In the thick of it...

[Steve Kaluski]

Well here is a lonesome Musk Ox surrounded in the lovely Autumnal habitat, the colours were just changing which added a nice boost to the overall scene. The location is very wild and it can be quite hard to find them or indeed a herd. We had spotted this guy the night before and hoped he would not stray too far, still a good 6kms yomp to get to him. There is a fixed distance and Sig the most experienced guide new exactly how far we could go. This was taken early afternoon.

Thanks to those who posted a reply to the previous posting.

Steve

Subject: Musk Ox (Ovibos moschatus) in golden vegetation/habitat
Location: Norway
Camera: Canon 1DX MKII
Lens: 500f/4 MKII with 1.4x MKIII HH
Exposure: 1/1600s at f/5.6 ISO3200
Original format: Landscape, slight crop
Processed via: LR 'Classic' CC & PSCC2018

[Jonathan Ashton]

That is one heck of a boss! I like the image very much, the "window" is to good effect feel and I like the way the bottom jaw is just hidden. It's as if he is saying I can see you and if you can't see me you will soon regret it because that is about as close as I will allow..
Just out of interest I downloaded and looked in PS, there appears to be the tiniest amount of clipping at both ends of the histogram I doubt if it is of any real significance, especially in the highlights.
As always lovely detail and colours.

[Steve Kaluski]

Just out of interest I downloaded and looked in PS, there appears to be the tiniest amount of clipping at both ends of the histogram I doubt if it is of any real significance, especially in the highlights.

Thanks Jon, I'm really surprised that there is any clipping, as the Histogram in LR shows no clipping at all, so puzzled unless PSCC2018 is a bit off?

[Glenn Pure]

Certainly looks like an animal not to be triffled with although I know nothing about this species. I gather they are not common and not easy to approach from your commentary, so great work tracking down and photographing this one. I like the framing effect of the vegetation and oof foreground branches although I think it would have been ideal if the branches over the LHS horn were just a touch lower so they did not impinge. As usual, detail is excellent and handling of tone and colour first class.

As for the clipping, out of interest I opened it in my old version of PSE (v9). There is very minor clipping. The most obvious bits are around the highlights just to the right of the ear in the frame. Shadow clipping is very minor and, while there, not noticeable. I'd find it very unlikely that photoshop (in any version) is misreporting this information so I'd look elsewhere. Perhaps it's related to changing colour space. I got caught out recently on this since I normally convert to sRGB just before final jpg save at the end of my workflow. I've had to rethink this as it turned an unclipped image into one with clipping due to the more limited colour space of sRGB. Don't forget that all the RGB values are recalculated when colour space is changed. So the RGB values for a pixel in an Adobe RGB file, for example, will not be the same as that pixel in an sRGB file. If you are working in sRGB colour space through your whole editing process then this isn't the explanation though.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve ....i waited very long to get one to see from you ......worth the wait .
I really like to see them in the wild ....maybe i try next year .
They are so iconic on all counts , maybe similar to the Indian Rhino .
I do agree with Jon about the virtual tunnel view , well captured . Love the fall colors ...so nice . Usual high standard techs .... well done . Just wish this guy would be a bit more visible , but bet more will follow .
Very nice .... TFS Andreas

[Gabriela Plesea]

Good evening Steve,

First time for me to see this amazing looking beast. When I looked at the thumbnail, judging by the shape in the middle of the frame I thought it was a lion:)

Exquisite colours of the environment. Love the tints of green-gold and yellow-gold, it feels as if those layers of vegetation were arranged in such a way that the contrast be maximised.

Great eye contact and fixed stare from the Ox. Composition is superb, you managed to isolate and frame the subject so well with those OOF branches. As well as create an interesting "hide-and-seek" effect.

A well captured and thoughtfully processed frame. You never cease to surprise me, thank you so much for sharing.

Warmest regards,

[Gerald Kelberg]

I've only ever seen images of Musk Ox in open tundra, so this is somewhat of a surprise. I love the effect of having him surrounded in all that colourful vegetation, with all its textures. But the powerful head of the Ox leaves no doubt who the subject is! He really has such an imposing presence!

This is a very cool image - thanks for sharing it!

[William Dickson]

This is looking real good Steve. Looks like you had a very successful time in Norway. Love the habitat and the stare coming from the Ox. I think the OOF FG adds to the image.

Will

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - Good to see another underrepresented species. The fall colors add so much to the image. Great eye contact too. I do wish the "window" was a little wider (without the branches over the horn or the rear of the ox). I also see the very tiny bit of choked blacks under the ox's right eye (left as viewed) and clipping in the hls behind the left ear (right as viewed). Neither is a deal breaker though.

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

I like the image very much, the "window" is to good effect feel and I like the way the bottom jaw is just hidden.

Cheers Jon & Andreas, you got my thinking here and utilising the habitat.

Thanks Glenn for the info, any minor clipping if any, I'm not really worried as it's the hi res files that I'm more concerned about and this has passed all the QC's for three Photo libraries, however always good to bolster the info for others.
Cheers Will & Gerald.

I do wish the "window" was a little wider (without the branches over the horn or the rear of the ox).

If you go wider Rachel for me you then loose the 'tunnel POV', re the branches, I think you are after an 'ideal world' Rachel.

[haseeb badar]

Hi Steve -- What a magnificent looking animal and the lovely settings of autumn here. Well see and framed, the composition nicely leads to the subject. The OOF FG branches on the LHS of the frame are in nice symmetry but the one on the rhs is a bit of hindrance, wish it was more like the one on the lhs, but certainly something not under your control . Love to see this animal more in the open. A fine image nonetheless, TFS !