World Rhino Day

Gallery: WildlifePosted September 21, 2011244 views20 comments

I'm posting this in support of World Rhino Day 2011 which occurs on 22 September 2011 as a drive to generate publicity around the world for the plight of the 5 various rhino species amidst the vicious poaching scourge of the past 3 years.

If you have any rhino photos - feel free to post them and look out for the World Rhino Day Facebook page. Supporters of this initiative are encouraged to wear red tomorrow.

This image was taken in South Africa. I am not at liberty to disclose exactly where on an open forum as I feel this could place these animals at risk.

Techs:
Nikon D7000 with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II + 1.4xTC @ 700mm
f7.1 @ 1/1600 SS @ ISO-2200
I converted to B&W as I felt it accentuated this large bull's textures and contours as well as adding mood in the dire situation he is facing. Might post the colour version as a repost if you want!

Comments

20 comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on September 21, 2011 at 6:45 PM

Sad that efforts like this are necessary and I sincerely hope it has some positive effect. Your photo is great of this beautiful animal.

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on September 21, 2011 at 7:19 PM

I love how it pops! I'd be tempted to add a bit more contrast to the rhino but I like my bw's to be real contrasty. I might ease up a touch on the white vignette, but it does work.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 21, 2011 at 10:07 PM

Excellent image, Morkel. The B&W works very well here.

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on September 21, 2011 at 10:14 PM

Hey Morkel,

Good on ya! And totally understand on not posting the exact location of the shot - I learned that the hard way when we had some grizzlies poached after the name of the drainage we photographed them in was posted.

Like the image as posted but agree with Paul's comment on maybe going easy on the whtie vignette...

Good luck with this initiative.

Cheers...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Guy Runco on September 21, 2011 at 11:09 PM

Excellent, moody shot - thank you for bringing World Rhino Day to my attention.

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

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on September 22, 2011 at 12:56 AM

Wonderful shot Morkel, and the Rhino's sad expression seems particularly apt for the occasion of posting this image up. Thanks for sharing the info as well.

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

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on September 22, 2011 at 3:20 AM

Thanks for your kind feedback everyone.

Paul I also tend to prefer my contrast a bit higher...not sure why I was so timid with this. Will revisit it!

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

Comment posted by Jeffry Oonk on September 22, 2011 at 5:27 AM

Lovely B/W shot of these magnificent animals.
Cannot belief how the world is on its way to totally eliminate these beasts from our planet.
Over 300 rhinos have been killed in South Africa in 2010.
Thx for you efforts to contribute to the World Rhino Day Morkel.
Jef

Registered on February 5, 2011, 21 Posts, 122 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on September 22, 2011 at 11:02 AM

Very powerful animal and the B&W does accentuate him. I agree about the white around the edge.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on September 22, 2011 at 1:30 PM

It is so saddening that extreme violent poaching is still going on today, even in private, fenced Game reserves in SA with heavily armed Anti-Poaching Units patrolling day and night. These criminals shunt at nothing with prices for rhino horn being so exorbitantly high. Thanks for bringing attention to this day Morkel. It is that I am noticing this late, else I would have posted a Rhino in support! I like this a lot. I only wish that the tree in the TLC was not there. I do echo the comment about the white vignette, tone that down a bit and you have a wall hanger for sure.

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

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on September 22, 2011 at 3:26 PM

Thanks for your comments Jeff, Richard and Vincent.
I agree Vincent, it is truly a shame that they are allowed to pull it of the way they are doing. Let's hope for a turn of fortunes in the coming year!

Here's a quick rework - did the B&W from scratch and removed the vignette entirely. I also did a very quick job of cloning out the bush to see how a 'cleaner' image would look for fine art print format. I then added some contrast and structure to the rhino...curious to know which you guys prefer?

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

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on September 22, 2011 at 9:48 PM

Have to say that I much prefer the original image you posted Morkel. I'm OK with the white vignette - though perhaps a touch less might work out better - and I didn't find the tree in the TLH corner to be much of a distraction at all, although I too would probably having tried a version with it removed ;^)

The main difference between these versions (and the one that immediately has me preferring the original) is the extra processing you applied to the Rhino in the second one; for me it's just a bit too much.

Bottom line: I liked the original so much that I decided to click on it again this morning to enjoy it once again ... which is how I came across the second version and why I'm now tapping out another comment ;^)

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

Comment posted by Andrea Marzorati on September 23, 2011 at 10:56 AM

Love this BW conversion, definitely I prefer the first version, mainly due to lower contrast, in addition I would not have cloned the bush behind the rhino.

Registered on December 1, 2005, 86 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Roman Kurywczak on September 23, 2011 at 1:20 PM

Nice one Morkel! I like the conversion and it works very well with the Rhino!

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

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on September 23, 2011 at 5:42 PM

Morkel, I think your original take on this was the right one. It shouted, quiet power, where it was not nearly so contrasty, and the trees in the UL seemed to anchor it.
What a magnificent beast and you captured that thought well. A terrible shame to poach this animal. Good luck in your efforts with World Rhino Day.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on September 23, 2011 at 11:03 PM

Morkel, I LOVE this oe! First of all, I am a sucker for Rhino shots because they are the coolest animals

, but the B&W conversion was a terrific way to present this one. I actually like the original better. I think the vignette works here with the light grasses and pulls my eye to the Rhino better. I also think it creates more drama in the shot...but that;s just one guy's opinion! I also have to say, it is a freaking shame we even have to talk about here animals being poached. I just don't understand humanities need to wipeout entire species and cultures. Thanks though for drawing attention to it.

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

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on September 23, 2011 at 11:10 PM

Which is better - the original post or the repost? If you had posted the repost first and the original later, I suspect many would have preferred the former!

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

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on September 24, 2011 at 6:51 AM

Thank you for the encouraging and varied feedback, folks!

I think my ideal version would be somewhere between the 2...a tad more contrast on the rhino and leaving the trees in with a hint of white vignette?

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

Comment posted by Dan Walters on September 25, 2011 at 12:18 PM

BW really work well here. Really like the details in the rhinos skin.

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

Comment posted by John Launstein on October 7, 2011 at 11:48 PM

Morkel - as I mentioned in a comment to your wildebeest silhouette, I've been laid up with a back injury. Today's the first day I've been able to sit down and participate here again, and I made a point of finding this after Jenaya showed it to me when you posted it.

THIS is simply exquisite. Powerful. Evocative. Beautiful. Raw. Exceptional.

One of my all-time favourites of yours, and that's saying something. In fact, it's one of my all-time favourites on NPN.

I do prefer the original but had the same thought you did about something in between your two versions as perhaps the best of all possibilities.

In any event, this certainly has the effect you were hoping for. Wonderfully envisioned and presented.

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