Underdog?

[Ken Watkins]

To celebrate the victories of both "underdogs" in todays Rugby World Cup, Wales (land of my fathers) and France (our last home).

Here is what is certainly not an underdog.

Getting this image was bit more difficult than normal "bum walikng: for 100 metres with a 500mm is not exactly pleasant. Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe, 13th September 2011

EOS 1D MkIV

500mm F4 + 1.4x MkII whilst laying on my more than ample belly

F8, ISO 800, 1/1250, EV +0.33

[Harshad Barve]

TOP STUFF :cheers::cheers::cheers:

This is such a wonderful image Ken , Love the pose, OOF FG & butter BG , One of the best wild dog image posted here on BPN , Big congrats
TFS

[peter delaney]

nice image Ken... just needs a bit of TLC in curves ..just to make it pop...

[Marc Mol]

Very nice indeed Ken! The comp, low angle & lighting are all first rate.:5
Tried Peter's curve adj suggestion with a lumo mask @ 50%, making it pop nicely I feel, let me know what you think.



To celebrate the victories of both "underdogs" in todays Rugby World Cup, Wales (land of my fathers) and France (our last home).

I guess you don't need to ask who I'm supporting in upcoming game with the springboks. :w3:w3:t3:t3

[Ken Watkins]

Harshad, Peter and Marc,

Thanks a lot for your comments and suggestions.


In regard to the image itself, the OP is what I wanted it to look like, very muted with a sort of pastel effect, but I can see this could be done in many ways.

Marc,
Before the RWC I expected Australia to win as they are the best team on current form and play attractively, but I never imagined I would ever see Wales return to the form of the glory days 60's/70's it is a great joy for me:cheers:

[Marc Mol]

the RWC I expected Australia to win as they are the best team on current form and play attractively, but I never imagined I would ever see Wales return to the form of the glory days 60's/70's it is a great joy for me:cheers:

Very true Ken, that game against the Irish was also the best so far in this RWC.
Somehow, if we proceed onto the semi's our record @ Eden park is abysmal!! :2eyes2:

[Sid Garige]

Brilliant composition and portrait Ken.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Prefer the OP to the RP. I love the pose and colors...I would just play with the levels a bit but thats all. Awesome stuff Ken!

[Ken Watkins]

Sid and Dumay,

Thanks a lot for your appreciative comments:cheers::cheers:

[Pieter de Waal]

Lovely image , nice low POV, good eye contact and great BG.

[Morkel Erasmus]

A very compelling image, Ken, love the POV, light and muted colours. For my tastes it perhaps needs another very slight round of sharpening on the face :t3

[Steve Canuel]

A nice shot. Like it as posted, additional sharpening wouldn't hurt but not needed to improve.

[Mark Wiseman]

Hi Ken,
Lovely image with a nice low POV. For me the original post is better.
Thanks for sharing, Mark.
I tried all three options of curves adjustments and find that the lighter facial tone defnitely draws the eye to the dogs face.

[Marc Mol]

In regard to the image itself, the OP is what I wanted it to look like, very muted with a sort of pastel effect, but I can see this could be done in many ways.



Understand Ken :w3

Just lifted the contrast in the blacks here with a slight shadow adj on the RHS face, still keeping the overall colour.

[Tom Graham]

I suppose it only further proves my warped way of seeing things:Whoa!: .
But, the curve of the belly(?) and its color line matches exactly the form of the dog's left rear leg. Thus, it looks like it has three legs on its right side!!!
Wait, wait, I just asked Carolyn to look at this and she sees it as the dogs rear and then the chest/head twisted around looking at us!!!
(Help!!! M.C. Escher!! :S3:)

Tom

[Ken Watkins]

Tom ,

Well spotted.:bg3::bg3:

[Tom Graham]

I'm confused, is the joke on me :eek3: ????
Obvious to everyone else ???
Enough said.
Tom

[Ken Watkins]

Tom,

My comment was not meant to be a joke, just an acknowledgement of your spotting the Escher moment, I for one had not noticed it but it is there.

[Craig Kerr]

Love that attentive expression on the dog's face.... great composition and back ground

[DanWalters]

Great eye contact and I like the warm color. Nice clean background as well.