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Thread: Wildie Portrait

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    Default Wildie Portrait

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    Took this image last June, but wasn't sure about the crop. Would like to hear your feedback.

    1DX
    500f4 II
    1/800
    f5.6
    ISO-800
    Handheld

    Cropped a sliver off all around.

    Thank you

    Loi

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    Hi Loi,
    I think in general this crop works quite well.
    Sharpness and eye contact i like. The image is probably a bit too dark.
    The BG shows quite well that the wildebeests are herd animals and is not too distracting. However more blurr on the closer BG wildebeest would potentially add extra punch to the image.
    For my point of view the ear and the back of the two wildebeests could have been cropped off but then the main subject would have been too tight in the resulting picture; so no real alternative here.

    Overall, i like it and it's better than my shots of wildebeest close-ups.

    BR
    Markus

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Loi, detail & colour looks good, likewise the techs and some nice PP, but as a shot/image it doesn't really grab me. Shooting in a herd/group can be problematic as you have various 'parts' creeping in which you have no control in, like here with butts & ears, if you go for a 'portrait' then I feel you want to try and isolate your subject more, but just my own take. I did try going tighter and knocking back the BKG to a richer B/W so you isolate the subject and retain the warmth of the subject, but I think it might be just a little OTT.

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

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    Nice look by the wildbeest and handsome hanging beard.I don't know using a lower ISO would have helped.......

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Loi - Color and detail look very good. I agree with the others that the bg is the problem. It happens with other herd animals too and tight portraits, there's often other animals in the bg that intersect and detract from the image. I have lots of zebra images that I've binned for this very reason. You did well capturing a sometimes difficult to photograph subject, it just isn't going to be a wallhanger.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    [QUOTE=Rachel Hollander;95715You did well capturing a sometimes difficult to photograph subject, it just isn't going to be a wallhanger.

    TFS,
    Rachel[/QUOTE]

    well, Rachel summed it up nicely. I first saw 3 wildfires with horns lined up nicely and took the shot, but it was a bit under-exposed. By the time I took this shot, the other wildies had turned, so I left with this image. I like the details on the wildie, which is hard to get, so let's consider this as a PP exercise.

    thank you everyone for your comments. It will be 3 more long months before I will be back in Africa. This time I will be in Botswana.

    loi

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Loi, where about's, drop me a PM.

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

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Loi - it would still make my album of the trip, just not a wallhanger.

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    Forum Participant edwardselfe's Avatar
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    Nice pic. For me it's only the ear of the wildebeest on the rhs which is distracting. otherwise I like the fact that you have the others telling the story behind. It might work just to lose that ear....
    Ed

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Hi Loi,

    very nice portrait with great detail. You good already lots of suggestions above.

    Have a great eve

    Caio
    Anette

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Loi,
    i like it, besides the ear as stated by Ed,good detail and colors , processed nicely for the tonality , but i would back off on sharpening a tad, reducing the white halos by 30% would evtl . help.
    Watch there is a slight blue cast in the darker areas , easy to fix.

    TFS Andreas

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