Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Roan

  1. #1
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default Roan

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    With Glenn's recent posting thought I would post this one. Taken after a frantic Wild Dog chase as they had cornered a you calf in a pan (water hole), but it had managed to escape. A very exciting time as you saw how the WD pack interacted with each other and their persistent 'hounding', sadly they did not take anything down.

    Thanks to those who posted or viewed the previous thread.

    Steve

    Subject: Roan (Hippotragus equinus)
    Location: Botswana
    Camera: Canon 1DX MKI
    Lens: 500f/4MKII with 1.4x MKIII HH
    Exposure: 1/2000s at f/5.6 ISO640 EV +0.67
    Original format: Portrait, slight crop
    Processed via: LR Classic CC & PSCC2018

  2. #2
    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Cheshire UK
    Posts
    17,291
    Threads
    2,653
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I think the colours look amazing and the detail superb, lovely shot.

  3. #3
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Nagpur, India
    Posts
    3,837
    Threads
    245
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    HI Steve -- This is a top class portrait ! loved the details and colours . Wish the BKG was absolutely clean , but nothing you could have done in this case. Exceptional shot . TFS !

  4. #4
    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7,831
    Threads
    461
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Lovely detail and colours, Steve. I personally do not mind the presence of vegetation in the BG. Nice pose from this handsome Roan and I like the HA. Well exposed and great techs, wonderful PP work as expected:)

    Did you flip it?

    Hope you have a great week-end,

    PS Forgive my brief comments tonight - it is almost 11 pm and tomorrow I have to go to work, been doing backups the whole evening and making space on my hard drives for February...

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

  5. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    1,667
    Threads
    150
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very nice work, Steve. The head turn is excellent and has provided good light for the roan's face. The roan itself looks excellent with great detail apparent but with lots of subtle tones. Are you able to outline what processing you did to this one? For example, I don't know if you've needed to lift the shadows on the shadowed neck or whether there was good reflected light on that. Also, a little on your choice of aperture here, if you didn't mind expanding? I notice, for example, that the background ear has lost focus but everything else around the head and horns looks pretty sharp. Were you trying to maximise background blur with your choice here?

  6. Thanks Stuart Philpott thanked for this post
  7. #6
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Dortmund / Germany
    Posts
    11,211
    Threads
    1,263
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Steve.....
    A very fine portrait of that beauty of an antelope , they do look so elegant and the coloring in the fur is just gorgeous. Framing and the head angle is top notch. Fly could go for your perfection .
    The lens created that lovely soft bokeh and i am surprised to see that much DOF at that f-stop .
    Processing is good as expected with that lovely fine details ....overall i think i personally would give the lights a bit more depth in the red channel as i think you get more detail in the whites , just my 2 cents .
    Cracking horns !!!!!

    TFS Andreas

  8. #7
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks folks.

    Glenn, Light coming from the LHS which lit the face nicely and control of the Histogram allowed not to blow the whites of the ears. By using ETTR & the Histogram I can maximise the full capture of data which makes for a better file. This will also often avoid lifting of shadows, although it may mean in part, you drop the exposure in specific/key areas. The workflow would not really relate much to DPP, plus as many know, I shoot with no input of things like Contrast, Saturation etc and that I do not let Adobe choice my starting point, all my RAWs are as flat as dishwater because I want to control the Colour management. It's all about getting the right exposure and WB, adjusting Colour will also make a huge difference and then with Channels, Curves, Layers & Masks you can selectively 'build' your file extracting key components at different stages.

    Also, a little on your choice of aperture here, if you didn't mind expanding?
    Look at the kit, the subject was far, therefore you wanted more DoF, shot f/8 and you waste DoF.

    Were you trying to maximise background blur with your choice here?
    Distance between subject & compression by the 500 provides a lovely bokeh backdrop, defused and no need for applying Blurring or NR.

    overall i think i personally would give the lights a bit more depth in the red channel as i think you get more detail in the whites , just my 2 cents .
    Thanks Andreas, I meant to add some Tonal Curve but forgot which will I think have achieved what you are talking about, a fraction more 'pop'

  9. Thanks Stuart Philpott thanked for this post
  10. #8
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    14,320
    Threads
    929
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Steve - A regal headshot of this fine antelope. The head turn and unobstructed look at the horns here really add. I don't mind the bg. Nice job on the exp of both the blacks and the whites. It shows the importance of working with the histogram. I agree with your own final suggestion of just a little more pop. Nice one.

    TFS,
    Rachel

  11. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Ithaca, NY
    Posts
    10,421
    Threads
    1,708
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very nice. Like the pose and detail of this one.

  12. #10
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Posts
    1,179
    Threads
    103
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Stunning Steve,a wonderful portrait. An interesting thread to read aswell thanks for the contributions from Glenn and the questions answered. It's the handling of the whites and blacks Steve just awesome. For me nothing to change bkg works it's oof enought to not distract but shows me his habitat. the texture in that shiny nose I find almost as beguiling as those horns

    wonderful work

    stu

  13. #11
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Cheers Stu, but you are not too far behind on your PP now, looking forward to more from you. No pressure.

  14. Thanks Stuart Philpott thanked for this post
  15. #12
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hey Steve
    I am jealous, do not have any Roan images worth keeping myself, and this is a solid portrait. Nicely exposed and processed, as per usual.
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  16. #13
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Morkel, thanks and good to have you back on board again.

    Would be good if you can help me on bolstering the (camera) tech stuff too, now you are back, as it is important on crits IMHO.

  17. #14
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Centurion, South Africa
    Posts
    21,362
    Threads
    1,435
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Steve, excellent detail as per your usual high standard, tack sharp, and love the alert pose. Well exposed, and overall, nicely separated from the BG.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics