Painted Wolf Alpha Male

[Morkel Erasmus]

Since there seems to be a "baying from the crowd" for this photo that I posted elsewhere...

This is the alpha male of a pack of African Wild Dogs (also known as Cape Hunting Dogs and Painted Wolves). We (my friend and I) spent 2 afternoons on our bellies in a sandy riverbed, surrounded by the pack who were relaxing and also relaxed in our presence. This one came closer in a stalking-kind-of-way, smelled us out, checked us out, gave a growl or two, and then settled down about 7m from us, totally relaxed again and accepting of our presence. What an amazing experience...and we were the only people there...


I have so many images to process and share. I shared the other one first because I wanted some feedback and critique on it. With this one I'm not sure I want critique - just for you to enjoy it


Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II + 1.4xTC @ 700mm
f6.3 @ 1/320 SS @ ISO-4000
Overcast sunset light
Cropped from horizontal
Left some foreground sand in just for Russel

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Morkel, this is superb, love it.

However, I can now ask my question, what is it that creates the white streak/line, between the rear left leg and the front right as viewed, I'm puzzled?

TFS
Steve

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thank you kindly, sir!

However, I can now ask my question, what is it that creates the white streak/line, between the rear left leg and the front right as viewed, I'm puzzled?

Aargh, that be the tail, matey...
I wish he'd swished it to the side...but you can't have everything

[Mark Wiseman]

Hi Morkel,
Not much to say other than well done!!! What a beautiful image!!!!!
Best wishes,
Mark.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hey Morkel,
like this a lot.
Really good and intense eye contact,low angle very nice.Well done !
The only thing i would try is toning down the sand and give him a bit more structure , by your mid tone contrast action. (Hougaard`s)

Cheers Andreas

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Morkel - I much prefer this one too but I do find my eye drawn to the tail because it is so white/bright. Maybe tone it down just a fraction? Other than that, awesome image and framing.

TFS,
Rachel

[Andrew Merwin]

Thanks Morkel. This is a wonderful image.

[Harshad Barve]

Love it , Cheers
TFS

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Awesome eye contact and colours here . Agree with Andreas on toning down the sand a wee bit .

[William Giokas]

Great shot. Bill

[Tom Graham]

Prefer your other one from yesterday "Wild Dog Profile", Steve's crop.
Tom

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks folks! Will tone down the tail a bit. The sand looks fine to me...as I remember it.

Prefer your other one from yesterday "Wild Dog Profile", Steve's crop.
Tom

Tom, you can't be serious?

[Tom Graham]

"Tom, you can't be serious? "

I am, this image the mysterious vertical white tail and white sand distract from the dog itself. That's the way I see it, others may see it differently and may even be more correct than I .
Tom

[Morkel Erasmus]

I am, this image the mysterious vertical white tail and white sand distract from the dog itself. That's the way I see it, others may see it differently and may even be more correct than I .
Tom

Fair enough. Just wondered what you deemed 'better' in the other one.

IMHO I'd rather have a very OOF tail behind the dog than OOF grass/foliage in front of the dog. When last have you seen an eye-level POV in the clear such as this?
But I learned long ago you can't please everyone...

[Carl Gandolfo]

Love it!! A face only a mother could love!!

[Ken Watkins]

Morkel.

Truly wonderful!!

No idea as to why you have comments on the tail, looks perfectly natural to me.

Glad Mana has proved to be so good, it is one of the best places for Wild Dog

[vikram potdar]

Love it. What a stare!. Green BG adds and the wild dog contrasting colors add punch here. TFS

[gail bisson]

Hi Morkel,
You get 10 out of 10 for being brave enough to lie on your belly and stay there as this handsome male approached you. I have seen them take an impala down and it wasn't pretty!
I just love this shot.The low POV is amazing.
I knew right away that the white was the tail and seems perfectly fine to me.
Gail

[Stephen Earle]

Morkel,
This is a superb image. I gave it a bit of pop in this version. What do you think?

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks folks.

Gail - my heart was pumping, but we acted submissively and made no sudden movements. I think it helped that we were only 2 and not a whole bunch of people.

Morkel,
This is a superb image. I gave it a bit of pop in this version. What do you think?

Thanks Stephen - nice touch...what did you do - saturation and local contrast?

[Michael Rominger Jr]

Wonderful image Morkel! Sharpness in the face and ears is good and the tail doesn't bother me one bit. Really love the background colors combined with the sand/dirt. Excellent work putting forth the extra effort and crawling around so close and on their level!

[Egil Droge]

Wonderful image, you guys had some really productive afternoons with those dogs!

[Riaan Marais]

Hi Morkel, must have been an amazing experience getting so close to them. Envious!! Great image, the low angle is good!!

[Mark Wiseman]

Hi Morkel,
I have commented before, but WOW!!! a wonderful POV and ...... the tail!!!! Don't dogs have tails? Wild dogs have a white underside to there tails and ir is not a problem for me.
TFS and what motivation for me, you just don't KNOW!!
Best wishes, Mark.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks a lot Mark, Riaan and Egil for your kind comments!

Looking again at home on the calibrated monitor - Stephen's repost is a bit too green for me...I like the warmer colours of the OP more. Maybe the repost just wasn't embedded with the correct colour profile...will have to check later.

[John Ippolito]

Extraordinary capture, Morkel !!!! Down in the dirt angle, Great eye contact, it has all been said above. Big congratulations on this one.

[Stephen Earle]

Morkel, not sure why you say its more green? The green certainly has more vibrance but overall I think my version on the right is warmer.

[Tom Graham]

comparing Morkel's (1) and Stephen's (2) together as a animated gif looks like this -

[Danny Laredo]

One of the best wild dog images I have seen.
Love it in every way.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Morkel, not sure why you say its more green? The green certainly has more vibrance but overall I think my version on the right is warmer.

thanks Stephen - I think I viewed it on a screen that was calibrated too long ago when I made that comment, as there seemed to be a bit of a green cast on the dog.
Looks great now thanks for the effort

[Shreyas Mantri]

Excellent shot...got to love the low angle and the pose of the dog. Feels like he's looking right through you

[Danny Laredo]

Just a wonderful image Morkel.