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Thread: Lazy walrus

  1. #1
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Default Lazy walrus

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    Sometimes it's not the subject, but the light that can make an image. Scouting about in the zodiac we came across this 'collection' of Walruses, but I just loved the light hitting the pack ice.

    Steve

    Subject: Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) on pack ice
    Location: Svalbard
    Camera: Canon 1DX
    Lens: 500f/4 MKII with 1.4 MKIII HH
    Exposure: 1/2000s at f/8 ISO400
    Original format: Landscape, very slight crop from the top and on the sides
    Processed: LRCC & PS CC2015

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    BPN Member Mark Needham's Avatar
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    Hi Steve -- Yes, a great kiss of light on the ice pack, and I love the head-on perspective of the big walrus. Nicely seen and captured! My only tweak would be to possibly lift some of the darks / shadows on the faces of the walruses on the LHS. It must have been an awesome experience cruising around the pack ice up there. Which company / boat did you go with?
    Mark Needham

    My Website


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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Nicely spotted Steve. Isn't it a "float" of "walrii"?
    The light on the ice, especially behind the main walrus, is very nice indeed. Good DOF and layering here.
    I agree the shadows could perhaps be lifted a smidge?
    Morkel Erasmus

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Steve this does look so nice with all the various tones / hues of the fantastic blues , and this makes the image for me .The Walruses are just a nice addition .... IMHO .
    Well controlled light situation , IQ as great as most of the time .
    I like that you have the front Walrus with more detail and the two are fading off a bit in detail , does give a nice contrast and the illusion of depth . I would not open up shadows in this case .

    I can see a pano crop ( you might too ) with original width and loose a fraction from bottom and top , i might try 16x8 as i think 16x9 you might loose too much of the nice FG and BG .

    Like this one a lot !! TFS Andreas

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    Hi Steve -- WHat a feel to this image !!! APart from the BG , which obviously looks lovely , the FG is also adding to this image with lovely pattern and texture to it . Excellent IQ as always .

    TFS !

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    Hi Steve, a nice scene with lovely light on the Walrus and the pack ice! Nicely seen and composed. I am OK with the light on the other seals as is. TFS.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Steve - Some of that beautiful and variable light you get up in Svalbard. For me too the walruses are almost secondary to the image. There's a nice 3D effect here though. Love the blues in the ice. You said it was a slight crop from the sides. Any chance you caught the left edge of the blue iceberg in the bg? If it were mine, I would shift the whole crop/comp slightly to the left to include that left edge and also move the main walrus slightly off-center.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Thanks folks.

    With regard to the shadows, I'm OK with it, the young walrus were is shadow due to the light and I wanted to keep it that way. I'm rather hesitant to lift any shadows because I feel you loose the form and shape cast/sculpted by the light and it can look odd at times, and so the real emphasis was on the adult. Unlike a safari vehicle, where you have the luxury and can stop anywhere and have a perfect platform, shooting from a zodiac and moving too, is a totally different ball game as few of you know.

    Sadly Rachel, just checked the crop, in fact it's full frame and cropped more off the foot, I thought I had pulled it in. Limitations of the lens & extender, but without the 1.4 I may have had the full ice, but the subjects smaller in frame, a trade off. Going closer with the 200-400 was not an option, as you would then be encroaching on the guidelines of proximity, something we adhered too on all excursions/encounters.

    Cheers
    Steve

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Steve - It's easy for me to say in hindsight that I would have shifted the comp left but I understand how difficult it can be shooting from a zodiac. Similarly, trying to check the images on the back of the camera in a zodiac can be a challenge too.

    ,
    Rachel

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Steve - It's easy for me to say in hindsight that I would have shifted the comp left but I understand how difficult it can be shooting from a zodiac. Similarly, trying to check the images on the back of the camera in a zodiac can be a challenge too.
    Don't get me wrong Rachel, you know only too well how hard it is at times, especially as when you are constantly moving the light changes and so this is why you have to grab 'partial' moments to check the histogram and make certain assumptions, as you can find yourself doing things 'on the fly', where as in Africa it's far easier and to a certain extent, more controlled.

    All good fun, but shooting at times at much higher ISO (4000/12,800/25,600) has really changed my game plan and the comfort zone has really grown.

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    Lifetime Member Mike Poole's Avatar
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    The whole scenery on offer in this part of the world almost demands you utilise it in the shots, and this is another great example of a beautiful 'animalscape' I love the differing colours throughout, showing it's not an all-white landscape.

    Nice work,

    Mike

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Cheers Mike.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Dear Steve,


    A very strong image in terms of composition and light. With its colours and shapes, the frame grabbed me from the moment I saw the thumbnail. Lighting is everything here, and the direction of shadows defines the shape of the walrus which IMO stands out so beautifully.

    Wonderful Theme contribution and I thank you so much for sharing - another subtle lesson and I have learnt to be more observant, following your work

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Hiya Steve,happy chimbo mate and cheers for everything.

    Steve I really like this,the blues are wonderful but it's the depth(as before almost 3D) that really grabs me,the area of oof ice to the right just above the walrus is adding to this isn't it? Steve in some ways i'm fighting with myself as the ice behind the Walrus is so beautiful I half want it more in focus,i'm sure this would change the image completely,but it's very interesting to me what this is making me ponder. Ahh mate you do take such wonderful pictures setting the guys in this scene of wonderful blue greys ie grounding them in their habitat as opposed to a more close up study just works for me. Ha i'm completely undecided on the debate about shadows,but as always fascinating to read and dwell upon

    take care

    Stu

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Thanks Gabriela & Stu, much appreciated.

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