Curious Pronghorn

[Marina Scarr]

I was visiting Pawnee National Grasslands in Colorado back in 2010 to photograph raptors, when we came upon some Pronghorn. It was the first time I had ever seen or photographed them, so you can imagine my delight. When I got out of the vehicle to photograph them, these two stopped and watched me. I really like them set against this environment.

Canon 1D3, Canon 400DO & 1.4 TC @ 560mm
F5.6, 1/1000sec, ISO 640, manual mode
Handheld

C & C always welcomed and much appreciated.

Marina Scarr
Florida Master Naturalist
www.marinascarrphotography.com


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(http://www.marinascarrphotography.com)

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Marina - always nice to see pronghorns and this is no exception. I like the tones of the bg and how it complements the tones of the pronghorn. Good poses and comp. However, I'm wondering if you processed this now or back in 2010 because it doesn't seem to have the IQ most of your posts have. The heads seem a little smooth (lacking detail) and almost look as if NR may have been run on them. Some of the whites also seem to lack detail (for example the rump on the left pronghorn). If it was processed back then, it might be worth revisiting the file now.

TFS,
Rachel

[Hilary Hann]

I too love seeing the pronghorns and this is a nice depiction of them in their natural environment. I agree with Rachel on some apparent smoothness so hope that it is something which can be fixed.
I would be tempted to take a sliver off the foreground.

[Marina Scarr]

You are right ladies, this was processed in 2010. Thank you for your comments.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Marina, my initial impression when I first viewed the image was, it's too yellow.

Having downloaded the image it appears the image has an Untagged profile so that could be throwing things out a little. Certainly reducing the Yellow overall, adjusting the whites in selective colour and just adding a little more black in levels does help. Agree on the softness, however if you are revisiting this image then I would crop a little off the RHS so it mirrors the left in terms of space, as it's almost a symmetrical image.

TFS
Steve

[Marina Scarr]

I have been guilt induced into reprocessing this image. :w3 Thank you all for your subtle prodding and good advice.

[Rachel Hollander]

Marina - IMHO the repost is a vast improvement. :cheers:

Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Marina, although having never seen these cute animals in their stripy tops, I still think you can push it a bit more, especially in the whites?

[Marina Scarr]

Hi Marina, although having never seen these cute animals in their stripy tops, I still think you can push it a bit more, especially in the whites?

Push what exactly, Steve? Do you mean bring the whites hotter?

[Steve Kaluski]

Do you mean bring the whites hotter?

No not hotter Marina, that to me would mean blowing the whites, I mean, making the image cleaner overall, including the whites. Something like this, but I full appreciate that this may go way off in the wrong direction. :S3: I just feel the image is still carrying a lot of Yellow and perhaps 'masking' the colours a little, just my interpretation.

[Morkel Erasmus]

I never tire of seeing these antelopes, Marina. Great symmetrical modelling portrayed here :5.
I like the larger version (did you recrop?), and feel Steve has stepped in the right direction colour-wise...though having been there (and seen them in person, which I have not), do you think it's somewhere between the 2? :e3

[Marina Scarr]

Steve, I see what you are talking about now and I really like what you have done. It sure helps to actually see the changes side by side. Thank you so much. I do think your rendition is the most accurate color wise b/c it was truly a dreary day.

I did recrop the RP, Morkel, as per a suggestion by Steve for something more symmetrical.

[Steve Canuel]

Nice to get them when they line up close to the same focal plane like this. Knowing the warm, late light we can get on the plains during cloudy times, it looks a touch to red (but may very well be accurate). Does this look any more accurate to the conditions you encountered?

[Sid Garige]

I am with your original image. Color tones look closer to grass prairies in evening light. Also the open space around the pronghorns represents the open prairie land very well.