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Thread: Golden Kudu

  1. #1
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Default Golden Kudu

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    Hello Friends,

    I found this frame while busy going through my October 2014 folders. It was captured at 06:48 am in the Kalahari. The light was gorgeous.

    Processed in LR and PSCC, a tad of canvas was added at the bottom of the frame.

    Nikon D4
    Nikon 500F4
    ISO 250
    F4
    1/1250s

    Apologies for the short "story", a storm is brewing here and some serious lightning. Hope you all have a lovely evening, thank you so much for viewing - I appreciate it.

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Gabriela I love the soft light that you mention and the oof foreground give a very nice effect even though it obscures the legs a bit works very well for me,alert pose with the ears pricked forward just adds that extra interest.Pleased you found this to show us ,now please go and get battened down for the storm.

    Keith.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela ... where have i been ... do not remember that nice guy ... i might have taken the wrong turnoff .
    Impressive specimen of this species , looking so good and elegant .Lovely light and you positioned him nicely in the frame.
    Overall the image appears a bit flat , could stand a bit of punch from my POV . The histogram is not used in full potential .
    In a really nice world the bigger tree would have been a tad smaller to emphasize the wonderful antelope .

    Lovely frame .... little sister .

    TFS Andreas , good to see you doing something .

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela - Great to see you posting an image and finding the time to pp. One of my favorite antelopes. Love the golden light and the profile pose. In an ideal world the kudu would be a step further to the left (though still positioned the same in the frame) so that its gorgeous antlers were clear of the tree trunk behind. Did you add any blur to the bg?

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Hi Gabriela -- Look at those lovely Antlers and the lovely warm light , looks beautiful. If that ear had flapped backwards then the shadow on the eye would not have been there but that is something not in your control . The FG is complementing to the colours of the subject which IMO is adding to the image. overall a nice image Gabriela .

    TFS !

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Golden Kudu indeed, love the lighting and majestic pose with this male Gabriela, agree with Andreas on some mid tone punch, an easy fix of course.

    TFS


  10. #7
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Hello Friends,

    Thank you so much for enticing me to participate again. As well as for your kind comments and constructive criticism, it so feels like old days:)

    Trying not to bore you with old stuff so nowadays scratching through my folders for something I have not posted or processed yet. I agree with you, those almost invisible limbs take away from this image, it would have been nice to be able to see a tad more. For this reason the frames from this sequence were not shared for some time, if it wasn't for this lovely light I would have deleted all long ago.

    Andreas, I guess it was a very brief sighting and you were probably not far. The subject crossed the road in front of the vehicle and I took a few shots as he hesitated for a moment before he disappeared from view. Judging by the landscape this might be North of Polentswa, I can verify if you want me to. I haven't had a chance to RP tonight as I was away the whole day, here's a slightly more "punchy" version if you like, not sure it works for you. I can try RP at the week-end. There's good reason why you haven't seen this image before - as Haseeb pointed out, the shadow over the face/eye has been a problem for me and the missing legs too, oh well...

    And dearest Rachel - no blur whatsoever, I do not think I have used this tool in ages. Those sharp bits of vegetation against the body of the subject could be deceiving - I guess I should have done the sharpening more selectively.

    Thank you all for those lovely comments above. I hope to find something worthwhile sharing during the week-end, I badly need new images so I must try get out there more often...

    Wishing you all a lovely week-end,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Lifetime Member Mike Poole's Avatar
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    Beautiful light, I actually prefer the OP as it shows the light to be hazy, as I imagine it to have been at the time of shooting.

    My only wish was the tree didn't interest the Kudu as much, but its still a beautiful shot. Keep them coming please!

    Mike

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Gabriela, lovely capture in some awesome light, just don't let the colour flood the detail . The RP looks much better, although I feel a Curves adjustment for the whites helps 'perk' things up a bit more and just balancing some of the colours provides a bit more standout/form in the body and creates some definition, likewise there is some more tonal depth you get get from the trees/vegetation in the BKG which helps with the depth aspect IMHO. Personally I think you could loose some off the foot, but personal preference.

    Overall a very nice image, well framed, just remember that SS, say ISO400 still clean files from that cool D4, and with that light...

    TFS
    Steve

  13. #10
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Dear Mike and Steve,

    Thank you so much for your comments and critique. I am busy doing some work on another frame which I plan to share tonight, this time no tree behind the subject...More detail for you Steve coming up, a tad more "oomph" for my boetie Andreas, hope not too much...

    Steve, I actually added canvas here because the species is rather long legged and I felt I needed more space at the bottom of the frame, not sure anymore?

    Looks like the best sightings always happen unpredictably so maybe I have learn to think faster, watching the histogram sometimes takes priority...Obsessed with SS though, not afraid to push things and not afraid of some noise either, as long as the sharpness/detail is there:)

    Have a wonderful Sunday, I might go to the Park early morning, need new images...

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Hi Gabby,sorry slow to the party,OMG that light !! Lovely to see you posting even moreso to hear of your desire to go and and find more of your enchanting subjects to work your magic on. There are tiny things that have been mentioned already and you already know of,but I do like this Gabby. Kudu are such magnificent antelope,i've only sadly seen at a zoo or on the television. Such a shame those awesome horns are situated where that tree crosses just a step later would have that one sorted. Gabby I love the hint of the double leg lift that conveys movement to me,the way the light wraps around him I really like. Sure a shadow across his eye ,from the ear,but the shadows on his neck and body convey his strength/ power and again some movement.

    Wow he is a fine looking lad.

    Wonderful to be able to study your work again Gabby and learn from it, just wonderful. As always that emotional side you capture is to the fore,the thread enlightening to read Man, that light is to die for, it's grey here and miserable seems the whole weekend is to be so:the joys of blighty !! So especially lovely to see an image with light like this today for me

    Take care Gabriella can't wait to see what you find in the bush....go get them mate

    Stu

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Fabulous Kalahari light - and I do agree with Steve - this post is more "regal" than the newer portrait you posted
    Morkel Erasmus

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  17. #13
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Thank you dear Morkel, I agree with you 100%.
    I need new images though, tired of looking through old folders for something to process

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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