Marching to the Mara

[John Lowin]

Sunsets on the Mara are exceptionally beautiful. These Wildebeest on the move formed an interesting silhouette against the brightly colored sky. Hope you like my image. C and C welcome, I'm here to learn. This is a slide scan so no detailed exposure data available - John

Nikon F5
NIKON Zoom Telephoto AF Zoom Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8D ED
Kodak E100 VS
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[Grady Weed]

Stunning colors and love the silhouette. Africa! I shiver just saying the word. Have you tried a crop without the last 2 wildebeest on the left? A more of the thirds element. Either way, striking image. Classic Africa image.

[Dave Mills]

Hi John, I like impact your image presents. You caught it at a perfect moment. I took the liberty to rework the image to present another view. I cropped the image to get the tree more to the right and reduced some of the colored sky. I also took out the animal that was merging with the tree. To my eye I like the balance...

[John Lowin]

Hi John, I like impact your image presents. You caught it at a perfect moment. I took the liberty to rework the image to present another view. I cropped the image to get the tree more to the right and reduced some of the colored sky. I also took out the animal that was merging with the tree. To my eye I like the balance...

Hi Dave, Thanks. Nice alternative. What I miss, however, is the pano view. It was the long, almost single file string of wildebeest that attracted me initially. Usually they are in such a clustered bunch. These are not the most intelligent herbivores on the planet. They suffer from extreme herd mentality, about as smart as lemmings. - John

[John Lowin]

Stunning colors and love the silhouette. Africa! I shiver just saying the word. Have you tried a crop without the last 2 wildebeest on the left? A more of the thirds element. Either way, striking image. Classic Africa image.

Hi Grady, I have wrestled with that question for ever on this image. I would prefer the tree less centered, but ended up deciding to post it the way I did because it made the string of wildebeest longer. Don't really know which is the better solution. That's why I appreciate everyones input. So thank you very much for yours. - John

[David Kennedy]

Whoa--film!

I think the idea of this photograph is a great one, and while I agree that the situation could have been taken to yet another level, I don't think that cropping is the answer. I just long for a little more separation between the Wildebeest--something that you can't do anything about but wait. As it is, I enjoy the image.

My only concern is that you've over-sharpened the image--there's a distinct halo around everything.

Cheers,
David

[John Lowin]

Whoa--film!

I think the idea of this photograph is a great one, and while I agree that the situation could have been taken to yet another level, I don't think that cropping is the answer. I just long for a little more separation between the Wildebeest--something that you can't do anything about but wait. As it is, I enjoy the image.

My only concern is that you've over-sharpened the image--there's a distinct halo around everything.

Cheers,
David

Hi David, I've re-done the image with less sharpening, is this this better? - John

[Kim Rollins]

Hi David, I've re-done the image with less sharpening, is this this better? - John

I am not David but much better to my eye.

Wonderful image and that must have been exciting to see.

[Robert Amoruso]

John, Sharpening looks better. I too enjoy the pano and think it works well in demonstrating the herds movement. The not quite centered, not quite ROT tree placement adds dynamics to the image that is held together by the herd.

[Grady Weed]

John,

Yes much much better, both for sharpening and the color balance. Leave the crop as is. You have a winner here. Frame it and hang it! I'm jealous!

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey John,
late to the party.......I was going to recommend a crop off the top......to further emphasize the pano and the wildebeeest......color looks good now......but the halos still persist.....pain of the slide scan.........I would equal the top with the bottom black.....above the highest cloud.......winner for sure....screams Africa!

[David Kennedy]

Much better sharpening (not over-sharpened) on the repost.