Desert Big Horn Sheep

Hi Larry,

Given the time of year, you're probably right about the flirting! Your image looks quite sharp given you were hand-holding the equivalent of a 750 mm lens - what was your shutter speed?

I like how the two main subjects seem to be focused on one another - makes one wonder what they were thinking (beyond the "obvious" ). Compositionally this image looks a tad cluttered to me - it would be nice if the two primary subjects were separated from the background (and other sheep) a little more. You're probably aware of this, but the image is tilted counter-clockwise significantly as presented - this is easily remedied in Photoshop or most other image editing programs.

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

Brad,

Thanks for looking and commenting. SS was 1/1600th @ f4, ISO 400. Even though it appears tilted it wasn't, they were standing on a slope at an angle to me. While I wish the other sheep were not in the frame there was not much I could do about it and decided this might be a good environmental image.

Hey Larry,

Thanks for the info. Are you sure there isn't still a tilt there? Looks to me like the plants are growing at an angle too - and normally animals keep their heads level regardless of slope...both of which usually imply image tilt...but I wasn't there so I could be wrong...

Cheers...

Brad

Haha, Larry I like the image indeed for the implied interaction between the two individuals, which are, very obviously, from the opposite sex. From a technical POV the mage is not perfect. Overall the image is too busy and especially the other herd members are distracting. These type of images are always difficult to judge whether there really is a tilt, but I do feel that the image is slightly tilted as well. Even if it is not, it does look that way and even that can be a good reason for correcting it

Great shot! This may have been mentioned already, but I'm in too much of a hurry to read everyone else's critiques... The only thing I'd change about it is the rock (or whatever it is) on the lower right. I'm not a huge fan of cloning, but this is one of those times that I think it may be needed... Cropping would cut out the ram's virtual feet.
Otherwise, I like everything about it, especially the eye contact.

It must be love. I too would clone out the rock at the bottom right. I can never tell whether an image is level so I won't say anything about that. The whites at the top of the butts looks a bit hot to me especially on the one furthest left. I really like the interaction and would love to have taken this image as big horn sheep are on my "wanted" list.

Came back for another look at those big horns, nice interaction here Larry..