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Thread: Forest Horses

  1. #1
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Default Forest Horses

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    Just a couple of plains zebras in the woodlands of Mana Pools at dawn.
    Getting reasonably close to elephants, wild dogs and lions on foot in Mana is not that hard if you know how to read their behaviour.
    Getting close enough on foot for good photography on zebras and other grazers - that is a challenge...

    Pretty much full frame here. I opted not to crop out the bright patch of sun shining through the trees...

    I can't wait to get back there in July!

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    Nikkor 80-400mm VR-II @ 300mm
    f8.0 | 1/200 SS | ISO-900
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel - Nice sunset scene and great that the two on the right looked right at you. If it were mine I would crop from the top as I find the bright areas a bit too bright. There's also a slight cyan cast on the zebras which is a bit stronger on the left most one.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Lifetime Member Andre Pretorius's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel

    Like it!
    In two minds about the bright sun, as you know the eyes goes first to the brightest area..
    What metering did you use, did you have light up the horses a lot in PP?
    Who is going to carry 3 bodies; 70-200, 300f4 and 500f4, tripod, gimbal, cool-bag, etc for me- how much does guide charge? ( love the LandCruiser...)
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

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    Magical scene Morkel! It makes me feel quite sorry for not being able to join you there.

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    Hi Morkel -- The colours are lovely and nice rim lighting on the Zebras . Bold choice of not taming down the bright sun ,its catching the eye for sure , certainly I too would have done something abt it , like cropping or reducing the brightness .

    TFS !

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel,

    my eyes are drawn most time to the bright sun. Maybe when you lighten up a tad more the zebras it may be better. I would do pano in this case, just me.

    Have a great evening

    Ciao Anette

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    Morkel maybe I'm the odd man out,I love the sunlit backdrop and the rim light, t,maybe a bold choice to have that backdrop so bright I'm not clued up enough yet to know, but that back drop of fire does it for me. I also quite like the symetary of two looking out of frame and two towards you. The oxpeckers here work for me as an added interest.
    Stunning Morkel, for me, just stunning

    take care

    stu

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    That sun is bright and I would prefer a pano without it, as I do love that rich rim lighting on the zebras and for me that would be the highlight! But I do like that super orange glow in the sky under the sun. That makes this unique and eye-catching. I know what you mean that prey animals are never keen on having a two-eyed predator peering at them, especially one with the addition of a relentless camera "eye"!

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    Although cropping out the bright bit (think it is the sun itself) would be the technically correct move. IMHO in this frame it adds more than it devalues the image as a whole

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Love the contrasting colours and overall mood here Morkel, and agree with others that the setting sun needs to stay as it completes the whole scene for me.

    TFS


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    Lifetime Member Mike Poole's Avatar
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    For me there is no doubt, the sun has to stay. This shows some imagination, and adds to the atmosphere. As critical photographers I think we often lose touch of the aesthetics when chasing technical perfection - having blown highlights on the sun in a frame like this doesn't bother me one little bit. A great example of the use of light,

    Mike

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  22. #12
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Dear Morkel,

    Lovely scene captured and I like the composition with the tree branch stretching across the upper part of the frame. I especially like those reds in the background, they add to the atmosphere. I would try tone down more the bright sun. In the same breath, I do realise if you were to print this it would not be much of a problem, paper and canvas are more forgiving than our computer screens:)

    Regarding positioning of the zebra in the frame, I do not mind the one turned away because I can see the expression on her face, and I actually like the patterns on its tail. Had the one character at the back shown its entire face it would have been perfect in my view but now I am nitpicking, LOL - I do realise Nature is not perfect. I am very particular when it comes to things like this in my own images and discard those that make me want to go there and move the characters in the right places, hmmm... I must be suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder?

    Morkel, what I love most about this frame is its ethereal, dreamlike quality due to the spectacular light. As well as the rim lighting on the zebra at the back. I do believe you made the most of this opportunity, my friend!

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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  24. #13
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Thanks for your honest crits, folks.
    I opted not to crop out the sun OR tame down the brightness more than I already had, because it adds to the mood for me and toning it down would result in that blotchy off-grey tone that most people dislike.
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    Beautiful image I like it very much the composition is good and exposure is excellent. I would say if ever the opportunity like this arose again i would try to take two exposures so the bright sun could be tamed.
    BTW it is wonderful to scroll the image up and down and watch the stripes shimmer, this is the means by which they elude their predators.

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