Red Fox in Dunes

[Neil Knapp]

I'd love to sit here & tell you that I carefully situated myself along her morning route, downwind so she couldn't smell me, with an 8' dune & the blazing late morning sun at my back, making me nearly invisible... the truth is I was just out photographing Gannets, when this fox started out as a small, distant spot moving toward me across the dunes. I honestly don't think she saw me until she heard the shutter...

Every once in a while nature throws you a bone.:)

Thanks for looking.

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Neil

Tough call on whether to use flash, I chose not to. I kind of like the moodiness of the shadows, but of course, YMMV.
Approx 50% crop, cloned some incongruous vegetation from right side of frame.
D300/200-400/1.7x
1/1250
f8
ISO500
http://www.d-v-tech.com/images/D300/DSC_5328-750.jpg

[Alfred Forns]

.... not only a bone but a nice one !!!!! Glad you were able to make the image Neil

The first thing that comes to mind here is go vertical !!!! As presented would crop from the sides and lighten the eye area a bit The shadow on the right side is not bad blending in well !!! Love the alert look and feel !!!

[Roman Kurywczak]

Ahhhhhhh.......if that only happened more often! I think as Alfred suggested........vert crop and lighten shadow area a bit....makes this one a winner,
Roman

[Robert Amoruso]

I agree with the vertical recommendations.

[Van Hilliard]

Cropping has been covered. I really like the warm earthy colors and the way the fox is looking directly at you. Good response and good photo.

[Neil Knapp]

Alfred, Roman, Robert, & Van,

Thanks, guys, really appreciate the feedback, honestly. I pushed the exposure in the shadows already. When I went further, I started to see a little more noise than I liked, but I can probably go a touch more on the S/H, and do some selective NR in the shadows. I was going to "go vertical" on this, but I was thinking that the OOF grass was such an important part of the composition that I didn't want to skimp on it. But I'll try to make it work as a vertical & post it back to this thread.

Thanks,

___
Neil

[Ed Cordes]

Lucky you! It is a great opportunity. I agree on the vertical.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Again a vote for vertical, and if you have it a bit more of the fox at bottom. This guy looks at peace, very calm image to view. :-)