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Thread: Cape Mountain Zebra

  1. #1
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Default Cape Mountain Zebra

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    Still revisiting some shots from my travels last year. Many of these were processed for BPN uploading but hadn't 'made the cut' as yet.

    This is from the Mountain Zebra National Park, South Africa.
    Pre-dawn light, pushing my then-backup-camera (Canon 40D) to the limits. I love the warm glow as the sun just starts peeping over the horizon here.

    Techs:
    Canon 40D with 300mm f2.8 L IS USM + 1.4xTC @ 420mm
    f4.0 @ 1/100 SS @ ISO-1000
    Supported over beanbag on SUV window
    Just about full frame
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Hi Morkel,
    I like the simplicity of your image, the light and the composition.
    Thanks for sharing,
    Mark.

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    Nice job Morkel as always. Surprised you have so much detail on the far mountains at f 4.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Morkel - I too like the simplicity of the image and the light. The mountains make a great bg. It all works for me.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    BPN Viewer Steve Canuel's Avatar
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    Nice 'scape Morkel. Good contrast of color between mountains and grass.

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    BPN Viewer Tom Graham's Avatar
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    Like the colors and shapes. Warm foreground and contrasty cool mountains/sky. And zebra classic side view and looking at us.
    The thing that continues to bother me in "animalscapes" (and landscapes) is a very out of focus foreground. Maybe I'll never get over it .
    Tom

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    Lovely image Morkel, well composed and love the space, not sure if its just me but i see a slight magenta cast over the image?

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  14. #8
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel, I can see where Brendon is coming from, but I feel in this instance it gives a nice warmth to the image. If you neutralise the cast then it tends to lack any depth to it. I assume the DOF is due to SS?

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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  16. #9
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Kaluski View Post
    Hi Morkel, I can see where Brendon is coming from, but I feel in this instance it gives a nice warmth to the image. If you neutralise the cast then it tends to lack any depth to it. I assume the DOF is due to SS?

    TFS
    Steve
    I felt that way too about the colour, Steve. It's how I recall the light sweetening up, so I left it (I did do some desaturation of reds and magentas but it robbed the image of the appeal I first saw in it). The choice of f4 was due to the low light and SS. Didn't really want to push the ISO any more. The distance-to-subject was enough for me to be confident of enough DOF.
    Morkel Erasmus

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Graham View Post
    Like the colors and shapes. Warm foreground and contrasty cool mountains/sky. And zebra classic side view and looking at us.
    The thing that continues to bother me in "animalscapes" (and landscapes) is a very out of focus foreground. Maybe I'll never get over it .
    Tom
    I don't think there's too much OOF FG here Tom...I just left enough space for them legs...I agree that in landscapes where the aim is "all in focus" it is bothersome. In animalscapes it can go either way for me - either as much as possible in focus, or selective focus with enough of the environment discernable but not robbing the attention.
    Morkel Erasmus

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  18. #11
    Roman Kurywczak
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    Hey Morkel,
    Really like the comp and light. Does look a bit magenta on my monitor too......but have been staring at the computer most of the day......so will re-check tomorrow.

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    I'm rather partial to "environmental" images so I like this. The zebra and the landscape fit together and you framed the shot quite nicely. The main distraction for me is the post like object about one zebra length in front of the beast. Is this natural?

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  22. #13
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Declan Troy View Post
    I'm rather partial to "environmental" images so I like this. The zebra and the landscape fit together and you framed the shot quite nicely. The main distraction for me is the post like object about one zebra length in front of the beast. Is this natural?
    Thanks Declan. That's just a long blade of OOF grass...
    Morkel Erasmus

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  23. #14
    Ken Watkins
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    Morkel,

    Great image and beautiful BG, you certainly had better weather than we just did!

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