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Thread: Downward Dog

  1. #1
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Default Downward Dog

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    Loi's posts have made me look back to my encounter with the Wild Dogs of Mana Pools last year. We didn't find any of the packs this year as they were denning deep in the bush in a private concession of the Park.

    This was taken on my stomach, beanbag on the ground. I purposely included a large portion of foreground here to emphasise the POV. It's a crop from horizontal though.

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    f6.3 | 1/320 SS | ISO-3600 (auto ISO)
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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    I just cannot imagine a better pose, Morkel! How relaxed he is, and in such great condition! Brilliant shot, ticks all the boxes for me. Congratulations Morkel, one of your best image of this species!

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Hi Morkel - Like the low angle and the animals adopted position - The crop really works here for me and love the contrasty background as it compliments the FG - not sure if they are dust spots but on the LHS adjacent to his hind leg are a couple of spots. Great shot

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    Awesome shot Morkel. Like the POV very much. I only wish I could see the front paws :-)

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    Lifetime Member Markus Jais's Avatar
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    Very cool pose. I like the low angle, the soft light and the green background. One of the best shots of this species that I have seen.

    Markus

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    Forum Participant BenBotha's Avatar
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    The photo ticks all the boxes. The front paws being visible would have been a bonus. I agree with the comments that it is one of the better painted wolf images!
    Ben

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel - excellent portrait and pose but a little too much oof fg for my taste. I still prefer the one where he is approaching you with the slightly open mouth and intense stare that you posted a while back shortly after the sighting .

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    BPN Viewer Tom Graham's Avatar
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    Agree about front paws.
    And once again I'm the only one who complains of a merge - the front and rear legs.
    Tom

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    Forum Participant edwardselfe's Avatar
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    Stunning sharpness, detail and colours. But I would agree that there's just a little too much foreground for my liking. Just an opinion though and I would leave most of it for the reason that you mention.
    Ed

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    Morkel. fantastic pose and BG in good light. I can see the colors now. The black isn't jet black, but not blue either like in my images. TFS. Loi

  11. #11
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Thanks folks. The comments about the paws I find interesting. When an animal's feet are among grass and foliage nobody bays to see the paws...but when an animal is photographed from as low as this everyone asks to see the paws...it wasn't level ground towards the dog, undulating sandy river bed, and I could have gotten the paws by crouching on my haunches but that would have been contrary to my intention to get this low of a view (and possible spooked them, we had to leopard-crawl for over 40m to get to this spot, beanbag in one hand and long lens combo in the other hand ).

    Tom, I also don't share your sentiments about merging legs...like I explained above - maneuvering was precarious and the angle and pose and deep BG more than make up for any merging in the legs IMHO.
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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Well Morkel, I liked this series when you originally posted them, but for me I would have gone the other way with the crop and moved it up, with less below. The huge amount of space below isn't really working for me on this one, sorry. Like though the contrast between ground & BKG, helps separate things nicely.

    Legs aren't an issue for me, as it's the pose & behavioural aspect that the image is all about IMHO.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

  13. #13
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Thanks Steve. Was thinking of exploring different crops here, as I have more or less equal space below and above in the RAW file, and of course on the sides. Horizontal wasn't working for me due to the pose though. Might try something more square (in line with my current experiments) and then place the horizon more on lower thirds and see how that suits me.
    Morkel Erasmus

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  14. #14
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Good to have an image that is flexible, but purely for IQ, I would have gone portrait too, whilst shooting to avoid 'pixel' bashing. Be great to see some alternatives on this one Morkel, but unsure about square due to the WD posture, but... could be pleasantly surprised
    Very fortunate to be able to have few constrains in the shooting angle, however this IMHO, is the perfect POV, and the way to go.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Your wild dog images from Mana are stunning, once in a life time, just love them well done Morkel.

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    Excellent shot. I like the crop as presented, but would've taken out the dust spots on the lhs. Besides that, no issues whatsoever for the front paws - especially based on how you took it, and "why" you did not alter your position
    Curious to know if you used a flash for this one? Or the shine in the eyes natural?

    Shreyas

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