American Elk

[Mike Milicia]

EOS-1D Mk II, 500mm f/4L + 1.4xII, 1/320, f/9, ISO 200
About 80% of Full Frame

I've been reworking some older images with CS3 and I'm liking the results I'm getting with the new RAW converter. This image is from Waterton Lakes National Park and was captured in Fall 2005 during a clearing storm.

[David Kennedy]

Mike,
Your subjects--head angle, catch light, body angle to the frame--are great. Because of the direction the calf is facing, I think this image might have been stronger with negative space to the left of the moose family, as opposed to the right side as you framed it. My eyes just want to see what the calf is looking at.

Cheers,
David

[Bob Boner]

I think the smaller animal (doe or calf?) is making eye contact with the huge 7x7 bull. I really like the color and interaction, but I would tighten up the composition by cropping off a little on the right, say to the lighter bunch of something that projects above the rest of the tree line. If this is for a stock image, then I would leave it as is to give room for type or whatever. Thanks for sharing.

[DanWalters]

Nice subjects and light. I do agree about taking a little bit off the right.

[D. Robert Franz]

Excellent subjects with some nice light and an interesting BG. A crop off the right side might help with some of the negative space or even this image shot in the verticle would have worked.. I like the low angle you worked from as well.

[Jasper Doest]

Mike, this is an excellent photograph. I love all the empty space as it adds interest to this image. It creates a very natural atmosphere and the animals have plenty of space to look into the scenery. I like how the foreground blends into a nice vegetation and the light was awesome. My only nit would be the green band going through the head of the female and the hillside going precisely through the base of the antlers of the male. I would have liked to see this shot from a slightly higher or lower angle but besides that I really like this one. Keep up the good work!