Humble wildebeest and friends

[Hilary Hann]

Mara North Conservancy, early morning. Whilst the large wildebeest herds of the main migration between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti had moved southwards, the herds of the smaller Loita migration were still around the plains of the Mara North towards the Aitong hills. This lesser known migration still has good volumes of animals, in the tens of thousands but don't perform the awesome but treacherous river crossings. They don't need to, or they are the intelligent ones!
This small herd was full of pregnant wildebeests, close to calving.
7D; 100-400 @ 400; ISO800; 1/250; f8 Handheld, Manual exposure. I exposed to keep the detail in the egrets as I usually blow the highlights out of the park.

[Ken Watkins]

Hilary,

What an eye, that is something you do not see very often, friends in BG are not helpful but they are there naturally!

I see you have borrowed some of my egrets

[Steve Kaluski]

I like this one Hilary, as the content just seems so 'natural', good choice to have the grazing ones in the BG and Egrets. The 'eye' certainly focuses your attention and I do like the light on this one.

Have you added any black within the image, as I find it quite strong in some areas and might suggest lifting certain areas like the head, just a fraction. I also wonder whether, if the two Egrets in the BG were removed, your eyes are more likely to stay focused on the main subject as I find I get drawn to the BG more? No big deal, just a thought.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Hilary - exposure looks good and I like the egrets. The wilde seems to have a slight greenish cast to it but it may just be the light. That eye is just freaky.

TFS,
Rachel

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Ken, Steve and Rachel.

Yes Steve, I did add some black so will look at it again. First inclination was to remove background egrets but thought I'd harvest comments first.

[Morkel Erasmus]

nice eye :)
like the light and scene too...you know I like them "au natural" so I say leave the egrets!
agree with Steve on the blacks...

[Steve Kaluski]

First inclination was to remove background egrets but thought I'd harvest comments first.

Wise move Hilary

[Hilary Hann]

Morkel, thanks for comments. I believe that there is plenty of room for purists like you and pragmatists like me! I believe in using all the technology at my disposal to make better images which includes using my camera settings better, photographing in areas where I have some flexibility of movement (i.e off road, walking etc.) and post production. However, if I am entering wildlife awards I follow the restrictions applied … of course. If I'm producing for presenting in a court of law (been a while), don't do anything at all to the image but if I'm producing for the art world then I do what I feel is necessary.

Steve, the egrets have to go (in the background).

[Todd Frost]

Well done Hilary. Agree on lifting the blcks a bit and the eviction of the bg egrets. Don't mind the wildies in the bg. Good exposure and sharpness and what an eye.
TFS
Todd

[Russell Johnson]

Great eye contact, agree with the nits mentioned above.

[DanWalters]

Great light and color! Really like the eye contact and the egrets add a nice touch.

[Robert Amoruso]

Hilary,

While on the egrets, if this were mine I would remove the one at the foot of the front wildebeest. Also, PS Shadows/Highlights will open the blacks up nicely.

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks everyone, I have another wildebeest taken at the same time (same beastie? can't tell as they all look alike! :eek:) but not as good an eye so will try some of the suggestions posted here and start another thread.