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Mean Buff
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Mean Buff

by Morkel Erasmus

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 11, 2011243 views5 comments
This image might not be to everyone's tastes ('central' composition and all), but I feel it works. This mean buffalo was photographed way before sunrise early one morning in the Kruger Park back in 2009. It was sold for use in a local calendar last year.

Techs:
Nikon D300s with Nikkor 200-400mm f4 VR @ 200mm
f4.0 @ 1/200 SS @ ISO-800

Comments

5 comments
Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on October 13, 2011 at 12:36 AM
Looks really intimidating, thanks to the awesome low perspective and of course the buffalo. Must have been close at 200mm. Love the shiny blacks and the dew in the grass :toast:

Works for me composition wise, so would a square crop in this instance.
Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments
Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on October 13, 2011 at 9:02 PM
Works well enough for me Morkel! I particularly love the fixed attention you've drawn from the primary subject and the depth of colour in it's coat, but I also love the strand of grass hanging from the side of it's mouth as well as the way the secondary Buffalo seems to be trying to communicate with the white bird on the ground ;^)

I think most of all though I like the way the centered Buffalo appears almost 3D! Thanks for sharing :^)
Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments
Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on October 14, 2011 at 12:34 AM
I like the soft light and detail on the face of the buffalo with those dew drops Morkel. The vibrant green grasses contrast nicely with the black subject. What works less well for me is that all 3 subjects are overlapping one another. I tried to imagine this with space between the subjects and the main buffalo placed a bit off center and feel that would have made a stronger composition.
Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Gulash on October 14, 2011 at 12:56 AM
Beautiful image Morkel. I really like the front bull's expression and you really nailed the focus. I'm not too sure about the bull at the back, would be nice to have some separation from the main one. The white bird similarly isn't standing quite where I would have "placed him". Love the soft lighting and simple color scheme. Very effective image over all. :toast: :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments
Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 15, 2011 at 5:01 PM
Thanks for your valued feedback, folks.

In hindsight it would indeed have been better with more separation between the "players" of this scene. Can't really remember if it was possible to maneuver my vehicle to get it like that, but I do know this area has lots of acacia bushes which make it hard to keep the same clear angle as I had here... :smile:
Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments