Bull Elk

Gallery: WildlifePosted September 22, 2010157 views7 comments

Rutting season at CM Russell NWR in central Montana this past weekend. I had about 5 minutes of great light just before the sun dropped down behind the clouds before sunset. I was hoping for a more dramatic pose, but I took what I could get. C&C appreciated. I'm not an experienced wildlife shooter (landscape's my thing) and I found it a real challenge to focus manually - which was required with the teleconverter because of a max aperture of f/8)

Canon 40D. Canon 400/5.6 + 1.4x TC. ISO 200. f/8. 1/50 sec.

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on September 22, 2010 at 9:22 AM

Doug, this looks good to me on all counts. A handsome subject, nice pose, excellent light and tack sharp. I'd be proud to have one like this in my portfolio. Well done!

Registered on November 16, 2003, 157 Posts, 3326 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on September 22, 2010 at 2:39 PM

Agree with Wayne. All things are in place. The autumn grass provides a very pleasing backdrop.

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on September 23, 2010 at 9:38 AM

Hi Doug,

Looks like you managed the focus just fine! I like the image as presented and it by the look of the light it looks like it might have been a good setting for some animalscapes (with the subject significantly smaller within the frame) - did you happen to shoot any of those as well? Just thought a landscape shooter might have done so...

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Doug Roane on September 23, 2010 at 10:31 AM

Thank you Wayne, Anand, and Brad.
Brad - yes, I got some of those too!

Registered on December 12, 2008, 213 Posts, 2226 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on September 23, 2010 at 6:56 PM

This is a beautiful bull in low angled light. Nice. My only wish would be for some space showing both front legs.

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

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on September 24, 2010 at 1:55 AM

Very nice elk shot for a landscape person. I like the sharpness and detail in the larger image and the catch light in the eye is a bonus. I wish the main body were a little bit darker but you take what nature gives you, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Canuel on September 25, 2010 at 9:31 PM

Very nice image. Great looking specimen in real nice light. Grass and brush line in the BG give a good sense of habitat. Only thing I'd want different is a little separation between the front legs.

Registered on September 12, 2010, 53 Posts, 660 Comments