Bison on Blue

[Steve Canuel]

40D, 1-400L @ 100mm, f8, 1/500s, ISO 640.

[Maxis Gamez]

Love it Steve but too centered in the frame.

[david cramer]

Nice light and nice detail. Did you try lightening the right side of his face?

[Ed Cordes]

I like the perspective of looking up at the bison. I agree about being too centered.

[Robert Amoruso]

Steve,

This is the image I have been trying to get in Oklahoma the past two times I visited the WMNWR - perhaps on my workshop nest month. With the head up against that blue sky - just perfect.

I would suggest cropping more from the right and use a Shadows/Highlights correction to open up the face.

[Steve Canuel]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I went with this comp figuring his butt was in the left 3rd, head in the middle 3rd, and open space in the right 3rd. Maybe should've gone closer to his rear. Regarding the shadows on the face, I tried to bring it up a little more but thought it looked unnatural, although I'll admit to most shadows not bothering me too much.
Robert,
From what I remember from my hikes there, it was hard to get ridgeline angles from the road in the Wichitas. I could sometimes get them on the trails but you never know when you're going to round the corner and be face to face with one of them.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Steve,
Huge fan of this one for the reasons Robert mentioned. I did the crop like you thought.......and you know me :D......may be a tad tight on top for some.........but the difference from the suggestions.........I did a layer mask in screen blend mode, at 40%...........to lighten the shadow side of the face........let me know if you need the specs.........and if you like it.
PS.........could have gone more on the oppacity after it posted.

[Steve Canuel]

Hi Roman,
Thanks for the comment and the rework. That's more like what I had in mind for the crop. And its not too tight on top for me either. I also like how you retained the shadow yet still pulled some more detail from the face. I'll have to go in and tweak this one a bit.

[Ramon M. Casares]

The repost looks great, I love this shot! The light and colours are great! Congratulaitons!