Backlit Baboons

[Stu Bowie]

I have decided to leave these two playing baboons central, as cropping off either side would spoil the balance. This was shot at 17.00pm as the sun was setting. I created this by changing my white balance to cloudy, thus creating the warm colour. There is enough light/detail on the baboons not to have a complete silhouette. Taken in the Kruger National Park.

Canon 50D
100-400 L IS USM @ 400mm
1/250
F/6.3
ISO 400

Exp Comp +0.33
Hand held from the car.

[Fabs Forns]

Terrific, lovely light and enough detail in the silhouette to see the features.

Two things could have improved this IMO, less space on the left and more at the bottom to include the whole shadow, which is a positive element in the composition.

[Alfred Forns]

I like the idea of getting the animals out of the center and including the entire shadow Would also sharpen the borders (carefully) I like seeing the sharp outline !!

Good idea on the white balance, do like it as presented ... great mood Big Congrats !!!

[Harshad Barve]

Beautiful shot, awesome light

Harshad

[Paul Marcellini]

Great light and moment captured. A vertical with the entire shadow would have been wonderful too I think.

[Todd Frost]

Nice image. Agree with above regarding crop/shadow and outline sharpening. Lighting creates nice mood.

Todd

[Ed Cordes]

Nice as presented, but I do agree that I miss the bottom of the shadow.

[Steve Canuel]

Hi Stuart,
Nice choice on the WB selection. Has a nice, warm, end of the day feel. Shadow mentioned. Not a nit but it would've been great to see a hint of the other's face.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Stuart,
Moody image. It would have been great if the entire shadow at the bottom could have been included. There are details in the baboons. Full marks for visualising this.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Stephen Earle]

I am a big fan of backlit images and this works well. Perhaps a slight ccw rotation as well?

[Grady Weed]

Some good points made above by all. A very nice image as is however. Our tastes differ. Either way you proceed, it is a good one to print.

[WIlliam Maroldo]

Hey Stewart. Very interesting image! I have a few observations. It is a very good image, but I try to visualize how it could have been extraordinary. What you have basically is a silhouette with a fringe. Fashion photographers love em, especially with volumous hair. The problem here is that it is not complete here(doesn't surround the elements completely). A few inch change of camera position would be called for. Another problem is that the right baboon, as opposed to the perfectly positioned left baboon, is hard to see, and the silhoette doesn't give us much of a clue of whats happening. Waiting for a more revealing position might help.
The shadow is integral as well, and its complete inclusion in the image is very important here. It does add depth. Ideally, as in reflections in water, the image would be divided in two equal vertical halves; the element and its shadow. You have symmetry.
The position of the baboons:I'd say on the left third with the empty space as a counterbalance. This is all my opinion, of course. regards~Bill

[Stu Bowie]

Thank you all so much for the kind words. I realize the clipping of the shadow has made this image lose a bit of impact.