World Rhino Day Contribution

[Morkel Erasmus]

Love seeing the forum light up with rhino images on the eve of World Rhino Day 2011 in support of anti-poaching initiatives worldwide!
Here's an image of mine thrown into the mix.

Love playing around in B&W with these guys due to their skin texture and strong contours/curves of their bodies and horns...but especially so since it give the image a dramatic mood in the light of their plight.
Will post the colour version as a 2nd post in the thread.

Techs:
Nikon D7000 with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II + 1.4xTC @ 700mm
f7.1 @ 1/1600 SS @ ISO-2200
Conversion done in Nik Silver Efex 2 - surroundings dodged to get the high-key look.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Colour version...I like both...

[Rachel Hollander]

Morkel - Nice pose, dof and low shooting angle. I prefer the color version but the b&w conversion does bring out the textures more.

TFS,
Rachel

[Hilary Hann]

Morkel, I like both equally as each one elicits a different response (in my view). A handsome, strong animal with a commanding presence. I assume that he is coming up a slight rise? I love the soft grasses surrounding him which is one of the bonuses with white rhino given that they are grazers. You often get some nice, interesting grass textures to add to the texture of the rhino.

Thanks for joining in with a wonderful rhino image.

[Tom Graham]

Love the low perspective and 3/4 head-on view. (Also good DOF, all sharp).
Both very nice but I prefer the B&W because it emphasis his battle scared face/head.
Tom

[Grant Atkinson]

Powerful portrayal of the rhino here Morkel, really works for me. So often they can can across in photographs as almost inanimate, and dull. However, the pose you caught this animal in gives a feeling of power and presence, as noted by Hilary. I like both versions equally. I thought the bright spot in the bottom right corner of the b and w version was a bit too bright. It also feels a tiny bit tight on the bottom but not much..
Nice work at high iso here
cheers
Grant

[Mark Wiseman]

Lovely low angle and detail Morkel. I agree with Grant that the periphery of the black and white image is too bright, but I can understand the intention. TFS.

[Harshad Barve]

Bhai , color version for me , Terrific shooting angle and image
TFS

[Robert Amoruso]

Powerful portrayal of the rhino here Morkel, really works for me. So often they can can across in photographs as almost inanimate, and dull. However, the pose you caught this animal in gives a feeling of power and presence, as noted by Hilary. I like both versions equally. I thought the bright spot in the bottom right corner of the b and w version was a bit too bright. It also feels a tiny bit tight on the bottom but not much..
Nice work at high iso here
cheers
Grant

I agree with Grant.

I like the B&W best and would tone down the LR corner.
I really like the high-key affect obtained in the B&W image Morkel.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Hey bud...Lovely image...Thanks for your support, I know you have always been outspoken on this topic all because of your love for wildlife...Thanks for that mate.

[Steve Kaluski]

It's the B/W for me Morkel.

I like the comp and perhaps a tad more at the foot would help, but for me, it's not a big issue. I like it as presented but can't help wonder what it would look like without the trees top left, making it very clean & simple, or wether it actually anchors the image? Also I wonder if through the process it has lost a little depth to the Rhino, what I mean Morkel is, if an image is lightened through exposure to get the detail back there are tail tail signs. Not saying this is the case, but somehow for me it's not quite there, compared to your previous Nikon images, again it's the detail part????? A hint more contrast, curves, just can't put my finger on it for this one.

Wish you were on a phone, easier to explain.

[Stu Bowie]

Your B&W post rocks. It far outweighs the colour version. I really like the tones of the B&W, and the lighter grass makes the rhino pop nicely. Great work Mork.

[Lorant Voros]

I like the B&W very much. Indeed the Rhino looks very powerful with the pose. I also think taking the trees off would make it a simple more powerful image. Well done, Morkel.

[Pieter de Waal]

As mentioned , powerful image Morkel. I like both versions and the way you have brought out the textures in the B&W image.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks for the kind feedback everyone.

Steve, I think I added too little midtone contrast here - I normally prefer a lot of it as you know, not sure why I processed like this other than trying to back down on it a tad?
Here's a "reworked" B&W with no vignette and the rhino treated with some more Local Contrast Enhancement. I also did a very quick job cloning out the tree so I might have left some 'evidence'

Curious as to your thoughts now? Perhaps somewhere between the 2?

[Charles Glatzer]

Morkel,

I love the character of this old rhino. I would not remove the tree, as it provides a sense of place.
Perhaps, it could use a bit more on the bottom.

I applied Silver Effex 2, with Tonal Contrast (CFP4).

Hang it, sell it.... in BW OR OTHERWISE.

Best,

Chas

[Hilary Hann]

I agree with Chas, don't evict the tree (imo).

[Dan Walker]

Fantastic image. I like the first one posted the best. great texture on the skin, he looks like an old timer who has seen a lot

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thank you Dan and Hilary...

Morkel,

I love the character of this old rhino. I would not remove the tree, as it provides a sense of place.
Perhaps, it could use a bit more on the bottom.

I applied Silver Effex 2, with Tonal Contrast (CFP4).

Hang it, sell it.... in BW OR OTHERWISE.

Best,

Chas

Thanks for the kind comment, Chas, and for your 'old school' rework!

[Steve Uffman]

Like the tree as well, adds balance and realism to me....the image works well in all the renderings.....see you hanging, selling or more with any of them...and I am with you to save these animals!

[Steve Canuel]

Love the color version of this one Morkel. He's on a nice angle out of the frame and the high grass gives him the appearance of a large ship cutting through the water. Tree branches should stay IMO.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks Steve U and Steve C for your comments