Alligator versus fish!

[Mike Delgado]

Shot taken this morning at GL Florida.


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[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Mike can you add the Exif data please, plus a bit more to the shot, as it's nice to know a bit more to the image.

cheers
steve

[Mike Delgado]

Hi Mike can you add the Exif data please, plus a bit more to the shot, as it's nice to know a bit more to the image.

cheers
steve

I sure can Steve
I was actually shooting white egrets when all the splashing started. As I focused the camera on the gator he already had the fish & preceded to slam the fish on the water. I have a whole sequence of this but my shutter speed was to slow for this kind ofshot. I still managed to salvage a few.

Nikon D4
Nikon 500mm F4
F Stop 7.1
Speed 1/800 sec
ISO 800

Let me know if theres anything else that I can answer for you.


Thank You

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks Mike, by adding as much information as possible to the image, it does help the viewer to understand the image, plus EXIF is always require in the Critique Forums. :w3

A bit late now for me to add my thoughts, but hopefully others will chime in, but in the meantime is there anything specific you are looking for in terms of feedback? I do have some thoughts, but I'm unsure how applicable, however will add something tomorrow?

cheers for now
Steve

[Tom Graham]

My 2 cents, the gators head angle is wrong direction, better if twisted over towards the viewer.
I know you take what you can get, that's what makes wildlife photography so challenging. And fun ?!?!
But many times, speaking for myself only, what I get is not what I'd like nor what would make the most interesting/impactful image for the viewer.
Tom

[Mike Delgado]

My 2 cents, the gators head angle is wrong direction, better if twisted over towards the viewer.
I know you take what you can get, that's what makes wildlife photography so challenging. And fun ?!?!
But many times, speaking for myself only, what I get is not what I'd like nor what would make the most interesting/impactful image for the viewer.
Tom

Thanks for your opinion.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Mike, from what I understand, upping the ISO is not an issue for Nikon and therefore I would have tried to get a bit more SS, just to nail the fast action and freeze it a bit more. I think you did a good choice on the format of crop, as it's in keeping with the head angle, although I might just go for a 16 x 9 and just tighten it up a fraction, loosing a little off the bottom & to the right, just personal taste. No knowing anything about the colour of water, but if you darkened both the top & bottom, easing off the green saturation a tad, the subject does have a bit more presence IMHO. Plus, if you created a light, mid & dark Curves adjustment layers you can get some nice tonal & form to the gator, have tried it and it looks quite good, likewise adding some Sat or Luminosity to key parts. Would lose the stick if you can. Having the fish in the jaws does add interest, likewise the trailing water. The blown highlights in the water are fine, nothing you could do to avoid them, however I might just clean up a few that are a little distracting and catching the eye.

Hope this helps, didn't post a RP. :S3:

cheers
Steve

PS Was this with Robert?

[Morkel Erasmus]

Hey Mike. I don't mind the head angle that much - you can see the gator's eye and that counts loads in this instance (it's not a portrait, it was flinging it's head around so getting this angle is pretty decent in my books).
I do think the highlights in the water detract a bit, perhaps you can tone them down in RAW without causing theme to go muddy.

Was it a wild gator or at a "gator farm"? :e3

[Mike Delgado]

Hey Mike. I don't mind the head angle that much - you can see the gator's eye and that counts loads in this instance (it's not a portrait, it was flinging it's head around so getting this angle is pretty decent in my books).
I do think the highlights in the water detract a bit, perhaps you can tone them down in RAW without causing theme to go muddy.

Was it a wild gator or at a "gator farm"? :e3

Gatorland Orlando, FL

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks Mike. Being from South Africa I'm not sure what that setup is - so this is asked out of curiosity. Is it a reserve where gators roam within a restricted space, or a breeding farm, or...? :Whoa!:

We have crocodile farms in Southern Africa where a great number of crocs usually share the same enclosed pool, not a fan of those personally...