Just back from a fabulous Patanal trip and thought I'd squeeze in my Rodent theme image before the deadline.
I can't remember many images of Capybara here in wildlife and it would be a shame not to include at least one of the world's largest rodent.
Here this herd/pack/group, 3 of 10 (no collective noun for them, at least not in English?) head down to this fresh water lake @ sunset, grazing on the fresh new shoots. With the area having both fresh and salt water lakes, the capybara vary from this mid chocolate here (from the fresh) to a sloth like green colour due to the salt.
I like how the yellow flowers add a nice contrast here. Things get dark here early at this time of year with sunset around 5.30pm. and it was already 5.36.
Wanting to keep my ISO relatively low, I'm pushing things here with the low 1/80s s/s, but sanwiched my D810 between 2 large bean bags on a large log and remotely fired off multiple frames, settling with this particular one.
Capybara, at times stand motionless for many minutes and these guys had no trouble with my close presence, granted the left one took this particular time to scratch the rear leg, serves me right I suppose for pushing the s/s, but feel things are pretty sharp regardless.
Must have been exiting to visit Patanal and these "giant hamsters".
I like to see the Capybaras in their environment and the nice sunset add to the image. Unlike you, I find the yellow flowers distracting. Also, it seems that the flowers are sharper than the Capybara.
1/80 sec should be a sufficient shutter speed using a 24-70mm lens. However, I would have preferred the front Capybara being sharper. Looks like you have focused on the yellow flowers.
Hi Marc - Welcome back! Always nice to see something different and like you, I can't remember many (if any) capybara posts. I do think the one on the left needed more ss. I noticed the slight movement blur before reading your intro. Nice scene of the water and sky with green grasses, shoots and trees. I sort of like the yellow flower but it does draw the eye. The capybaras seem a little dark but understand light was at a premium. Looking forward to more from your trip. Don't keep us in suspense for too long as to whether you saw jaguars. Afterall, May's theme is predators.
Hi Marc -- Such a different perspective of a subject so rarely posted here . Loved the way you have included the environment, making this a lovely scene . I am somewhat 50-50 on the yellow flower in the FG , it kind of draws attention from the capybara but at the same time looks lovely .
I really like this scene and its colours, as well as tranquil mood I perceive while viewing. Fabulous skies! Amazing place, I am sure you must have had a wonderful time and some stunning sightings.
I find it difficult to explain in few words how I envision this. With my mind's eye I cannot help but see a brighter and richer, more luminous scene. Those lovely Capybara - I feel - need too stand out more. I know my RP might be a little far from reality but here's my version Marc, and no problem if you do not agree with it, I will understand. The flower does not bother me one bit, BTW:)
Don't keep us in suspense for too long as to whether you saw jaguars. Afterall, May's theme is predators.
TFS,
Rachel
We were most fortunate to see a female *Jaguar on our 11th day in the forest, most unusual as they are normally sighted along the river, it stared us right in the eye on a sandy track, unfortunately with a moving vehicle impossible to get a facial image, just a collection of side/back images,
*As we were in the Southern Pantanal and not the Northern region, it's said that for every 1 Jaguar sighting in the south it's the equivalent of 10 in the north, (not to mention your competing with 10/15 other boats) kinda like the Sth Luangwa NP for leopards, compared to remote North Luanga NP.