Bull Elk Post Wallow

[Jerry Taylor]

I was setup just above an elk wallow, and this bull emerged from the wallow dripping in the black mud, along with the cattail fuzz on his antlers.
Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge, Montana
Canon R5, 600II and 1.4xIII, 1/800, f5.6, ISO 1600, tripod
Processed in LR with Topaz DeNoise

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Jerry,

Such a special sighting...wow...this gorgeous bull emerging from the wallow all wrapped in mud, those textures...stunning capture:cheers:

Could not resist but borrow your image and play around a bit in LR as well as PSCC, just thinking you can do so much more with it! Here is my version, perhaps a bit much...but you can decide how far you want to go with the warmth and colours. Removed the blue cast and found WB with the help of the dropper tool in LR ( temp +5 tint -6). Lifted shadows and blacks, removed highlights. Added a tiny bit of canvas at the bottom. A slight curve adjustment on the subject and a bit of saturation/vibrance here and there. Just another version...no offence if you don't like it:tinysmile_shy_t: This made quite an impression on me, really looking forward to see what the other members have to say, thank you so much for sharing:S3:

Kind regards,

[Jerry Taylor]

Dear Jerry,

Such a special sighting...wow...this gorgeous bull emerging from the wallow all wrapped in mud, those textures...stunning capture:cheers:

Could not resist but borrow your image and play around a bit in LR as well as PSCC, just thinking you can do so much more with it! Here is my version, perhaps a bit much...but you can decide how far you want to go with the warmth and colours. Removed the blue cast and found WB with the help of the dropper tool in LR ( temp +5 tint -6). Lifted shadows and blacks, removed highlights. Added a tiny bit of canvas at the bottom. A slight curve adjustment on the subject and a bit of saturation/vibrance here and there. Just another version...no offence if you don't like it:tinysmile_shy_t: This made quite an impression on me, really looking forward to see what the other members have to say, thank you so much for sharing:S3:

Kind regards,
Gabriela,
Thanks for taking the time to look at this image. You're warmer version is, in fact, a definite improvement, and I have modified my original file accordingly.
jt

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you so much dear Jerry, I am a bit rusty with PP work and been absent from the forum for quite some time... but always appreciate a great capture and a wonderful sighting such as this is!

Hope we get more feedback next week, and I especially look forward to Steve's input:w3

Kind regards,

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jerry, nice overall image, but as presented it has flaws, but can be resolved, however a couple of pointers & questions.

- Focus Point was this with animal eye activated, as I feel single point normal focus would be fine?
- Focus looks more on the right part of the rack rather than the head?


LR
- Change the WB profile to Adobe standard, I think you have it on the default 'pants' setting - Adobe colour.


Overall I like the comp with the Elk to the right looking into space, but perhaps a tad more space below. Overall its too dark, but that is perhaps down to the Profile and LR's stupid behind the scenes adding additional crap content, Contrast & black, so always go easy. There is a Blue cast, again an easy fixe, but achievable with a better WB. The strong light and wet fur has created a rather unfortunate HL on the neck, if not blown, it might, to a degree be reduced, perhaps? I do like the rich darks, especially the mud clad rack. 1/500 OK you were on a tripod, but please don't tell me you had it on 12fps? :w3 I might darken the BKG.

How far you take the blacks is personal, but this is just removing LR's excessive editions.

TFS
Steve

[haseeb badar]

Hi Jerry -- This is a nice image and as mentioned above it has its flaws. Definitely WB and colour temp needed adjustment and has been dealt with in above comments.

I liked the rack which is pretty huge and also the FG grass.

Your version appears a bit dark and heavy on blacks, and again, the above reposts sorts that out.

I think if you keep posting here regularly , then surely you will improve that important aspect of your photography, the PP skills. And obviously your field craft will keep getting better.

BTW, How are you finding the Canon R5 ?

Nice image, TFS !

[Steve Kaluski]

BTW, How are you finding the Canon R5 ?

Haseeb, keep the MK2, but if you want a mirrorless along the lines of the MK2 for the ISO go for the R6, if you can work just in good light then the R5, current EF lens work a treat! :S3: The only competitor is Sony, but it's a hairline.

[haseeb badar]

Steve, I was planning to get the MK3, or MK 2 is just fine as of now. Still not sure on Canon mirrorless.

[Steve Kaluski]

Personally I would hold fire on the MK3, the ISO coverage will dictate R5 or R6.

[Jerry Taylor]

Hi Jerry, nice overall image, but as presented it has flaws, but can be resolved, however a couple of pointers & questions.

- Focus Point was this with animal eye activated, as I feel single point normal focus would be fine?
- Focus looks more on the right part of the rack rather than the head?


LR
- Change the WB profile to Adobe standard, I think you have it on the default 'pants' setting - Adobe colour.


Overall I like the comp with the Elk to the right looking into space, but perhaps a tad more space below. Overall its too dark, but that is perhaps down to the Profile and LR's stupid behind the scenes adding additional crap content, Contrast & black, so always go easy. There is a Blue cast, again an easy fixe, but achievable with a better WB. The strong light and wet fur has created a rather unfortunate HL on the neck, if not blown, it might, to a degree be reduced, perhaps? I do like the rich darks, especially the mud clad rack. 1/500 OK you were on a tripod, but please don't tell me you had it on 12fps? :w3 I might darken the BKG.

How far you take the blacks is personal, but this is just removing LR's excessive editions.

TFS
Steve

Hey Steve,
Thanks as always for your in-depth review. A couple of things you picked up on included the Focus Point. The camera was supposed to have been set with animal eye, but after showing a friend how the system worked, I had forgot to change back from person eye. I guess in some respects the camera was using single point:e3. The other is the use of Adobe Standard which I will change and try.
One question I have is in regards your "12fps" comment. Out of my lack of knowledge, why would that make a difference? I was using the mechanical shutter set at 12fps.
Thanks again.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jerry, all I was thinking of was to just shoot without animal eye selection, because with the joy stick it's so easy to lock focus on, but no harm.

Re the highest frame rate, it's not needed here, the subject is almost static, so a couple of frames, job done, so you can set the frame rate to a lower one. Otherwise not only will you almost fill a card, but have millions of frames of the same capture to edit. So a couple of frames, click, then onto the next framing, and pose. Maximise you time in the field and reduce time at the PP stage. Are you using the adapter ring where you can Customise a setting too?

[John Mack]

A nice view of this bull through the grasses. The mud coating from the wallow is nice as well. Cattails are nice on the antlers. The pose is nice.

[Jonathan Ashton]

A super scene to have captured I am looking forward to seeing more, I have nothing to add to the critique other than keep at it, I regard all critique favourable or otherwise to be very valuable on this site, this is from my experience by far the best place to be if you want to improve.