White Rhino -Wider view in B&W

[Rachel Hollander]

Same white rhino as in my close-up portrait posted the other day. I know some will want to see the color version so I'll post that in the next frame.

Canon 50D
100-400 @ 190mm
1/250
f5
ISO 200
HH from a safari vehicle, converted and sharpened in CS5.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Rachel Hollander]

Here's the color version.

Thanks,
Rachel

[Pieter de Waal]

Superb IQ and detail in this one Rachel. I like the composition and restful pose of this big guy and prefer the B&W version. TFS.

[Brendan Dozier]

I agree with Pieter on all counts, Rachel, nicely done! Works really well as B&W.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Rachel, I must confess I prefer the B&W......really nice textures. Did you consider re-introducing the oxpecker back in color? I think it would be a nice twist.

[Hilary Hann]

Nice one Rachel, great IQ and another one for the B&W.

[gail bisson]

This is really nice. I like the B & W the best. Love the oxpecker tucked up in the LUQ. The twig is still enchanting. I also like the unusual pose,
Gail

[Steve Canuel]

Once again find myself at odds with most, I prefer the subtle color version. Superbly detailed I might run a touch more NR/blur on the BG.

[Ken Watkins]

Rachel,

Hardly surprising, but I'll go along with Steve C on this one and also prefer the full head:cheers:

[v.p.nurdeen]

Hi Rachel,
I love the texture great IQ.
VPN

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. I'm with the majority on this one and prefer the b&w but am happy to have choices.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[dankearl]

I like the color version.
The focus and the look is superb.
It looks like it needs just a bit of rotation to me, though.

[Andrew Merwin]

Rachel, I prefer the color version because the oxpecker adds a subtle color that I find enchanting. I think Roman has a good idea—reintroduce the oxpecker in color in the B&W version. TFS

[Morkel Erasmus]

Love the lazy pose here Rachel! I prefer the B&W version personally (great tones and textures, with that eye peeking at me!), but find Roman's suggestion intriguing and would love to see you attempt it, just for kicks? :e3

[Steve Kaluski]

Love the lazy pose here Rachel! I prefer the B&W version personally (great tones and textures, with that eye peeking at me!)

Ditto Morkel, actually Roman I did exactly that with a Water Buffalo, (Tritone/colour) with an OXP in colour which went off to Grant a couple of weeks ago, kind of fun, but agree Rachel, worth exploring.

Just watch your masking. :w3

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

As requested, just for fun, here's a version with the oxpecker in color and the rest in b&w. I also straightened it (thanks Dan).

Thanks again for all the kind comments,
Rachel

[Hilary Hann]

Hi Rachel, well done for trying Roman's suggestion, but I have a couple of observations on the varying presentations.

I find the b&w with colour highlight a bit old hat as it was done to death in the early days of digital processing (at least in my neck of the woods, all the professional photographers were using it on commercial shoots, competition images and especially portraits and weddings), so I'm not such a fan of it.
If you do use this processing method, then you are drawing the eye to the bird, when the composition is all about the rhino. So you are subliminally confusing the viewer which makes the image less strong.

These are just my opinions of course, and I would be happy with either the b&w or the colour version which does have beautiful tones.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Hilary. I agree on all counts. This type of manipulation is not my thing but since Roman, Andrew, Steve and Morkel all asked, I thought I would post a version with the suggestion.

Rachel

[Harshad Barve]

Great image , prefers B & W but yet again this is candidate for OOTB
TFS