Butting heads at Lake Ndutu

[Craig Markham]

Canon EOS-1D Mark III
12/14/08 10:12:35 AM
Manual Exposure
1/640
f/7.1
Evaluative Metering
ISO 800
EF500mm f/4L IS USM +1.4x
One-Shot AF

While in N Tanzania for the month of December and I captured this match between two wildebeest bulls on the dry shore of Lake Ndutu. Though not quite satisfied with the IQ, I was happy to catch the drama. I think that the third, witnessing animal in the background intensifies the focus on the action. I cropped the image to about 40% of the original to better frame the action and cloned out a couple of partial, OOF animals in the LL and LR foreground.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Craig,
You got some good action going. However, the light was not in your favour. I wish the sun were behind your back. That would have lit the three. The two fighters frame the other one in the back, but it's shadow side is facing you.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Ken Watkins]

Wildebeest are a notoriously difficult subject, largely because of the darkness of their faces and their long eyelashes, getting a good eye is very rare. But at least they can be really good fun to watch.

[Steve Canuel]

Neat shot. Looks like quite the wrestling match. Wish the referee in the back was a little bit more to left of frame so we could see the entire nose.