(c) Full Speed Ahead

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 17, 2010329 views13 comments

As promised last week, a wolf at full speed. It's simply amazing to see these animals chasing each other around through the deep snow (and more importantly, they have lots of room to do so) and I was very excited to finally be able to capture one that is half decent (thank you Canon 7D!).

This image is taken in captive conditions, I cloned an other wolfs behind out and it could be a tad sharper on the head, but I love it. I'm very fond of the facial expression of rigid determination (thats how I interpet it anyway, maybe he's just smiling) and the fact that it breathes speed. Someday I hope to be so lucky to be able to photograph this in the wild, but until then this will have to do

Tech: Canon 7d, 400mm f5.6, 1/250 (it was very dark) iso 1250.

note that (c) means this concerns a captive subject

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on March 17, 2010 at 7:58 AM

Great capture, Jorne

Very impressive, I like very much the expression of this wolf running in the snow! The BWNP is not completely wild, but challenging enough to enjoy with cold weather and low light conditions!
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on March 17, 2010 at 9:39 AM

Nice action wolf shot. I wonder what the original looked like? Would the other wolves add a sense of racing or chasing to this image? Or were they just distracting? Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on March 17, 2010 at 10:01 AM

Hi John, the wolf behind I cloned out was directly in front of the other wolf, just a tail with some backside, very distracting and since this is a captive image anyway I thought I'd clone it out.

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on March 17, 2010 at 11:19 AM

I really love the expression on the wolf's face!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on March 17, 2010 at 1:44 PM

Great facial expression indeed Jorne. If this would have been in a wild environment you should have been a bit worried at this moment.

My immediate reaction was that a vertical format would have suited this better as both the top and bottom are tightly framed and the subject centered. The exposure looks spot on. I do think it is a real pity the image is not tack sharp, with images like this that is kind of critical in my opinion. However, I completely understand the low light situation was a major constraint here.

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

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on March 17, 2010 at 2:10 PM

Vincent expressed my thinking very well! The airborne bits of snow and that expression are strong elements. Thanks for sharing.

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

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on March 17, 2010 at 2:17 PM

thanks guys!

Vincent: completely agree on the sharpness, real pity. I'll keep this one around for web purposes only. Also agree on the vertical, had been playing around with it but decided to postlike this first. Thanks fo the comments!

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on March 17, 2010 at 5:00 PM

It's pity the image is not tad sharp. But i love the wolve's facial expression. Don't want to think about how much you were in trouble if this were in the wilderness. Nice shot

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 17, 2010 at 5:09 PM

Great action, Jorne. The expression does look intense.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on March 18, 2010 at 4:25 AM

Excellent action shot. Thanks for sharing

Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on March 18, 2010 at 9:26 AM

Hi Jorne,

Wonderful to hear that you had a great experience and are happy with the resulting image. I agree that the expression on the face is compelling - and I can say from experience that wolves (or even dogs) running directly at someone almost always look like they're "smiling" (tho' it's likely more of an exhausted grimace!).

My immediate thoughts on the shot are the same as others have mentioned: I think the subject matter lends itself to a vertical format and I am left wishing it was sharper (tho' I totally appreciate the low-light constraints you were under).

Thanks for sharing this - always great to see action shots of wolves!

Brad

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

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on March 20, 2010 at 2:14 PM

Nice shot Jorne. I'll echo the others but add that I like the falling snow. The BW look very well fed!

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on March 20, 2010 at 2:15 PM

I meant BW wolves look well fed.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments