Bull Elk w/Fog

Gallery: WildlifePosted September 12, 20111,380 views30 comments

The Elk rut is underway (an exciting time for me every year)! Found this bull elk at Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park.

1D MIV
500mm f/4
1/640 at f/6.3
ISO 800

Comments

30 comments

Comment posted by Cam Held on September 12, 2011 at 8:38 PM

Beautiful elk & posture! The soft background and clouds work nicely too. No nits from me!

-Cam

Registered on November 12, 2009, 59 Posts, 398 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on September 12, 2011 at 9:31 PM

Amazing light and I love the fog with the tops of the trees poking through. Very nice!

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Verdon on September 12, 2011 at 9:55 PM

Hi Kurt what a amazing shot, I was in RMNP today and I am pretty much disappointed about becoming rut season because all of the #1 areas are fenced around the rivers and no elks around ether , and everywhere rangers installed signs no enter anywhere out of the road .........

Beautiful shot!!!

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on September 12, 2011 at 11:50 PM

Hi Kurt - I know what you mean...I wait all year for this here in Alberta. Been down to my favourite haunts every three days for two weeks, but nothing shakin' here yet!

Now to the more important issue at hand: This is a killer image! You've got so much captured here. The environment is nearly epic in my books, your comp is, honestly, perfect for the context. The catchlight, DOF, angle of subject, camera angle and POV, and overall light is fabulous. This instantly became one of my favourite elk rut images the moment I clicked on it! I think I can "hear" him all the way up here in Alberta! :)

Congrats, this one is top shelf, and one I would be so proud to have in my files.

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on September 13, 2011 at 12:55 AM

Impressive bull in great condition. Quite an unusual setting, the grass looks frosty, but might just be the light. Nice sharpness on the subject. Excellent!!!

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

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on September 13, 2011 at 6:16 AM

Superb Kurt! I love the pose and bg you've captured here and the light is great, it makes the grass look frosty indeed!

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on September 13, 2011 at 6:51 AM

Smokin Elk Photo Kurt

Great light on a amazing nice bull, but especially love that foogy background with the trees poking through.

No Nits Here

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on September 13, 2011 at 12:14 PM

My favorite element of the photo is the dots of green peeking through the fog. Great job.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on September 13, 2011 at 12:23 PM

Very, very nice Kurt. Lovely light, colors and cool pose of the subject, but what really makes this is the BG!

This should be in your portfolio IMO.

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

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on September 13, 2011 at 2:08 PM

Too stinking cool, wonderful composition with the background. I like the elk how the elk stands out with the light and good timing to get the pose. The larger image was a pleasure to view, way to go.

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

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on September 13, 2011 at 2:45 PM

Gorgeous - amazing light !

Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Schwarz on September 13, 2011 at 4:53 PM

Beautiful crisp shot.

Registered on November 29, 2006, 236 Posts, 1210 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on September 13, 2011 at 5:15 PM

Sweet! Looks like the same elk and location as Dan Walters recent post. The fog and the setting set this apart from most elk rut photos.

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

Comment posted by Russell Colletta on September 13, 2011 at 10:50 PM

Fantastic image Kurt. The FG and BG compliment the subject, which is a study in and of itself. Nicely done.

Registered on October 31, 2009, 114 Posts, 1008 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Runco on September 14, 2011 at 12:11 AM

I love it, absolutely zero nits from me Kurt. Great work!

Registered on September 9, 2008, 77 Posts, 705 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on September 14, 2011 at 7:18 AM

I echo Vincent - a stunning shot Kurt and one of the best I have seen from you...super light, pose, mood and BG

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on September 14, 2011 at 1:41 PM

Wow, this is great. Wouldn't change a thing.

Registered on November 27, 2007, 250 Posts, 2468 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on September 15, 2011 at 1:45 AM

Great image Kurt, love the comp, the pose and the color palette!

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on September 15, 2011 at 3:07 AM

Excellent choice of composition Kurt and I love the eye-contact!

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Roman Kurywczak on September 15, 2011 at 8:10 PM

I really like this one Kurt! Mist adds to the mood and takes it over the top!

Registered on November 20, 2009, 56 Posts, 748 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on September 17, 2011 at 11:56 AM

STUNNING !!!
Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by Oscar Dewhurst on September 17, 2011 at 5:44 PM

Stunning shot - I love the feel that the land goes on forever in the distance

Oscar

Registered on August 6, 2009, 85 Posts, 502 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on September 18, 2011 at 1:14 PM

My only wish would be to have a sound bite to this Kurt. An excellent and well executed image with a lovely setting and great pose.

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on September 21, 2011 at 4:47 PM

Excellent work!
Congrats on the EP!
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on September 21, 2011 at 5:28 PM

Kurt, congrats on the WP!

Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on September 21, 2011 at 6:19 PM

Wonderful image all the way around. Congratulations on the Editors Pick!

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on September 22, 2011 at 12:25 AM

Congratulations on this image being chosen for the WP Kurt, great decision IMO!

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on September 22, 2011 at 10:57 PM

Congrats Kurt

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on September 22, 2011 at 11:27 PM

Whoa! What a magestic animal definitely in his prime. Just an awesome capture, Kurt. Congrats on that and on the EP.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on September 23, 2011 at 11:54 PM

Thanks everyone for all the critiques and comments and thanks for the EP

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