Skyline Bison

Gallery: WildlifePosted January 18, 20112,311 views19 comments

This image from a couple of months ago has intrigued me for some of the problems it represents. First, bison are huge light sponges and exposing them against a bright background is always fraught with peril. I liked the way this exposure turned out for me in that way, by bringing sky and bison closer together with two small curves adjustments. A more interesting problem was with my framing. This represents some crop from the right and a bit from the bottom. Center-point of this was probably the bison's right eye, using my central focus point. A general rule of thumb approach would have been to crop from the left and leave him room to virtually "step into." Instead I chose to crowd his feet even more on the bottom and take the crop on the right, which I feel/hope gives a feeling from this lens perspective that he is about to step off that hilltop, out of the frame and into the space of the viewer. In other words I am hoping it makes for a stronger sense of a looming presence.

So, the feedback I am asking for is whether that works or does the framing feel wrong? I appreciate your reactions!

Nikon D3s, 200-400 @200, iso 400, f4 1/250.

Comments

19 comments

Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on January 18, 2011 at 2:45 PM

The eye contact and your cropping choices have created the feeling you were hoping for in my mind. The first thing I noticed upon opening this Lon was the wonderful balanced exposure. Great job.

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

Comment posted by Peter Conway on January 18, 2011 at 2:58 PM

Lon,

I really like seeing the Bison against the sky. The clouds make it work and impart a sense of vastness of space coupled with the "looming presence" that you were after. The grasses are also wonderful. Very strong photo!

I am sure you played with this a hundered different ways and that this is the best. I do wonder if taking just a little more off the right and selectively brightening the face would make this even more powerful.

Excellent!

Peter

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on January 18, 2011 at 3:07 PM

This does make for a nice powerful representation of this species. Great comp. Well done Lon!!

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Fricke on January 18, 2011 at 5:17 PM

Very nice work on the processing Lon. I also like your composition, for me it doesn't look as much like it is stepping off a hill as you are crouching low in the grass...hoping he doesn't see you

I like the tension that creates in the image, well done.

Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on January 18, 2011 at 7:16 PM

Lon, the buffalo has presence in abundance. I don't think it really matters where you place him as long as it commands the eye.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Canuel on January 18, 2011 at 8:22 PM

Great looking bull. The soft colors contrast well with this large, powerful animal. Exposure, color, and detail all look good to me. With regards to the composition, it looks/feels off balance to me. I understand and respect your thoughts on the choice but as the viewer I'd rather have him stepping towards my center rather than side (if that makes sense). The image is strong regardless. Would probably make a nice vertical too.

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 18, 2011 at 8:34 PM

Lon, absolutely excellent job exposing this....I have had the very issue you described on my first visit to Yellowston photographing these guys and decided to shoot in spot meter as a result. I love the subtle colors...almost a pastel and the angle really pulls me into the subject. I am not soldon the comp though. You know I am a fan of your work, but like Steve, this feels a bit off balanced to me as well. I might go verticle on this one....or maybe add canvas to the right. But overall nice job still.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on January 18, 2011 at 11:34 PM

Good job on the exposure and processing here Lon. Although the white patch on top looks a bit too bright and I would suggest to tone that down a tad more. Detail on the head is excellent. The prominent OOF grasses right in front of the bison is a bit unfortunate. You were dealing with quite a compositional challenge here with nothing else in the frame but grass and sky and the almost head-on position of the bison. Personally I feel vertical could have worked better here. Alternatively I would have placed him more on the right. Both more 'traditional' approached though and I appreciate you trying out different ones

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

Comment posted by kiran khanzode on January 19, 2011 at 12:13 AM

This works for me, Lon. That huge head and the eye contact keeps me glued

Registered on February 21, 2009, 83 Posts, 428 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on January 19, 2011 at 12:43 AM

Hi Lon. I'm glad I am not the only one who struggles with these compositional choices. This particular comp doesn't feel quite right to me. Perhaps adding more to the bottom would help. Vincent's suggestion to do it as a vertical makes sense as well. It just seems a bit wrong however to do a vertical with a creature that lives in a primarily horizontal world - if that makes sense. I like the color in the sky and your exposure is perfect. That sky looks a bit sombre and foreboding - storm coming?

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on January 19, 2011 at 9:22 AM

A tough image to process and you have done very well here. I agree with Vincent about the OOF grasses.
The B&W photographer inside me, who still survives, insists that you should burn down the top end and right side of the frame.
Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by dan elster on January 19, 2011 at 11:17 AM

I can see what you are saying compostion wise, but I guess I still would like to see room for his virtual legs. I love your low angle...it makes the bison look very imposing and powerful.

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on January 19, 2011 at 1:16 PM

Thanks everyone for offering your thoughts. I am smiling at the range of opinions on this one, especially because it mirrors the way my own point of view has wavered back and forth!

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

Comment posted by Morris McClung on January 19, 2011 at 5:36 PM

From someone who doesn't know diddly squat about wildlife and just reading your comments, it seems you nailed exactly the feeling you were trying to get. And I have tried to shoot buff' before and they are impossible to expose against a bright sky. You have achieved the impossible here. Brilliant exposure and a strong feeling of the bison just discovering your presence, which is too close for his liking.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on January 20, 2011 at 11:46 AM

I like the aggressive pose. You got excellent detail in the dark bison, which I have not been able to accomplish. Your composition works for me.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 20, 2011 at 2:58 PM

I like the framing in this. With the bison being the stronge focal point of the image, I believe you could of gone either left or right just as long as the bison was not centered, so for me this works fine. Overall I think you did a great job with this diffucult shot.

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

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on January 20, 2011 at 3:02 PM

Very magnificent pose Lon, beautifully seen and captured!

Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on June 30, 2011 at 6:21 AM

I think the exposure's excellent, you did a great job with a difficult scene. Head details look very good also.
I like the comp as posted, just a bit more bottom is all..
Love the head on POV, this big boy means business

Well done Lon!

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Kirchen on February 13, 2012 at 8:27 PM

Lon, big presence of this bison in the picture. Love the POV. It look like he might have been wandering out of the frame to the right, then saw something, stopped and is niw contemplating whether he should go there and investigate. Excellent exposure and sharpness. Love the delicate sky and how it contrasts with the massive bison.

Registered on March 6, 2011, 95 Posts, 847 Comments