The Black Rhino

[Morkel Erasmus]

Well, we just got back from an epic road-trip that took us across 6 of South Africa's 9 provinces, covering about 3,500km in 9 days.

I had my first decent sightings and photographic opportunities of the elusive black rhino, a species that has managed to elude me for over 20 years of regular excursions into the African bush.

This is a large bull captured against the backdrop of a mountain. I hope you like it as much as I do. I am undecided on whether I prefer the colour or monochrome version...will post the latter as a follow-up thread tomorrow - maybe your insights can help me.

I have close-ups of this guy but some of you will know how I like to go for the wider view. I underexposed deliberately in-camera and increased the blacks during conversion.

Techs:
Canon 7D with 100-400mm L IS USM @ 235mm
f7.1 @ 1/3200 @ ISO-640
Exposure bias -0.7

[Hilary Hann]

I like this very much Morkel, wonderful use of the grasses in the foreground and the placement of the rhino is good, just under the golden grasses in the background. Whether the little bush adds to the image, not sure … but it was there and is not a huge problem for me visually.

One question … with underexposing are you finding much increase in noise with the 7D? I've been experimenting with underexposing certain subjects with my 7D and have had quite bad noise.

[Robert Amoruso]

Morkel,

I would recommend against underexposure to get a deep black in a scene, I presume the rhino, due the noise issue as Hilary mentioned. Exposure the scene fro the highlights and let the shadows fall where they may. Then in post processing you can use levels to pull blacks as far down as you wish w/o increasing noise.

Not sure if this would have been possible, but I would have tried to gotten higher so the rhino's horn and back were not on the same level as the top of the grass.

I like the stark contrast of the bright grass and dark mountain with the dark rhino in the grass. Can't say I like the bush that much however especially that close to him/her.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for your thoughts Robert & Hilary...

I've got plenty with him properly exposed so I tried a little experimentation. I want to try and get things right in-camera for the sake of the possibility of entering into competitions etc.

I wish I could go lower, but wasn't possible as we were in a vehicle. :)

[Robert Amoruso]

thanks for your thoughts Robert & Hilary...

I've got plenty with him properly exposed so I tried a little experimentation. I want to try and get things right in-camera for the sake of the possibility of entering into competitions etc.

I wish I could go lower, but wasn't possible as we were in a vehicle. :)

Higher not lower. You should have stood on the roof Morkel. ;)

I see what you are saying about the competition but I do not think processing the blacks down later would violate any rules IMO.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Robert...it probably is allowable, much the same as burning in the end?

[Hilary Hann]

Morkel, my understanding of high end competitions is that normal darkroom techniques are allowable. Printing for blacks, dodging and burning, contrast adjustments all come under that banner.

[Rachel Hollander]

Morkel - I like this but wih the bush asn't there. I like how the high grasses and the rhino are all leaning slightly to the right of the frame. The fact that the bush isn't is why I wish it was gone but totally a matter of personal taste.

TFS,
Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Hilary :)

Rachel - thanks for the constructive comments...I too wish the bush wasn't there but I take them as they present themselves to me, au naturel ;)

[Nico Steenberg]

Morkel, clone the bush out :p Wonder how a black and white version will look like.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nico - I don't clone out significant parts of my images anymore - take them as nature provides them :)

B&W version will follow shortly