Pack mentality

[Marc Mol]

Another image here of the Mapula 10's alpha male winning the scavenge of a Zebra placenta fortuitously dropped
by the mother, enabling a getaway.
Looking back at this now, f/8 ISO800+ with an increase in SS would have improved this a little........live & learn I guess.
Moremi GR- Botswana Sept '09

D3 500VR+1.7tc 1/250s ISO200@f/6.7 F/F.

C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

http://africaddict.smugmug.com/Nature/Botswana-Sept-2009/D316099a/728845038_tDZYQ-XL.jpg

[Paul Taylor]

A great scene - full of energy and excitement. Looks like one where it was really difficult to decide what to put in the frame, if there was time to even think about such a thing. Did you try it without the dog at front right? You could regain a little of the canvas lost easily with cloning there. Regardless, a great sighting and I wish I'd been there.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Marc, I know how you feel regarding looking at your settings after the action , to find in the moment of capturing the action, the settings could have better. Our minds often spin wondering if we will have enough DOF, is the ss fast enough, under or over exposed trying to look at the histogram. Its not easy getting the perfect shot. I feel the WD with the placenta is sharp enough, and no settings would have got the WD's in the BG in focus. They look too far back. Still, well captured.

[Robert Amoruso]

Marc,

I know from experience that with such fast action, composing is not easy. Like Paul, I find the dog to the right of the lead dog a bit distracting as is the one upper right with the cut head. Any chance you have more real estate around them you can add back from a crop?

I do like the sharpness from the lead dog and the look or pursuit from the two BG left dogs.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Marc,
Nice action. The vegetation near the placenta doesn't seem to be in focus.

I would prefer to have used ISO 800, especially since you were using the D3. These fellows are playful and energetic. Most often than not, they require higher shutter speeds.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Marc Mol]

Appreciate the comments everyone.


Marc,
Any chance you have more real estate around them you can add back from a crop?

Unfortunately no Robert, as is F/F.

[Austin Thomas]

Hi Marc,

You have done well to track the main WD and keep it in focus. The rest is circumstance as they were moving.

Maybe cropping the RHS to lose the two WDs on that side might keep the eye on the main subject.

tfs

Austin

[Nate Chappell]

I absolutely love this shot! For me all of the dogs add to this shot. The one trying to get in on the meat from the right and the 3 rushing to the scene, all fitting for a pack animal like this. Maybe the position of every dog isn't absolutely ideal, but that wouldn't be possible and I find none of them distracting, big congrats on this one Marc!

[Kurtis Diffenbaugh]

Marc, I think everyone has mentioned any critique I would have so I'm just going to say very nice shot, I'm a sucker for Wild Dogs. but I really like the emotion & sense of excitement in this photo. Nice work