In Pursuit + Repost and 100% crop

Gallery: WildlifePosted August 29, 2009738 views18 comments

Thank you for your kind comments on my last post! This is another shot from my trip to Katmai NP. I know some some of you wont like the OOF foreground, but it was intentional. I liked the different "layers" each OOF section made (foreground, water, shoreline, hillside). This guy was in pursuit of salmon he saw in the distance.

I'd like to hear if this works for people or not....

Thanks,

Ben

5D Mark II - 400mm f/2.8 + 1.4x TC - Tripod

ISO 400 - f/4 - 1/320th

Comments

18 comments

Comment posted by James Campbell on August 29, 2009 at 4:37 PM

Lovely action shot.. The obvious motion really makes this image work for me. Your image is also really well composed and the OOF foreground doesn't bother me at all, although I wouldn't miss it either

Nice one, James

Registered on January 12, 2009, 48 Posts, 377 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on August 29, 2009 at 5:52 PM

Benjamin,

I think the oof fg would normally bother me some but it works here for my tastes. Exceptional capture and composition. I like this one a lot.

Pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on August 29, 2009 at 11:53 PM

I like this a lot. The OOF foreground doesn't bother me. I really like the action conveyed by the splashes of water. It helps give life to the image. Great shot!!

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on August 30, 2009 at 12:26 AM

Great action shot in a perfect world!
Cheers !
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on August 30, 2009 at 7:03 AM

ben, outstanding action and tension, caught well.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Kastendiec on August 30, 2009 at 12:44 PM

Works for me. Image is tac sharp and you can feel the intensity of focus on the bear. Nice work Ben.

Registered on July 8, 2009, 17 Posts, 93 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on August 30, 2009 at 2:17 PM

Wow, this is an impressive image Ben. Excellent running pose and the action is emphasised nicely by the splashing water. I am not bothered by the OOF FG, but as James also said, I would not miss it either! I do know of some people having problems with this kind of dual OOF zones...(Brad a.o. and I wonder whether it really bothers him here)
I wish you had posted a larger version for us to enjoy the detail.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on August 30, 2009 at 2:34 PM

Hi Benjamin,

I'm not normally a fan of OOF foregrounds and backgrounds, but in an action shot like this it works fine - at slower shutter speeds and with panning foreground and background would be out of focus anyway (and what you've done creates pretty much the same effect - the feeling of motion).

I like this image, but it's cropped/framed a little closer than I normally like for action shots - I wouldn't mind seeing just a little more room in front of the bear (to give it slightly more room to move into). On my monitor the bear looks just a tad too dark, especially in the facial region. If the image were mine I would be tempted to selectively lighten key shadowed areas (like that face).

Cheers...very nice as posted...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on August 30, 2009 at 2:40 PM

This is especially cool! I like the water droplets and am surprised that the highest ones look so well stopped...suggesting to me they are at their apex. The position of his legs looks optimal. It is hard to find any way to improve upon this one...maybe a catchlight? I agree that a larger posting so we could see detail would be nice!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Benjamin Olson on August 30, 2009 at 5:02 PM

Heres is a edited version with some of the shadows lightened up, I hope this is an improvement! Thanks for all of your comments!

Registered on April 7, 2007, 169 Posts, 725 Comments

Comment posted by Benjamin Olson on August 30, 2009 at 5:08 PM

100% Crop

Registered on April 7, 2007, 169 Posts, 725 Comments

Comment posted by Balakumar Kaushik on August 31, 2009 at 3:35 AM

Lovely action Benjamin. Liked the intense look of the bear towards its target.
Nicely composed image and the OOF FG works really well.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 98 Posts, 1403 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on August 31, 2009 at 11:38 AM

Hi Benjamin,

I much prefer the version with the lightened shadows.

Cheers...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Guillaume Dauphin on August 31, 2009 at 1:07 PM

very good picture, a lot of energy coming through ...
The OOF background doesnt bothe me even id I would have preferred to see all of it in gree/yellow to make the bear "pop out" a bit more ...

Registered on June 23, 2009, 3 Posts, 15 Comments

Comment posted by Paulo A.Lopes on August 31, 2009 at 7:37 PM