Race For Life

[Grant Atkinson]

Canon 1Dmk4, Canon 300f2.8 IS, handheld. s/speed 1/3200 at f/5.0, iso 800. Ai Servo, single af point selected. Evaluative metering. Cropped, processed in ACR and CS5. Location Linyanti river, Dumatau camp, Botswana. September 2011. Image taken in early morning when the Linyanti wild dog pack were hunting. A single dog flushed this kudu and pursued it for several hundred metres, closing right in quite rapidly. A few frames later the dog had overtaken the kudu, which immediately turned into the river and took refuge in a reed bed. The dog and its pack mates gave up for fear of crocodile attack. The Linyanti pack frequently kill adult female kudu.
I know I have posted a near frame from this chase on another forum, I just could not remember if I posted that similar frame on BPN or not?
All c and c welcome
cheers
Grant

[Gary Hamilton]

Looks like you nailed this one. Very nice composition and detail. I love the kudu's eye looking back at the wild dog--that really takes it over the top for me.

[Steve Kaluski]

Nicely timed Grant and the expression on the female Kudu says it all, good action. Good placement in frame and enough habitat to set the scene.

Overall I feel it looks as if it has a yellow cast to it, difficult to try and resolve it in Balance & using a White neutraliser. I did add a slight warmth to it, but I now think there is a slight Redness coming through, just trying to get a cleaner Blue. Might be worth downloading and looking at it in PS.

Hope this helps buddy. :w3

Good to have you back for a while.

Cheers
Steve

[Grant Atkinson]

thanks for the comments Gary and Steve
Steve, about the colour, I perhaps have pulled out too much blue during raw processing, as I was trying to tone down the strong blue band of OOF water running across the top of the channel, so maybe if I just add a little more warmth via the WB slider in my original shot. Might try to repost tomorrow.
Thanks for taking time to critique and repost
cheers
Grant

[Steve Kaluski]

OK, but might have another thought, will let you know as I want to be sure first.

[Tom Graham]

Super shot. And agree, on my monitor original is too yellow and Steve's too red.
Tom

[Hilary Hann]

Super image Grant and once you've fixed the minor colour issue it will be just fine.

The photograph tells a story in the one frame about the relationship between prey and wild dog as predator, so perfectly. The strain of the tendons and muscles down the kudu's neck, the tail curled up and the sheer effort expressed in the face with the nostrils and the rolled back eye compared to the almost casual look in the dog as if he knows his superior prowess to wear down and ultimately succeed. All in the two comparison body languages. Well composed and presented and visually interesting and engaging.

You don't post often but when you do, it is well worth it. :S3:

[Grace Scalzo]

This is just crazy with intensity, Grant. So many fine details such as the kicked up grass and the wet tail of the dog complete the image. Thanks for letting us know the ending. Like Hilary, I always look forward to your posts.

[PRABIR BHATTACHARYYA]

Grant, beautiful catch. I am getting stronger yellow and stronger red in the 2 versions in my monitor too.
But, I really like the color of the light, un-mistakenly African.
I got even stronger yellow light during my visit to Zambia in the end of winter because of drying Mopane forests and savanna.

[Ken Watkins]

Grant,

Apart from the "colour cast" problem which I have to confess I don't really see is the absence of "escape room" space.

The panic look back in the eye is great.

What also amazes me is the width of the river, which has clearly expanded a lot from the last time I was up that way many years ago!

Heres a rough repost indicating what I mean

[Hilary Hann]

More room, less drama in my view. The lack of escape room increases the sense of desperation in the kudu.

[Grant Atkinson]

thanks for the comments Steve, Tom, Hilary,Grace, Prabir and Ken, and suggestions.
Busy working on the raw file from scratch again re the colour. Ken, fortunately I have a bit of space all around so if need be, can back off the crop in any direction. I chose this crop due to the relatively small size of the dog in the frame. The Linyanti is indeed at a high level, although currently falling it is still far higher than in years gone by.
Hilary, thanks for your comments, I try to post once a week though I don't always get it right. Guiding full time makes it a bit tough sometimes as does our sometimes unreliable internet. I hope to become more consistent with posts from next year, when I will be spending more time on photography and photographic guiding. Glad you like the shot.
Grace, thanks for your words, this was an intense sighting, and fleeting. Turned out okay for the kudu but the dogs went hungry that morning. I consider it a privilege to see what I get to see, especially with dogs here in the Linyanti, and it is great to be able to share it. They are spirited animals.
Cheers
Grant

[Ken Watkins]

Grant,

The dog only looks small because of the size of the Kudu:S3:

You are indeed in a very good area for Wild Dog certainly has come along way from the Lion slaughter in 2004?

Look forward to the repost.

Ken

[Grant Atkinson]

Here is the dog repost, with a bit less yellow, and a tad more space. I still have more space if needed. Apologies for working in a bit of a rush.
Thanks for the c and c.
cheers
Grants

[Ken Watkins]

Grant,

Well I for one cannot see a cast, but then I did not think the original had anything noticable.

For me the extra space is a great improvement.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Grant, I think by comparing the two images side by side (OP & re post) the differences are very slight & subtle and perhaps that is all it needs? Without going to to much work and this does not need another repost, but combining the two using the BKG of the new with the FG, Kudu & dog of the original could be worth exploring as the colour difference might just balance out? Would try but shortly heading off again.

By adding space to both sides (I assume this is almost FF) does work better, well framed in camera.

cheers
Steve

[Kiran Khanzode]

Lovely action in golden light captured very effectively, Grant ! :cheers:

My eyes prefer the original post, I see no cast. The whites on the dog and the Kudu look fine in the OP.

[Grant Atkinson]

Your comments noted and appreciated Ken, Steve and Kiran..
thanks for taking the time

[Steve Canuel]

What a great sighting and photograph. The Kudu almost seems to have a smile on its face, and I know the dog is enjoying the chase. Together it almost makes it look like they're playing chase. You last repost looks the best to me.

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks Steve for your thoughts..
If I don't respond to any comments over the coming days, it will just be because I am away leading a photosafari to Mombo and Chitabe, beginning tomorrow.
cheers
Grant:S3:

[gail bisson]

I am late to this party but just wanted to say that your repost is amazing. the light is beautiful as well. As already mentioned, it is the kudu's eye that takes this over the top.
Gail

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Grant - I am also late to the party but this is fantastic action and well captured. I too like the last repost best. Looking forward to seeing some from Mombo too.

TFS,
Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

What a fantastic action capture, Grant! I prefer the space and colour balance of your repost, but think a touch more saturation (about halfway to where Steve took it) would be ideal? :t3

[Marc Mol]

Just seeing this now Grant, an amazing scene to witness AND capture in good light, love it! :5

[John Ippolito]

Amazing sighting, and capture, Grant. I prefer the image in pane #14 overall. Love the expression, and eye in the kudu. Well done.

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Phew !! One of the best wildlife image , I have seen !!

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks Rakesh, John, Morkel, Gail, Rachel and Marc for looking and commenting. So many, many times when I have been with the wild dogs on the hunt, the action takes place in thick brush, or in the distance, but on this morning I stopped in the open space near the river and waited with the hope that an antelope might seek refuge in the river, and got lucky in that it happened, and that they ran towards my vehicle.
Thanks again
cheers
Grant

[Harshad Barve]

Great image Grant , liked your re-post most
TFS