Wallowing Hippo

[Steve Kaluski]

This is definitely a 'marmite' shot - love it, or hate it :S3:.

We just stopped off at a small waterhole where this solitary hippo was just sitting and wallowing in the water, the light was quite harsh and location was very dark so I deliberately shot it to be contrasty. The blown whites were impossible to avoid, but I wanted it dark to capture the water as he exhailed and in PP I darken the FG. The warm light worked quite well to highlight the saturated hairs too. With hindsight I would have now gone to ISO1600 with a higher SS, but got away with it this time.

Thanks for either viewing or commenting on the previous image.

Steve

Subject: Hippo (Hippopotamus amphibius) in water
Location: SA
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 500f/4 with 1.4 HH
Exposure: 1/1000s at f/11 ISO800
Original format: Landscape, FF on the sides
Processed: LRCC & PS CC2015

[haseeb badar]

Hi Steve -- I pretty unsure about this image. It is somehow not grabbing me , i had a good look to it but am still undecided on it . The thing i really liked are the backlit hair on the hippo .

A hint of light on the dominant eye might have added a point of interest but is another thing . All in all this isn't grabbing me and i am just being honest here . Sorry !
TFS !

[Gabriela Plesea]

Good evening Steve,

I already told you I liked this very much and I will stick to my guns:w3 The unusual always grabs me and I am partial to those dark, mysterious, half-telling tales...

In terms of PP work I really like your consistency with the light (or rather, lack of it in places). Also that golden rim and the atmosphere. Interesting to note, there is so much detail present in the darks (and "dark darks") - this frame is certainly not an accident but a well planned experiment and I admit I am a bit jealous:t3

Well seen and executed, not sure you needed more SS and this is my cuppa, Steve - I like everything about it.

Warmest regards,

[Mike Poole]

Definitely my kind of shot Steve (unlike that awful marmite stuff!). I always appreciate seeing different viewpoints to standard portraits, and this one works for me. Moody, but clear enough to see some definition in the hippo and the golden rim light is lovely.

Mike

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - I know that you really made something out of nothing here and I like it a lot. It has a feeling of mystery and the darks work as does the rim lighting. Excellent low pov too (despite the huge croc being nearby).

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks folks, as I said, this 'medium' we work in can be at times, very subjective, unless it has that cute factor, unique, or just simply awesome I guess.

I think Rachel it was the start of me thinking about how, what I shoot and ways in which it may or may not work and in this case, let natures light dictate the direction. The majority of my images are pedestrian at times, predictable and safe, but then it pays the bills at times too, but then occasionally it good as I have said before to explore and either push things in the original capture, or in the PP stage, although `i think you have to be discerning when using any software and always be in the driving seat :bg3:.

[Andre Pretorius]

Hi Steve

I Love Marmite on toast! It looks like there is some Golden Syrup added on top...LOL:t3

I love the textures and high contrast in this image. The saturated orange hairs on ears has an almost backlit effect, adds to the image, the water draining over top of muzzle tells viewer he/she has just surfaced.
The dark water gives an "ominous" effect to the image--what is going to happen next...
Angle very effective, were you in the water?

I saw this with my first digital body(even now with the newest Digital DSLR)--Shiny blacks/darks---Velvia was the winner..

Like it, Sir!:cheers:

[Steve Kaluski]

The dark water gives an "ominous" effect to the image--what is going to happen next...

Hi Andre, cheers.

What happened next, nothing he was quite content being in the water. No, I wasn't in the water, a bit stagnant and a little too dangerous, just looked for a low POV, although I'm just a little cautions in these locations now after seeing a Black Mamba which has made me a little wary in going for these types of perspective.