Quiet Moment

Gallery: WildlifePosted May 27, 201273 views5 comments

I found this black-tailed jackrabbit quietly eating vegetation on my hike around the nature preserve on Friday. This particular hare is very relaxed around people as he/she doesn't seem to mind getting attention. I know it's the same one as it has a missing section of it's left ear and I always find it in about the same location. All the others are off in a flash as soon as you come into view. Maybe this is a buddha bunny. As to the photo, I decided a square crop worked best with the images I had as a traditonal one following the rule of thirds left a lot of brown and uninteresting space to the left. I thought a portrait might be better. So I cropped it by about a third, added some contrast to try and make him pop from the BG more, some minor cloning out, and did the usual sharpening. I had a nice clear FG but the BG veg was right behind him so it was difficult to defocus behind him. Nevertheless, I'm rather pleased with it but would value your opinion and critique as well.

Tech Info

Canon 60D with EF 70-200mm f/4L @ 200 and 1.4 TC = 280mm
1/125th @ f/6.3 and ISO 800
tripod
nothing done to modify behavior

Comments

5 comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on May 27, 2012 at 11:02 PM

I like the image of the jackrabbit. It is sharp and good dof. I do find myself wishing the rest of the rabbit in the picture.

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

Comment posted by John Tobias on May 28, 2012 at 11:49 AM

Good image of the jack rabbit. I think the composition is OK, but wonder what it would be like if you had been able to shoot from a lower position which would have emphasized its big ears. Thanks for sharing, I have not seen one of these guys in years.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on May 28, 2012 at 11:23 PM

The excellent highlights in the eye make the shot. It feels to me like your best focus might be just a hair (hare? sorry...

) behind the subject, on the lines of the grasses instead. I agree a lower perspective and the whole jackrabbit would have been desirable if possible, but this is pleasing as posted.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on June 1, 2012 at 10:12 PM

I love the light here, and the look of the colors of the jackrabbit against the colors of this vegetation. I would love to see a similar image with the entire rabbit. I think it would be gorgeous, like an illustration in a children's book.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Hali Sowle on June 3, 2012 at 8:47 PM

Nice image of the jackrabbit, and interesting that this one is so habituated as compared to others. It seems a bit dark to me and I would have liked to have seen a lower vantage point for the image but it is a nice composition with nice highlight in the eye.

Registered on January 9, 2008, 36 Posts, 582 Comments