Mr & Mrs Marmot

[Steve Kaluski]

Just back from 16 days hiking, walking and a bit of climbing in Switzerland, one part I know very well, the Juagfrau region, but I have never been to Zermatt and the mighty Matterhorn.

This was taken in the Zermatt region whilst on a hike, packing light (mainly wet weather gear) as weather can change very quickly (although the backpack still weighed in at between 15-20kgs) so no chance for any long lenses and so patience and a lot of crawling was required, as one or two of you have seen some images of this!!! :S3:. These subjects are not habituated to humans and were incredibly skittish, unlike the ones I think Andreas photographed in Austria and so it was over an hour just to achieve this image, especially with only having the 100-400.

A nice trip as it provided some different photography which I think is healthy, just photographing in one region/aspect, I think, can bring some 'staleness' and so variety improves both your thinking, but also having a change of subject matter makes the old brain think. :S3:


Steve

Subject: Alpine Marmots (Marmota marmota) in the sun
Location: Switzerland
Camera: Canon 1DX MKII
Lens: 100-400f/5.6 MKII HH
Exposure: 1/2500s at f/6.3 ISO1250 +0.67EV
Original format: Landscape, almost FF, very slight crop
Processed via: LRCC Classic & PSCC2018

[Jonathan Ashton]

Steve you have to suffer for your craft:w3, not bad for an old guy crawling about in the rough!
My immediate reaction was wow love the texture colours and detail in the heads of the marmots. I like the DOF on the right hand marmot but I am not keen on the soft back and flank of the one on the left. I appreciate you may well have thought about this in advance and you would argue that it it more of a portrait and so that is why you made DOF limited.. but I still find the soft rear of the one on the left distracting. The OOF grasses, are muted but I would suggest trim off just a fraction to say the bottom of the text. Coming back to the heads - just beautiful!

[Steve Kaluski]

Steve you have to suffer for your craft, not bad for an old guy crawling about in the rough!

Sadly Jon, there wasn't anyone with a 'cart' to whiz me around, unlike some folk on their trips, but only if it's downhill, if you know what I mean Jon. :bg3:


I like the DOF on the right hand marmot but I am not keen on the soft back and flank of the one on the left.

FP was on the eye of the LH Marmot, the image needed a tad more DoF for the right, that's the one that is slightly out. :S3:


I would suggest trim off just a fraction to say the bottom of the text.

Perhaps it's a personal choice Jon, I just think/feel the subjects need a bit of 'substance' to sit on, too many shots posted have limited space at the foot, but... trust all is good

[Jonathan Ashton]

Yes maybe the nose on the RHS is a tad out, that doesn't bother me, but you seem to be ignoring my reservations over the soft rear of the one LHS, I find my eyes being drawn there.

[Steve Kaluski]

but you seem to be ignoring my reservations over the soft rear of the one LHS,

Not ignoring it Jon :w3, for me is fine, the head and eye is key to me, the rear of the Marmot LHS just drifts off and that's what I wanted, not having everything in focus. Being drawn to it is probably because it's the closest point?

[John Mack]

I like it. Focus is right where it matters the details look great. Pose on both the marmots is nice as well. The colors of the lichen on the background rocks are pretty neat.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Steve,

Isn't it wonderful when the subjects cooperate... Love the pose and closeness from those two, makes the image for me.

I did not notice the "soft side" of the chap on the LHS until John mentioned it... I guess I am too taken with their faces:S3:

A well composed image, well balanced and the colours are just lovely. Beautifully processed and with lots of detail where it matters.
Must have been fun, stalking those two marmots! It certainly paid off, wonderful work Steve:cheers:

Warmest regards,

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - Crawling around certainly made for a nice low pov. I like the autumn color palette and the interaction of the subjects. I do get what Jon is saying about the dof of the marmot on the left. It feels like the main subject since it dominates the frame so the eye is drawn a bit to its body which is oof. Probably f8 would have done it and you had the ISO and ss to play with but I take it the subjects were not so cooperative.

TFS,
Rachel

[Basil Dardagan]

Beautiful colours and a lovely feeling to the image. IMO the crop works well and the catch light in both animals eyes is the cherry on top for me