Impala and Oxpecker Portrait

[Grant Atkinson]

Canon 1Dmk4, Canon 300mm f/2.8, handheld. S/S 1/800 at f/5.6, iso 640. Cropped to 10.9 mpixels. In ACR, boosted contrast in subject, in CS5 cloned out small patch of OOF sky in top corner, also some oof grass against impala's body. Purple patches in BG are wild flowers. I thought the pair of oxpeckers added a little interest to this shot.
Location Savuti bush camp, March 2011. Overcast morning.
All C and C welcome
cheers
Grant

[Morkel Erasmus]

I love capturing images of oxpeckers on mammals...and this one works very well Grant. Overcast light has brought out oodles of detail, and the image is nicely framed. If you have it I would maybe add a sliver more space on the LHS?

[Rachel Hollander]

Grant - the impala looks very elegant despite the oxpecker. I like the shot as well just wish a little more of the oxpecker on the impala's left was showing. Great detail and pleasing clean bokeh.

TFS,
Rachel

[Bhargava Srivari]

The oxpeckers make this a very very eticing image. How much I wish the other bird was also visible fully:)

Thanks a ton for sharing this.

[Marc Mol]

Love the Oxpecker earrings here Grant, with the 300 doing its job very nicely on the BG.
I have also seen them venture right into the ear canal at times!
TFS

[peter delaney]

Hi Grant

lovely portrait, agree with previous posters about the bird on RHS and some more space on LHS...

love the BKG and your PP work..

[Stu Bowie]

I agree, oxpeckers do add interest, especially the one on the right with just the eye visible. Nice and sharp all round.

[Dumay de Boulle]

IQ and colors are fantastic. Great BG and Ox-pecker adds hugely! Great stuff Grant!

[Vivaldo Damilano]

Lovely compositon and BKGD blur the 300 gave you. The ox-peckers make the image very interesting TFS :cheers:

[Grant Atkinson]

thanks Morkel, Rachel, Vivaldo, Dumay, Peter, Marc, Stuart and Bhargava, your comments and input much appreciated. I do have more space on the LHS so will try a different crop on my original shot. I will also do a repost of a different frame from this sequence..
Thanks again for looking and commenting.
cheers
Grant

[Grant Atkinson]

Here is a repost of a different frame, just interested to hear which comp is preferred in terms of the oxpeckers position, this one or the OP. I have not taken the time to remove the patches of sky in the BG...
cheers
Grant

[Steve Canuel]

Like the oxpeckers of the second shot better but the expression on the impala in the first one makes it for me. He looks like he's getting the final grooming touch ups for a big night out on the town. The second one is an excellent shot too.

[Steve Kaluski]

Nicely done sir, and certainly the Ox Peckers do add that little bit extra, in the overall content of the image. Glad you explained what the purple 'blobs' were, but personally I might prune/select a few out of the BG. :w3 Likewise I am comfortable about the crop, and again, personally wouldn't add any more to the HS as this might tip the balance?

Not that I am condoning combining the two images as this would perhaps give the best of both worlds, as it's not something I'd do myself. :bg3:

BTW Are you still travelling or back now?

TFS
Steve

[Grant Atkinson]

thanks Steve, I guess I shall just have to keep both frames...they are each a little different. Not back yet, away until the 3 July or so...
cheers
Grant

[Steve Kaluski]

Yep I guess so, good to know you are still on the road. Spent most of the day with the WOLS, think I spotted a chic. :bg3:

Steve

[Sid Garige]

one word - symbiosis

a story teller Grant. Love this image.

[Harshad Barve]

one word - symbiosis

a story teller Grant. Love this image.

Plus one here
TFS