All Ears

[Morkel Erasmus]

Here's another image from my amazing encounter with the pack of African Painteld Dogs in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe.


I was ony my stomach - being stared down by the Alpha Male (shown in this image) who was approaching us directly. It was electrifying. In the end he was more curious about us than anything else, and settled down comfortably a mere 5-7 meters from us.


This image is pretty much full frame, perhaps cropped off 5% for framing.
Overcast at sunset, which is becoming the normal light for me at a great sighting :Whoa!:.


Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II + 1.4xTC @ 700mm
f6.3 @ 1/320 SS @ ISO-7200
EV +0.3
Supported on beanbag lying on the ground
Background is as shot!

[Russell Johnson]

Love the colours offsetting the dog. Great one to add to this collection.

I would have a look at the top of the back of the dog, looks like a halo that needs a little bit of correcting.

TFS.

[Rachel Hollander]

Morkel - great eye contact and comp. Pleasing solid bg too and only a hint of noise at ISO 7200, wow. I see the halo Russell referred to.

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel, simply, it works! :cheers:

Not sure if it needed a bit more DOF, difficult thought, have you lightened the inside of the outer ears?

TFS
Steve

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks guys.

Russel - checked the RAW file and the halo wasn't there. Processed this a while back but presume it's a luminosity mask to darken the BG that bled over onto the dog...:e3...sharp eyes!
Steve - not that I remember...

[Tom Graham]

Very nice. Agree with Steve, would like more DOF, i.e. the ears. Especially since your image title is about ears. Everything else very pretty.
Tom

[Morkel Erasmus]

Very nice. Agree with Steve, would like more DOF, i.e. the ears. Especially since your image title is about ears. Everything else very pretty.
Tom

mmhmm...the ears are in focus, actually...

[Steve Kaluski]

Indeed they are Morkel, I was looking more at the tip of the nose, therefore I wonder if you can extract any more detail?

Just tried Detail extract/Tonal contrast on the nose and it works, applied to the eyes too, plus two fine rounds of USM to the face and the lighter hair in the ears, IMHO it works a treat and pulls it all together. Answers the brief for me. :S3:

[Jamie Douglas]

That D3s is a real performer in the right hands Morkel and I agree with Steve's observation and comments with the nose, especially the bridge.

Congrats on an encounter that will stay with you forever. You certainly had the right gear and talent to make the most of it.

Jamie :5