Fleet Footed (African Painted Dog)

[Morkel Erasmus]

I photographed this sleek hunter of the African plains recently in Mana Pools. My guests and I were on foot as the pack scuttled between 2 kills they had made shortly before we arrived (they made 4 kills in the space of 30 minutes that morning, feeding a pack of 28+ dogs takes some meat!).

The African Painted Dog (African Wild Dog) is endangered and under serious threat of extinction, so it's always nice to see packs doing well like they are in Mana.


Techs:
Nikon D3s
Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f6.3 | 1/1250 SS | ISO-1600
About 75% of full frame

[Stu Bowie]

It must be great to be out in the open and not in a vehicle experiencing their presence nearby. This fellow looks like he's got stuck into his meal with all that blood on his leg and neck. I enjoy the overall colours in this.

[gail bisson]

I like the sense of motion in this image. A kind of "push-pull" feeling here in that the wild dog is looking back and the legs are moving forward. It creates a great tension in the image.
IQ is excellent as usual and the POV is " to die for" because you were on foot. How wonderful it must be to be out of the constraints of a vehicle.
I like the way the OOF tree in the BG is creating a parallel line with the dogs' neck and like the dust behind the rear feet.
Great light and if I had one wish it would be that the sun had been a bit more behind you.
Still a wonderful dynamic image,
Gail

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Very nice image Morkel. I like the sense of motion, the raised limbs, the dust & look back pose. Great IQ and angle.

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

Nice clarity against a nice BG Morkel. I like the direction of the sun lighting up the dog's forehead. Looks like he was inside a carcass, lock stock & barrel!

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Morkel - beautiful light and great low pov. One of those images where a centered animal works to allow room both to follow the animal's look back and to also allow for it's movement forward. You used to complain about your wild dog portfolio being thin but it seems that you have added to it lately.

TFS,
Rachel

[D. Robert Franz]

Great light and action.... Maybe a bit off the right side would improve comp a bit. Overall very good!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel, again the light really makes the shot, agree with Dale, a bit off the RHS wouldn't hurt.

TFS
Steve

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks folks! I actually feel the spatial balance is right with the direction of running and the direction of the gaze cancelling each other out...