Backlit Bison

[Rachel Hollander]

One of the things you do when stuck in a bison jam in Yellowstone National Park is experiment a bit. Here the bison were crossing the road between me and the sun so when they were along the ridge on either side of the road they were backlit. I went with a slightly warmer WB here to emphasize the golden tones of the approaching sunset but also to allow a little of the Lamar Valley background to come through. It was difficult to isolate a single bison and based on the settings my guess is that I may have already been shooting some of the herd that was already across when able to isolate this straggler on the ridge.

Canon 7D2
100-400 @ 400 mm
1/1600
f9.0
ISO 400
HH from car, ff, levels, curves, selective burning, sharpened in CCPS. I did look at a crop from the left and below to move the bison off-center and get rid of the bright leaf at the bottom but it didn't feel balanced.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[haseeb badar]

Hi Rachel -- This image has a WOW feel to it ! You have produced a very nice Backlit scene , with a perfect rim lighting . It appears to me a bit thin , especially the face of the subject.

I wish you would have got some more space in the front rather than at the back. Considering the current frame I would have cropped a bit from the left , top and bottom to give it a more balanced look .

TFS !

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, great choice in subject and going for back lit, was this with Dale???

I agree with Haseeb, it appears a bit thin, I know you try to keep to 'as shot' but here I think you can push the boat out a little and get a bit more depth & colour into the image. I also would 'garden' the really bright grass stem dead centre, it is only a small prune. :S3:

Trying to retain the overall look & feel, just tweaking the WB, Tint , Exp and a little adj in colour.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Haseeb and Steve for the comments and suggestions. I'll take a look. Steve - I think your rp is good but too much red. It was definitely more yellow. I wasn't with Dale at all on this trip so it was not with him.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[keith mitchell]

Rachel I will leave the technical bits to others,really like the way you have caught this making an image that is full of interest for me,think the light just shows enough of the details of the animal,sort of shot I love.

Keith.

[John Robinson]

Absolutely breathes atmosphere Rachel
Love it.
Minor suggeswstion- slice off the left, but just an idea from a far from professional photo traveller.
Cheers
Johnr

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everyone. Glad you like this one. Here's a rp incorporating most of the suggestions.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[D. Robert Franz]

Well done and dramatic Rachel.. Tell me about bison jams aaaaargh :bugeyed:

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Rachel this is a gorgeous frame .... love it .
Always a matter of taste the tone and color ... without having been there i would go with Steve's version .
Your RP works better from the comp POV .
Very nice work for the rim light .
TFS Andreas

[Jonathan Ashton]

Wow not sure what to say other than I like them all. I have never seen anything remotely like this. I like Steve's lighter grasses but your repost Rachel seems to strike a chord, I am genuinely in a muddle - they are all very pleasing images to view.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Dale, Andreas and Jon, much appreciated.:wave:

[John Hackney]

Wonderful out of the box shot. You truly pulled the best parts to the front. I think the RP is the better crop.

[keith mitchell]

Rachel agree with John above about the crop.

Keith.

[Stuart Philpott]

Rachel,I have a deep passion for back lit images,this just does it for me on a huge level. I don't know the anmimal or surroundings at all but really love the way you have captured this. I am struggling with the reposts much like Jon ,they are all fantastic to my eye surley i'll be studying them again. Aahh that rimlight is stunning Rache thanks so much for sharing.

Rachel one silly thing that has surprised me,that I have noticed and has actually really grabbed my eye,is the tip of the rearmost horn that highlight is it blown? Rachel in the reposts it seems too white ?? Mate this is a silly niggle and you know full well i'm talking from the heart not a level of expertise,nonetheless,you good folks work to such detail and incredible standards I thought i'd throw it out there. I still want that tip of horn lit mate,but it just feels way too strong for me.

Anyway horn tip highlight or no it's an incredible capture with so much for me to look at and and be inspired by cheers so much for sharing this. It's one of my favourites of yours,i'll remember for a long long time,very classey work Rachel love it :5
take care mate

Stu

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks John, Keith and Stu. Stu - no, that highlight is not blown. It's white because it is likely a reflection off the horn. I have no problem with it as is. Actually the hottest areas on the image are along the back.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Stuart Philpott]

Cheers for putting me right Rachel ,it's such a lovely image. As before it's really surprised me that I noticed it and it grabbed me so. Be that as it may it's an absolute feast to stare at:S3:

take care

Stu

[Morkel Erasmus]

This is a very cool rim-lit shot, Rachel - love Bison and seeing this outline made me smile.
I think your RP has taken it up a notch, can't add much more here eh?

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Morkel

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Rachel,

I like the mood you have captured here, this works so well.

I do prefer the composition in your RP and the colour in Steve's version.

A magical scene with lots of appeal, very pleasing to the eye and I truly enjoyed viewing, thank you so much for sharing.

Warmest regards,