Swim!

Gallery: WildlifePosted July 15, 2013158 views6 comments

From my recent trip to Jasper N.P(what an awesome place!). Late on Canada Day we spotted this cow trying to get her calf to swim across the fast flowing Athabasca river. This image is just before the cow realized the calf was not going to make it. She then swam down to the calf and herded it back to the far shore way down stream from where they started. The poor calf could barely muster a shake to get dry.
5DMk II
300 f/2.8 w/ 1.4 T.C.
ISO 640
f/7.1 @ 1/800

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on July 15, 2013 at 7:01 PM

You captured the sense of drama in the situation, as I did not have to read the narrative to understand what might be happening. Given the lighting present, I think you did as well as possible and came out with a fine documentary of the moment.

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

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on July 15, 2013 at 7:12 PM

You really captured some wildlife drama in action. You were certainly in the right place at the right time. The light is slightly harsh but it detracts little appreciation of the image. There are probably two ways of looking at the composition. You elected to show the fast flowing water in the lower 2/3 of the frame, it shows the volume of water and why the calf is struggling. The other option might have been to show more of the far shore in the background and reduce the foreground to 1/3. If I had shot this I might have tried it both ways then picked the one that looked best, or told the story best. Always nice to have options, especially with digital where it's free to shoot as much as we want.

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

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on July 15, 2013 at 7:37 PM

Well told! Nothing better than a photo which actually has a story, instead of demonstrating the photographer's prowess!

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on July 16, 2013 at 2:32 AM

Brad,

Whilst this may not be the words most technically perfect shot, it clearly captures the moment perfectly.

I agree entirely with the comment made by Phil

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

Comment posted by Brad Clinch on July 16, 2013 at 12:28 PM

Thank you all for the comments, it certainly was a dramatic event. Gary, thanks for your generous comment suggesting I "selected" to include more of the foreground when in reality I was so absorbed in the moment I never even thought of your excellent suggestion to try a different composition! That river was flowing so fast the pair was nearly out of view before I had time to think.

Registered on January 5, 2013, 37 Posts, 261 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Clinch on July 28, 2013 at 11:42 AM

Just a note on this image, it was spotted on NPN and picked up by Solent News in the UK. Here is a link; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2376591/Dramatic-moment-baby-moose-rescued-mother-torrent-Jasper-National-Park-Canada.html
The power of NPN!

Registered on January 5, 2013, 37 Posts, 261 Comments