A mothers pain

[Marc Mol]

12.05 with the harsh midday light against me.
This giraffe mother was standing by her dead calf and watching intently the pack of hyena that lingered nearby.
She stood closeby "defending" her baby for many hours.
Here in Ruaha especially, young Giraffe are very susceptible to predators such as Hyena and the large amount of lion prides that predominate the area.
We came upon this sighting after the event, so not really too sure whether this was a still birth or direct predation. Hard to witness nonetheless.

D700 80-400 AF-S f/6.3 1/1000s ISO200@ 80mm. Nearly F/F.

Cheers
Marc

[Morkel Erasmus]

A sad sight indeed Marc
I think you handled the light well, and the depth in the scene is great (love seeing the landscape of Ruaha through your lens).
With the calf on the LHS and mom looking the other way, I think you placed her well.
Happy New Year!! :5

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Marc - I agree with Morkel's assessment but would add that I think it needs the slightest bit of cw rotation. For me the colors of the sky also look more natural here.

TFS,
Rachel

[Marc Mol]

Many thanks Morkel & Rachel, Happpy NY to you both!


I think it needs the slightest bit of cw rotation.

TFS,
Rachel

Would also like to have it levelled slightly, but unfortunately it would take out part of the baby.:w3

[Charles Glatzer]

Marc,

As posted cropping almost an inch off the top would further enhance the overall composition.
I think a tighter or perhaps different initial crop would better illustrate the story line. If I did not read your text I would not have initially noticed the small baby located at the far bottom left.

I do like your image style, as can be seen in your other postings.

Chas

[Marc Mol]

Marc,

As posted cropping almost an inch off the top would further enhance the overall composition.
I think a tighter or perhaps different initial crop would better illustrate the story line. If I did not read your text I would not have initially noticed the small baby located at the far bottom left.

I do like your image style, as can be seen in your other postings.

Chas

Thank you Charles.

The added crop of more sky was deliberate in an attempt to make the horizon less central.:w3

[Gregor Bergquist]

Hi Marc

I like this really much, tragic as it is. Emotional picture in a beautiful setting. Really like how you handle the colors. I think that bush behind the giraffe is a bit disturbing, would be cleaner (if shot) without.

Best Regards, Gregor

[Martin Dunn]

Midday light is horrible and you handled it well Marc.
For me the mother is too central, I'd like her fractionally to the left so that we see more of the space she is gazing into.
You mention lurking hyaenas - it would have been nice to move the mother left of centre and maybe include a glimpse of the hyaenas.

[Gabriela Plesea]

I like this very much, Marc-very vivid patterns on the giraffe, great colours, nice and sharp, lighting conditions extremely well handled; for me a tad too tight on the bottom of the image ( since you left so much of the sky ). Would love to see more, perhaps some images with the hyaenas present as well?

A sad sighting indeed but this is nature, at times it can be heartbreaking to witness such events. I find that focusing on capturing the moment and checking the settings helps postpone the emotion, which returns only later when viewing or processing the image. Great capture Marc, well shot and executed!

Kind regards,

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Marc,
nice and real scene how life can be in the bush.
Like the overall design and colors.You handled the harsh light quite well.
You could add canvas on LHS and bottom and then do a slight canvas rotation, it is working………
Watch the sharpening halo around the giraffe !!!!
I would burn the grass in FG slightly.

TFS Andreas

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Martin & Gab


Midday light is horrible and you handled it well Marc.
For me the mother is too central, I'd like her fractionally to the left so that we see more of the space she is gazing into.
You mention lurking hyaenas - it would have been nice to move the mother left of centre and maybe include a glimpse of the hyaenas.


I like this very much, Marc-very vivid patterns on the giraffe, great colours, nice and sharp, lighting conditions extremely well handled; for me a tad too tight on the bottom of the image ( since you left so much of the sky ). Would love to see more, perhaps some images with the hyaenas present as well?
Kind regards,

I was as wide as I could go @80, with my 80-400 Martin, and would have preferred her less central as well, the hyenas were close by, but hunkered down in thick croton bushes.

Thanks Andreas


Hi Marc,
nice and real scene how life can be in the bush.
Like the overall design and colors.You handled the harsh light quite well.
You could add canvas on LHS and bottom and then do a slight canvas rotation, it is working………
Watch the sharpening halo around the giraffe !!!!
I would burn the grass in FG slightly.

TFS Andreas

I used only a small amount of selective USM on the mother, and what you maybe seeing is the result of the sky with Nik Efix detail applied.

Tha

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hey Marc, i do not think it is from NIK filter, it looks like a typical USM halo, or from downsizing within PS.I remember you used bicubic …. for downsizing.

But hey it is your image.

Cheers Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

A sad sight indeed Marc, but that life in the bush.

TFS
Steve

[Marc Mol]

Hey Marc, i do not think it is from NIK filter, it looks like a typical USM halo, or from downsizing within PS.I remember you used bicubic …. for downsizing.

But hey it is your image.

Cheers Andreas

Definetely not from USM Andreas, as when using this process selectively I absolutely avoid any edges.
Looking at my TIFF with Nik applied (prior to any USM) it's just visible there as well. I think it's becoming evident when I'm brushing away the ND in the giraffe on the sky BG.
I'm finding with Nik detail it greatly enhances edge detail and try to use it minimally ie. small %.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Ok Mark, i do not use NIK filters, you should be right then.But for the future i would try to avoid the effect…..

Cheers Andreas

[edwardselfe]

Nice photo showing an interesting scene and beautiful environment. I like that she is looking into the space - you can only guess what is lurking out of view.
Ed