Tazlina, Wolf, Captive

[Grady Weed]

She was very cooperative today. After 5 minutes of my setting up, she walked right up to the fence then backed off to the safe distance for her, about 30 feet. This is the closet and the soonest she as come over to check me out.


Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, Shooting Date/Time 2/21/2008 10:40:54, Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/800Sec. Av(Aperture Value) F8.0, Evaluative metering, Exposure Compensation 0, ISO 400, Lens EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM +2.0x, Focal Length 600.0 mm, Image size 3504 x 2336, Image Quality RAW, Flash Off, White Balance Auto, AF mode AI Servo AF, Picture Style Standard.

On tripod, standing on wet glare ice behind the fence, I thought I was standing on wet glass it was so slippery. Sun was almost dead over but just behind me. Since she is in a enclosure, you have to wait for good sun, today was the day!

[Anita Rakestraw]

Really love this, Grady, just gorgeous! Wish her one eye wasn't obscured by fur. She doesn't have a "wild" look about her....is she somewhat tame? Don't you wish you could know what she's thinking?

[Grady Weed]

She is a permanent resident at a rehab center just 15 minutes from me. She came from Alaska as an abused "pet". She is definitely wild and will bite you if she thinks you Will hurt her. Only her female owners can go in the pen with her. Timber, a male wolf, has to be used to coax her into any other enclosure when it is time to do repairs or clean the pen she is in now. i have photographed her 4 times now. She has come closer and longer this time more than any of the rest. There is an air lock I sit in to photograph her through the chain link fence. If I act like I am packing up to leave, she will come to within 25 feet or closer. I have to act sort of fast and not suddenly, if that makes sense, to get her photo. This time she stayed close for 7 or 8 minutes and let me photograph her. I wish I could go in the pen with her like I do 2 others. But she would attack me for sure. Time and patience perhaps will let me use the 300 2.8 from the minimum 8 feet for a super close up one day. And yes I do wonder what is she thinking. She is just beautiful, all 9 of them are.

[Jasper Doest]

A very intimate and powerful portrait....I think you did very well on the exposure. Perhaps some more space at the bottom would have worked even better.

[peter delaney]

Grady

A lovely portrait , yes it wud have been great to get both eye contact....but still powerful image. I disagree about more space on bottom ...i actually find the space on top leading my eye away so i wud be inclined to crop a little closer to ears...either way well done on lovely image...:)