Celebrating World Rhino day

[Steve Kaluski]

Celebrating World Rhino Day, so here is one. Would have preferred more room to the left, but he turned his head towards me, guess the wind was in the wrong direction, LOL.

Lets hope our children's children and more get to see the real thing and not like this, or in a book, the Rhino's fate lies in OUR hands, no one else's.

Steve

Subject: Rhino in grass (Ceratotherium simum)
Location: Not disclosed
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 200-400f/4 (with ext) HH
Exposure: 1/1000s at f/9 ISO800 EV 0
Original format: Portrait, slight crop.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - I remember this chap. You handled the somewhat strong light well and the low pov really makes the image. Dof works well too. I share your hopes that the poaching can be stemmed so that the rhinos can thrive without the threat of man.

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks Rachel, I think we both had a good experience with this fellow, can't believe over 1000 have been lost last year.

The FG grass could go lighter/brighter, but I'm more happier that is a tad subdued. Rather than having the FG shorter, I wanted a bit more to lead the eye up. Interesting, check your shots, but there was a small skull in front of his feet.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve thanks for pointing out to remember the WRD .
Nice detail even with this strong side light in the shadows .Very good low POV and the comp is fine for me .
The Rhino is leaning to the right from my POV slightly ? maybe an illusion ?
All around i do find it kind of flat and a tad too dark for the situation , i would expect some more blacks and overall more brightness , not much though.

TFS Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

The Rhino is leaning to the right from my POV slightly ? maybe an illusion ?

I think it's an illusion Andreas, they don't all stand to attention, even for me.

To me, I now feel Adobe pushes things, including Blacks albeit a fraction too much from initial input, so I tend to even it out with a more 'softer' starting point and certainly avoid adding Blacks & Contrast allowing more detail, but that's just me, I know you like having more contrast which is fine, just personal taste.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve i recognized that you became a ´softie´over the last year or so , ok for me .Looking at the image in PS , it looks slightly different in a better way.
I think you know Mr Adobe is adding Auto HL recovery since the 2012 engine , one more reason for me to avoid LR or ACR ,and you have no control about this . and you cannot even that out !!

[Steve Kaluski]

Andreas if DPP gave me more options then I might give it another go, but prefer to stick to LR/PS as I feel I have more control. There is a lot that Mr Adobe does that is hidden, but if you know/aware then you can either avoid or address those points, but as I have said, whatever works for YOU with PP, and I mean, all of us when I say you.

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Steve,

love this chap, looks great to me. Might would lift a tad more the shadow, but not sure. Depends I assume on my mood when I do images… I am a woman

What is that for stuff Andreas? You are talking about Auto HL and who knows what. I am not coding the Adobe stuff and never want to dig that deep in that software.
Be cool man, I just use LR unless I am really going mad

Love the rhino as it is, basta

Have a great evening, now cooking pumpkin soup

Ciao
Anette

[Andreas Liedmann]

Steve you are right in the end and YOU (all of us) have to be happy with your tools .I did not want to pull back to DPP , all of the raw engines have their pros and cons Anette. it is more for the boys ............ basta. And i am cool .

[Gabriela Plesea]

Steve, hello! There is great detail on this rhino, despite the apparent softness. I quite like the light/shadow here and if I were to nitpick I would say I feel the need for more lightness below the subject's horn. I love the POV, it highlights the sheer size of this animal, an impressive rhino and the framing is very effective. Very well processed and the colours look very natural to me.

I hope this rhinoceros is still alive and well, thank you for posting this image and highlighting the plight of the species.

Warmest regards,

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Steve, great perspective from a game vehicle - seems like you were sitting next to the driver/ranger to capture this angle. I like the head on stare, and the two ears protruding out the head. Colours look spot on all round. Well captured.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Congrats Steve. This is a lovely image with nice POV, head on look at the rhino, nice details and colours. Cheers.

[Andre Pretorius]

Like the POV, leaving the FG an interesting point to ponder on.
Techs discussed above.
Like it