I don't think they were worthy of submitting to this group for any comments. (Not very easy to bounce a flash, artfully, outside.)

This morning, before breakfast, the Boys' Club was back. The light was quite nice, so I thought I'd try something different. I've taken many color shots of these boys, in all types of light, but I had not, yet, set out, specifically, to take some shots intended for black and white processing. That was my goal, this morning, so I had to try to take some shots in which the background did not compete with my subject, in terms of tone. In color, a large brown critter can easily be seen in front of a green tree, but that is not necessarily the case, in black and white.

By moving around, I could arrange for these beasts to have a suitable background, with suitable light, but they don't always listen to directions, when it comes to posing. I did manage to get one or two that I liked. This one was probably the best of the bunch.

(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Great potential, I think. Right now the head gets a little lost, especially with the contrast of the elk's much whiter body.

You surely win the prize for best free entertainment opportunities!

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks. I fully expected that, if I got any comments, at all, the darkness of the head might make the list. A good part of that is in the original shot, itself, but I chose to leave the head on the darker side. I've always been drawn to the shadows, and this is probably a reflection of that. (My wife has occasionally referred to me as "Darkman".) I wanted a slightly gritty presentation, and I wanted the elk's body to have more of that quality than the rest of the photo.

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

I lightened up the elk's head and neck.

(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Does it retain your original concept or do you feel you're compromising?

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

It's Photoshop. I can do anything I want. I think I like this one better. I want the elk to stand out, and I think he still does.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I've heard a rumor to that effect

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Lucky you to have such a compelling subject right outside your front door!! I think the version with the lightened head and neck works best.
Erich

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Thanks! I agree that the lightened one is better.

Just to show I wasn't shining y'all on with the elk story, here is a shot of one of those big boys looking in the garage window of the house across the street. No need to critique this shot, as it is only presented, here, to round out the story. The conditions were pretty awful for nighttime photography. There is not much in the way of ambient, nighttime light, out here, so a flash was necessary. Now, I had to stand on my driveway, with a 400mm zoom lens, and a flash attached to the camera, just to get anything. There is no place to bounce the flash, and trying any kind of flash modifier just wasn't in the cards. (You have to get closer than I was willing to get, to use a flash modifier in a productive manner.) Consequently, the "deer in the headlights" look was unavoidable.