Resting elk

Gallery: WildlifePosted February 15, 2010245 views6 comments

This photo was taken in the hills around Mammoth in Yellowstone NP. This guy was watching over a large herd of cows. There were plenty of other bulls in the area and he had just finished a brief skirmish with a challenger and was trying to get a little rest.

Originally shot on fujichrome 100 and scanned to digital.

N90 or F4 with 300/2.8 and TC 14 with monopod.

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 15, 2010 at 2:45 AM

a very stately elk!
Love this shot - very nice detail in the elk and environment.
Not too sure about the round yellowsih blob just below the elk, though. Draws my eye a bit..
Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on February 15, 2010 at 9:25 AM

Hi Robert,

Both an impressive specimen and impressive shot. I love the pose and the implied diagonal line (or near diagonal) formed by the elk's right antler. I also like the muted tones and soft lighting here - all very nice. My only small nits would be related to the out-of-focus bushes (looks like rabbitbrush to me) both directly below the bull and the one near the lower left corner - they did distract my eye a little. This is the type of that's as much personal preference as anything and I suspect that many others would NOT be bothered by the OOF bushes at all...

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on February 15, 2010 at 11:06 AM

I like this a lot. Only on second viewing did I notice the hump in LRC is another elk and not a rock. If I were printing this, I think I would add a bit of blur in that corner to enhance the disguise. The pose, light direction and the angles Brad mentioned are wonderful.

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

Comment posted by Sally King on February 15, 2010 at 11:08 AM

That guy has a great rack. I think he gave you a perfect head turn. Nice muted colors throughout too.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Luca Mussato on February 15, 2010 at 4:44 PM

I like the composition, but i'm a little bit annoyed by the that yellowish circle below the elk neck and by the BG (I don't know what they are looks like poles to me) on the right.

cheers.

Registered on November 14, 2006, 118 Posts, 855 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Wintergren on February 16, 2010 at 1:27 PM

Hi Robert,

A very fine and harmonious picture of the elk. I especially like the soft light and the restrained color scheme. Depth of field and composition is very good also. Really well done!

Peter

Registered on January 24, 2010, 15 Posts, 174 Comments