Flight

Gallery: WildlifePosted April 28, 2013754 views15 comments

Nikon D3 @ 70-200 mm VR f/2.8

Aperture f/2.8 & Shutter Speed 1/1000

ISO 6400

Exposure Compensation -0.7

Focal Length 82 mm

The older buck, although acclimated to visitors on the trail in the Little Red School House Nature Center, Cook County Forest Preserves, Illinois, felt threatened by the approach of several photographers. Having photographed him for 3 years, I could sense he was about to lift off over the fallen log, seeking a more secure spot with several unobstructed avenues of departure.

His antlers are still stained blood red because he had only rubbed off the velvet 2 or 3 days before he was captured in flight.

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on April 28, 2013 at 10:07 PM

Steven,
Great job on this image, the detail, the DOF, the surroundings, great moment.
Well done

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on April 28, 2013 at 10:47 PM

Nice anticipation Steven, you caught him just full flight and didn't amputate anything. Colors in the rich habitat and on the buck are very nice indeed. I'm impressed with the relative lack of noise for the hight iso, and good work selecting that iso for the impending action. Unique action photo!!!

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 29, 2013 at 12:08 AM

Very nice action shot!
Great habitat colours and perspective.
Very well-done!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Joana Roncero on April 29, 2013 at 1:51 AM

Nice shot! You capture a great action moment and it is perfectly composed.
Congratulations

Registered on August 27, 2012, 17 Posts, 70 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on April 29, 2013 at 2:25 AM

Steven,
Great capture of the "moment"

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

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on April 29, 2013 at 2:43 AM

Great action shot Steven. Weere you shooting vertical or did you crop to this?

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Claude Dagenais on April 29, 2013 at 6:58 AM

Great action shot of this very nice buck in very low light and close range. Excellent capture Steven.

Registered on April 10, 2013, 56 Posts, 571 Comments

Comment posted by Steven Svalina on April 29, 2013 at 7:02 AM

Reply to Martin Dunn

Shot as a horizontal and cropped. Image captured in a low light environment at 7:45 AM. IMHO, at that time, 2009, this was only possible with a Nikon D3. I caught the lift off to landing sequence in 6 or 7 frames and then my cache was filled.

It is my favorite photograph.

Registered on March 19, 2013, 5 Posts, 23 Comments

Comment posted by jack jaeger jr on April 29, 2013 at 7:26 AM

Good WTD action shot !!

Registered on April 2, 2012, 26 Posts, 355 Comments

Comment posted by Don Westbrook on April 29, 2013 at 10:11 AM

Outstanding!

Registered on January 4, 2013, 11 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by John Clulow on April 29, 2013 at 10:45 AM

"Lfe, force, and beauty.... at once the source, the aim and test of art." -- Alexander Pope.

Your image definitely meets these criteria.

Registered on November 1, 2012, 155 Posts, 1079 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on April 30, 2013 at 12:31 AM

A unique action shot Steven!