Waterton Bull

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 7, 2011309 views15 comments

Hi everyone! My family and I just returned from a camping trip to Waterton Lakes National Park. My dad and I woke up early almost every morning to go and photograph the elk rut. This bull was the most cooperative of the trip. He doesn't have a huge harem, and hangs out with some of the other bulls. A couple days after this shot my dad and I almost got to watch him fight, but he backed off early. We have gotten to watch this guy almost every day of our trip, and he is usually hanging out by the road. This image was taken a few days ago, and I'm sure I will be posting more from the Waterton rut for a while

! It's been raining out here for a while, and even though it makes for cool pictures my camera needs a higher ISO so it doesn't always work. Yesterday when my dad and I woke up we went out in the rain and got some cool pictures with the rain streaking through the image, I'm sure I will post that picture soon.

I shot this image at ISO 400, but it is a 50% crop so I was wondering if you thought I needed any noise reduction. I do not have any room left on the right side of the image, when I saw him do this I whipped my camera around and afterwards saw the horizon was off so I had to correct it.

Thanks for viewing!

Nikon D300
Nikkor 200-400mm f/4 ED VR with 1.4TC @ 440mm
ISO 400
1/640sec @ f/5.6
cropped to horizontal from vertical

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Craig Myers on October 7, 2011 at 7:04 PM

Great job of capturing the animal from front to back--the hyperfocal distance is spot on. The crop works for me. You caught him in a nice pose, head and antlers in sharp focus and looking back into the empty area of the scene. Well done.

Registered on September 1, 2008, 85 Posts, 757 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on October 7, 2011 at 10:15 PM

SNAP!

I guess you already know I love this image, Jenaya, but had to comment here, too. You did a fantastic job in capturing this (and so many others you have been showing me!). I love your decisions in composition on the original, which was a vertical shot with the bull toward the upper right, but agree with your decision to make it a horizontal after correcting the rotation issue meant losing some of what you had envisioned.

You sure captured an incredible look on this bull, and nailed the apex of his bugle. Too bad it wasn't colder on the one morning these guys were most cooperative so you would have a nice burst of steam, but this is really an iconic image as is, IMO. Of course, I MIGHT be biased!

Two thumbs up from your Dad!

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on October 8, 2011 at 11:31 AM

I really like the pose you captured here Jenya and the placement of the Elk in the frame works perfectly for my tastes. Good job getting him to bugle on key

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

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on October 8, 2011 at 11:56 AM

I have never seen an Elk, but this image is as good as being there

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Sandipan Dutta on October 8, 2011 at 12:20 PM

Like the pose of the Elk here... overall a very nice shot ...

Registered on March 9, 2009, 171 Posts, 493 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Runco on October 8, 2011 at 6:54 PM

Really neat shot Jenaya - the bg does look like it might need some noise reduction, but the bugling bull is nice and sharp. Nice capture!

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

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on October 8, 2011 at 8:08 PM

Thanks for the comments everyone!

It's been a pretty good rut out here, and we seemed to be camping right at the peak of it. The last couple days it has slowed down but is still cool to hear the elk bugle and watch the battles (though they were fighting too far away for pictures...so far

!) I updated my portfolio if you would like to see more elk pictures before I post them here.

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on October 9, 2011 at 8:51 AM

A beautiful image- Great timing, colours and comps on this one- Well done, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on October 9, 2011 at 11:16 AM

Fine image. You captured a classic Elk pose very well. The light makes the image pop and puts a nice catch light in his eye. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Rob Graham on October 9, 2011 at 4:13 PM

Sweet light and action. The horizontal crop emphasizes the bugle/action. Well done.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on October 10, 2011 at 1:59 PM

I like everything about this.

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

Comment posted by Ron Huff on October 10, 2011 at 2:55 PM

Jenaya, a really nice pose and image of the bull elk. Well done.

Ron Huff

Registered on August 31, 2010, 69 Posts, 440 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 10, 2011 at 4:18 PM

Sweet light and pose here Jenaya! It's held up well with the crop too. I have used the D300s before and was comfortable pushing it to ISO1250 or 1600...I'm sure the D300 will do you proud (might just need a tad more PP work

)

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

Comment posted by Dan Walters on October 10, 2011 at 9:10 PM

Great looking bull! Like the light and the bugle pose.

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

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on October 12, 2011 at 9:54 AM

Beautiful frame n solid techs ! The Bull stands out so well.
May prefer slightly more room on the RHS.
Jagdeep Rajput

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