Coyote in the Rain

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 20, 2011235 views7 comments

Hi everyone! This picture is of a coyote from Waterton Lakes National Park. My dad and I had woken up early to look for some elk to photograph. After photographing the elk for a bit we decided to check out another road that they like to go to during the rut. I spotted a bull elk right by the road, so my dad slowed down hoping for pictures. I saw that my ISO was too low so I looked up for a second to change it, and that's when I saw this guy crossing the road in front of us. We decided to leave the elk for the coyote, so we drove to where he was and quickly got ready. I found him in my viewfinder and took a few shots to make sure I got something. I was just thinking "come on, quit moving...strike a pose!", then he did this!

Sadly, there were a few blades of our native Alberta grass sticking up into his face, so we had to clone them out.

I really like the wet fur look of this guy (thanks to it raining in the night and early morning), and he's got a nice expression on his face here. I also love his pose!

Thanks for viewing!

Nikon D300
Nikkor 200-400mm f/4 ED VR @ 350mm
ISO 800
1/80sec @ f/4
this is about a 65% crop

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on October 21, 2011 at 1:41 AM

I like it too Jenaya. He doesn't look like a happy camper either. Bet he smells like a wet doggie, too. Nice sharp details snd a nice pose. He/she was quite cooperative. Certainly a fall palette of colors which is as it should be. The rain/clouds gave you nice soft lighting, too. Must have been early in a gloomy day judging by your techs. Congratulations on your achievements in the national contest. Will you share those images with us?

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on October 21, 2011 at 4:00 AM

He's certainly a soggy coyote and he doesn't look real enthusiastic about the damp weather either. Great pose and habitat, but I really like the texture and detail shown in his wet fur. Sweet Photo Jenaya

By the waaaay!!! Congrats on your winning photos in Canadian Geographic wildlife photo contest

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on October 21, 2011 at 8:23 AM

Hi Jenaya,

I always like the "look back head turn" that coyotes often give - and this shot shows a fine example of that. I quite like the colour palette on this one - very harmonious. And the composition works well for me. When I look at the larger version the head region looks just a tad soft - I think a little careful (and selective) sharpening of the head might help this image look even better!

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on October 21, 2011 at 1:08 PM

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Brad, you suggested more sharpening on his face. My dad and I had already done some selective sharpening on his face, but now that I look at the image again I can see what you are talking about. I will see if I can do any better with it.

Peter, you wondering if I will be sharing my winning contest images. I just made a post in the Wildlife Forum with my images attached.

Thanks again!

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on October 21, 2011 at 4:07 PM

Jenaya, I like the wet look in this one a lot! I also like the tall grasses and how they seem to be blowing over a bit in the wind.

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

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 22, 2011 at 3:37 PM

I like the wet look and it looks like you responded quickly with the right settings to capture the moment, Jenaya!

I tend to prefer having the 'dead space' in an image weighted more towards the direction of movement or, as in this case, the direction of the 'stare'...so having a bit less on the LHS and more on the RHS would have been ideal for me. Not a deal-breaker...just my 2c

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

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on October 26, 2011 at 3:30 AM

Beautiful shot Jenaya, love the look back over the shoulder as well as the semi-drenched texture of the subject's coat!

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