Early Morning Battle

[Paul Lagasi]

Some trips work out fantastic, others don't....this trip I am on is one of those that didn't. Overcast, very windy, late season snowstorms and unseasonable cold temperatures.....I gotten it all these last few days. Crappiest photography weather possible.

Stuck in Gunnison for another day, after 1500 miles and not much to show for it. Temp this morning was 15f. Decided today would be a day of rest.

I went out the other morning for Greater Prairie Chicken, up early and in the blind by 5:30am. Birds put on a great show but the light was terrible, and they also had just burned the grass, which made it even darker.
These two males were fighting just after the light came up, I upped my iso to but could not stop the action.
I used fotosketcher oil painting effect....cropped and framed. Left it dark. Maybe its my mood today.

I hope the next 4 days warms up....

[Dennis Bishop]

I like the colors and the action. Don't mind the dark, at all, and the border color matching that on the prairie chickens is nice. Because at least the bird in the air was blurred, already, I wonder if a lighter oil paint treatment would've given a clearer view of the event.

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Paul, sorry you are having bad weather. Gunnison is a beautiful area when the weather is nice, for sure! I like this image, to my eye it has just enough detail to tell the story and also makes a nice bit of artwork. I think it could use a bit of canvas at the top if you have it. Here's to better weather!

[John Ippolito]

Paul, I keep coming back to this, and it keeps growing on me. I like the whole effect - overall tonality, color pallette is well balanced. Too bad we can't get a 1024 pixel vertical - I bet it gets better with size. A very artistic piece.

[Hazel Grant]

As the saying goes, when you get lemons, make lemonade.....when you get dark clouds, make an art piece. Good handling of a difficult situation. Wish the upper bird's wings were not so blurred. Wouldn't have know it was a bird otherwise. But, it does have an interesting dark oilpainting effect.

[Hazel Grant]

As the saying goes, when you get lemons, make lemonade.....when you get dark clouds, make an art piece. Good handling of a difficult situation. Wish the upper bird's wings were not so blurred. Wouldn't have know it was a bird otherwise. But, it does have an interesting dark oilpainting effect.

[Dan Brown]

Nice treatment, Paul! You have just enough detail for me! Sorry bout the conditions. Were you using the D800? I have been very happy with the high iso capability of that body and it salvages a low light shoot! Noise can be handled in post if neccessary.

[Nancy Bell]

Paul, I totally understand the feeling behind this image. I had to cancel my own grouse trip due to the intense snowstorm and really bad weather lately. And I had to cancel last years trip for the same reason . However, I do like the dark nature of this with the nearly glowing orange combs. I especially like the action of the top bird falling back to earth with the elongated neck feathers adding so much to the motion. And the position of the bottom bird is perfect, looking up. A bit more space on top would give that bird more room above the tail. The matching orange frame sets the image off quite well.

[Indranil Sircar]

Paul, I like it too! The dark effect adds to the mystery of the morning battle. Very nice!

[Cheryl Slechta]

Paul, I am very late commenting on this but I think it is a work of art. I love the subtle colors and the abstract look. Beautiful

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Paul, hope fully you will have better weather soon. Very nice use of fotosketcher on this image

[Paul Lagasi]

Thanks Everyone, appreciate the comments