Rudolph?

[Rachel Hollander]

I photographed this reindeer at the same landing in Svalbard as the arctic fox. Fortunately, when the foxes weren't around there were a few reindeer to occupy our time. I think when they are not working for Santa they work as lawnmowers because they almost never lift their heads from the grass. I have my suspicions that this one is actually Rudolph and that he never lifted his head because he was hiding his red nose.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Canon 5D3
300 II plus 2x III
1/1000
f5.6
ISO 3200
Tripod (I think), cropped some from bottom and right for comp, levels, curves, luminosity mask, selective color adjustments, dropped magenta and blue, NR on bg and sharpened in CS6.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Andrew Merwin]

Hi Rachel, Rudolph appears to be well fed & ready for the rigors of guiding Santa's sleigh. I like the eye contact you have & the velvet antlers. There appears to be a green tint on the reindeers belly—probably a reflection from the grass.

[Anette Mossbacher]

Beautiful details and image of Rudolph Rachel. I remember him. He lifted it's head but was against the sun, neither I could see the red nose. Lawnmowers, should get me one, that saves me in summertime lost of work here :w3
I like this how it is, with the flowers it looks great. We had no flowers anymore, all eaten by his mates :w3

Have a great weekend

Ciao
Anette

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Rachel,
sad to hear that Rudolph was not nice to you in terms of his behavior.
But even without lifting his head , he gave you a look…….

Quite like the image with good detail and sharpness and the colors in the grass are nice .
Somehow i find the colors in the Reindeer not that good ,likewise the overall tonality a bit flat in the subject and too light .
There is still a lot of magenta and some blue creeping through.

TFS Andreas

[GertOoms]

Hi Rachel,

Love the details in Rudolph, execpt the fact that I'm missing his red nose :S3:. I've got the same opinion as Andreas, to bright.

TFS,
Gert

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everyone. Andreas - I think the magenta and blue is natural to their coloring. I did remove a fair amount but did not want to remove it all because of this.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, very apt and another new species. :cheers:

Love the environment and the buttercups, but looking at the image I tend to agree with Andreas. Regarding the Blue & Magenta if this is true to their colouring fine, but I do think make more adjustments does help, but this is purely personal taste. Parking that to one side, I would up the grass via HSL, add some mid tone overall, then a Curves adjustment. I feel it just enriches the whole image, WDYT? Great detail and love the eye.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Steve. Looks good but I do think I'm going to keep a little more of the magenta at least.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Arthur Morris]

I like the original post by a nose.... I like this image because the fur looks very fuzzy. Was he? (Remember Fuzzy Wuzee? He was a bear.

[Rachel Hollander]

I like the original post by a nose.....

Artie - I see what you did there :w3. Yes, I remember Fuzzy Wuzzy (I think it also was a college drinking game. Leave it to college students to corrupt a Kipling poem). The reindeer was getting fuzzy and certainly had velvet on its antlers in August.

Thanks,
Rachel

[edwardselfe]

Nice photo - I also questioned the colour on the reindeer, but I will believe you no problem! I think Steve's has gone a bit dark and a bit too contrasty, but I think that what he did with the grasses and flowers has worked well. I would try to darken the deer a little, and the surroundings as per Steve's.
Happy Christmas.
Ed

[Morkel Erasmus]

Lovely image Rachel - love the soft fluffy quality that exudes here.
Have a blessed Christmas...
:5