Stoat

[Steve Kaluski]

I've seen these guys many times, but generally from a distance, however luck was on my side. Taken mid morning, so the light was getting a little harsh, need to reset the camera T&D so I can be more specific. These guys move like bullets and taking a zigzag path, so I was somewhat surprised to get this close. He/she was ferreting in the fall leaves, I guess for bugs or earthworms, however their preferred choice of meal is rabbits or rodents.

Cropped to a 16x9 partly to edit out some of the unwanted BKG, plus I felt it lent itself to it. One or two elements cloned out from within/on the leaves and a couple of blades of grass. With hindsight I should have gone to say ISO1600 for more SS, especially with this particular animal.

Processed via LR & PS CC


Cheers
Steve

Subject: Stoat (Mustela erminea)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 500f/4 HH
Exposure: 1/640s at f/8 ISO800 +0.33 EV Comp

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - I like the cocked head and eye contact. Nice fall colors too. I also like the inclusion of the one tall grass on the lhs. I'm curious, if the light was already getting harsh, why the + EV? Although the light certainly looks well controlled.

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

I'm curious, if the light was already getting harsh, why the + EV? Although the light certainly looks well controlled.

No idea in all honesty, unless I caught the dial on the back, I really cannot answer that. :bg3:

It was taken on the day of 'fall trees' with the lake in the background.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve,
think you have done a good job just getting this guy in focus and looking at you…..

Like the colors and the look up from the race through the leaves , nice setting in autumn.Good choice of comp , but i would like to see more space in front and less in BKG, just loose the one blade that is almost sticking out of the frame.
I tad more DOF would have been nice to get more of the subject sharp, the leaves LHS and RHS look sharper than the subject ?! or better said have more crisp appearance .
I think i see real colors, very nice Steve.

TFS Andreas

[Ashleigh Scully]

THis is a great shot with sharp focus on the stoat's face and nice tones all around him too. Can you remove the tiny grass blade from his eye? I did this with a toad once and it worked.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andreas, there is not a huge amount of additional FG, I cropped that out because the leaves had curled up and created some dark shadow areas which I thought was slightly distracting and not pleasing. The FP was slap bang on the head with the four expansion point activated too, plus everything had just come back from Uncle Canon where it had been calibrated again and a wash & brush up. I'll pop something over to you. I quite like the blade of grass. :bg3:



Thanks Ashleigh, I could remove the debris, but feel it should stay in.

[Andreas Liedmann]

The blade could stay in if you do not choose my crop suggestion, i am fine with it.
Still think specially the ears could be a tad sharper, for me there is a slight fall off in sharpness, which I would address but leave it to you :bg3:.

See ya , Andreas

[Marc Mol]

Apart from the nits mentioned above, what stands out overall for me is the lighting, nice head tilt and the autumnal carpet, well seen Steve.
TFS

[edwardselfe]

Very very nice of a species we don't often see. I would leave a little more above to accommodate the piece of grass. For me, it's running a little too close to the top of the frame, but I like it so I would give it a bit more space.
Ed

[Clyde Hopper]

Hi Steve , I find everything to my likening . The speck of grass ,(although it will call for attention ) adds to the story for me . It (The speck at the eye ) adds to the dirt telling me what action the Stoat was up to . If it were mine I too would give the one tall grass some breathing room . All in all ,love the lighting and dof choices ,Beautiful shot .

AS to why I like the light . Sometimes I find soft shadows Add to the story ,Helps me recognize when these lil guys go out to forage .............

[Loi Nguyen]

Steve, I think your definition of mid day sun is a little bit different than for the rest of us :). From the shadow, the light looks pretty nice to me, not so harsh. Love the expression, sharpness, and fall colors. The whites look perfect. I don't mind the oOF FG. In fact I think it complements the oOF BG, so that the only thing in focus is the stoat (which is a new species for me!0. TFS. Loi

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Loi - I think we call a stoat an ermine, especially when it has its white winter coat. It's also known as a short-tailed weasel.

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Loi - I think we call a stoat an ermine, especially when it has its white winter coat. It's also known as a short-tailed weasel.

Got it. Thanks Rachel. I hear it is really hard to get a picture of this species. Great job Steve to get this at such details and low angle. Loi

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice one Steve. I like how he pops up from the bed of leaves.
Out of curiousity - what did you use to "level" it in PP? With the stoat posing like it does, won't some CCW rotation improve it? Assuming you have space to work with bottom and top (which I think you do looking at the crop ratio).

[Steve Kaluski]

Out of curiousity - what did you use to "level" it in PP?

Nothing 'leveled' Morkel, all framed in camera if that makes sense, I just ran the crop where I thought looked right through the leaves at the foot. There is a little below, but happy as is. :w3

[Gabriela Plesea]

Wow Steve, I really like this image! This is one cute fellow and I love the pose you have captured! I particularly like the leaves, your subject looks so small among them, almost lost…Where was this taken? Great FG and BG, the subject really "pops" and that blade of grass on its left kind of gives direction. The crop is great, I might have taken off a tad more from the left it this was mine. Hmm, on second thought, maybe not, this is well balanced as is...

Great colours, very natural, looks effortless - as if no PP work was done whatsoever. I also like the dirt bits here and there, the little un' was running? Digging?

So pretty, looked at this image over and over again, now off to bed, ready to dream of my furry Kalahari friends...

Kind regards,