The confrontational type

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 29, 2013644 views14 comments

We had been observing and photographing this big bull chasing a smaller one out of its territorial waters out onto the floodplains. It is truly amazing how fast these 2000+ kg animals can run! As this one was slowly walking back towards the river it suddenly started charging straight at us in the boat. I wasn’t prepared and had to shoot with the 500. I clipped him with the right frame edge and cropped a little tighter.

Angry bull hippopotamus amphibius.
Chobe, Botswana
Camera Model Canon EOS-1DX
Shutter Speed 1/2000 Sec.
Aperture Value f/4.5
ISO Speed 800
Lens EF500mm f/4L IS USM

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on October 29, 2013 at 2:56 PM

Wow, what a dramatic moment, right down to the flying drool. It's a pity you were too tight, but at least you captured the essence of the encounter.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on October 29, 2013 at 3:13 PM

Shame about the clipping Vincent but even so the head on shot of the hippo with mouth open is a strong reminder of just how dangerous these guys are.
Great reactions.

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

Comment posted by John Tobias on October 29, 2013 at 3:21 PM

I am surprised you were able to get this good of photo, speaks to your skill level. I must admit this did bring back memories of when I and a couple other zoo keepers hand raised a hippo who's mother died in a freak accident. Also, when the bull charged myself and other keeper while we were in the exhibit. Not a fun time! Thanks for sharing and bringing back memories.

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on October 29, 2013 at 7:57 PM

Truly an outstanding image - the detail in this shot is really off the chart and it's really no matter that the animal is clipped a bit. Any chance you'll give us a B&W version?

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on October 30, 2013 at 12:40 AM

Hey John, at least you lived to tell the tale, some are not so lucky!
Luke, this is a link to a B&W version.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on October 30, 2013 at 1:19 AM

Vincent,
Great capture of the moment, this is a perfect example of a good use of the 200-400mm

I'll bet you are glad you were on a boat

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on October 30, 2013 at 8:42 AM

Hey Vincent,

Cool shot - that's quite the set of teeth and tusks - guessing you were wishing this guy would switch to the passive-aggressive type right about when you were shooting this!

The clipping is totally understandable. I'm thinking one option might now be to crop it even tighter - to me with this crop the clipping is still evident and appears to be accidental (or, if you will, a "mistake") - maybe go with an "active" portrait (that includes cutting off at least one other part of the hippo to make it look more intentional). Just a thought.

So...curious...wondering how the encounter ended? Given you posted this, I'm guessing it didn't go completely bad...

Cheers...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Rick Andrews on October 30, 2013 at 8:44 AM

Great shot Vincent and until I read your description I thought perhaps you'd purposely framed the shot this way, anyway great capture of a very dramatic moment. Well done.

Registered on December 31, 2011, 45 Posts, 222 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on October 30, 2013 at 11:48 AM

An action packed image !!!
Must have been an awful experience, you'll never forget.

Can make a wonderful cover shot!
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on October 30, 2013 at 2:41 PM

How did it end? Well not as spectacular as one may assume from this image. The bull stopped the charge once close to the shore. We did not move, maybe that discouraged him, but even so a hippo would not be able to jump from the shore onto a boat a few meters from the shore. He veered away to our side and slid into the water whilst giving us some seriously angry looks.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on October 31, 2013 at 1:22 AM

Yeeecsch, that's a seriously ugly mouth. The lighting is perfect for this head on approach. I agree with Brad's suggestion to crop a bit tighter. This photo really gives the viewer a vivid sense of their strength and ferocity.

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

Comment posted by David Bogener on October 31, 2013 at 5:07 PM

Well done Vincent. This is the most interesting and intimate hippo image I have seen. Thanks for posting. Dave

Registered on October 30, 2013, 417 Posts, 1255 Comments

Comment posted by Don Westbrook on October 31, 2013 at 7:39 PM

Hell, I love it just the way it is. Still room for Botswana Tourism to fit a tag line on the image. Well done.

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

Comment posted by keith mitchell on November 11, 2013 at 6:31 AM

Vincent you did very well to keep your nerve, excellent shot.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments