Alone Against the...

Gallery: WildlifePosted January 20, 2014322 views11 comments

Alone Against the Elements

While Steller Sea Lions are normally gregarious, sometimes - like in this shot - you can catch them alone. We were cruising around a small, remote group of islands in a small Zodiac when, as we were completing a circle around a wind- and surf-swept rock, we were presented with this scene. I instantly thought "wow, beautiful scene - a classic sea lion 'scape." We were between cloud bursts and behind us the clouds were thin, thus beautifully illuminating the scene with reasonably bright (but still soft and diffuse) light, but leaving the threatening skies in the background dark. The net result was that the colors of the rock and lion absolutely popped - especially against that foreboding sky and rapidly approaching storm.

I've seen and photographed enough sea lions now to know that this type of scene is just so, so typical of where they live. We would consider the conditions harsh, unforgiving, and virtually unbearable. Yet to the sea lions they just seem to be as a matter of course - completely normal - and (apparently) as comfortable as can be. So while I was thinking "inhospitable" and that this guy was "Alone Against the Elements" (and attempted to convey that with this shot), he was probably thinking "Hmmm...nice day, time to catch a few rays". Yet one more reminder of how wimpy we Homo sapiens really are!

Subject: Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) just lovin' the weather!
Location:Northern Vancouver Island region, BC, Canada
Camera: Nikon D4
Lens: Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR lens at 280mm - hand-held from floating (and "majorly bucking in the swells") Zodiac. VR on and in "Active" mode.
Exposure: 1/1600s @ f7.1; ISO 900. +0.33 stop compensation compensation from matrix-metered exposure setting.
Crop: Minor - this is at least 95% of full frame - just a sliver off the bottom.

A lot more info about this shot - including processing details and a 2400 pixel version of it - can be found right here on my website:

http://www.naturalart.ca/galleries/latest/

Feedback always appreciated!

Cheers...

Brad

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on January 20, 2014 at 1:26 PM

Seeing the photo I also thought, "Wow, beautiful scene - classic seal lion 'scape". Quite often it seems that animals will take to a high point of land to survey their surroundings and it makes for a dramatic scene indeed. The "not so little" details of the wave crashing on the island, the extended neck of the sealion and the slice of dark sky behind him adds to the complete package! Great stuff as usual Brad!

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

Comment posted by Rick Turner on January 20, 2014 at 5:13 PM

Nice story and superb capture with subject even looking back to see who was looking at him and maybe whistling for some attention.

Great work here..

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 20, 2014 at 6:16 PM

I love the layers you have in this image sstarting with the blue sea - adding the "splash" of white, the different levels of rock and then the sea lion on top of it with the dramatic backdrop. A really nice composition and I like the somewhat proud look of the animal.

I find it interesting you used the 80-400mm lens since it's not exactly a "pro" lens - but I suppose pairing it with a D4 helps

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on January 20, 2014 at 8:57 PM

Luke,

You said:

"I find it interesting you used the 80-400mm lens since it's not exactly a "pro" lens - but I suppose pairing it with a D4 helps."

In all seriousness I'm not sure there's a clear-cut distinction or designation of which FX lens are "pro" lenses vs. "non-pro" lenses. Being anal, I tested this lens extensively and found it to be on par optically with the 200-400 f4 VR at all overlapping focal lengths (and it's a whole lot smaller, lighter, and thus easier to handle). So "pro" or not, it's capable of pro results!

Cheers...

Brad

PS: I'm in the final stages of writing up my review on the 80-400 and that review will begin appearing later this week on my website...

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

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on January 20, 2014 at 11:52 PM

He is posing perfectly for you Brad; are you rewarding him with fish maybe??? That could be construed as baiting you know, which, as you very well aware of, is not allowed in this gallery!

Great shot of an amazing scene.

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

Comment posted by John Tobias on January 21, 2014 at 8:00 AM

Nice one Brad! Great pose of the sea lion. I do wish there was a bit more detail in the white water, but overall a very striking image, thanks for sharing and the story behind the photo.

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

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on January 21, 2014 at 3:14 PM

Lovely shot as per usual, Brad - we both love us some animalscapes

I am looking forward to your 80-400 writeup. I used it briefly last year on a trip and paired it with my D3s and D800 and found I got better results on my D3s (but given it was a walking safari and I was shooting handheld most of the time, perhaps I wasn't dialing in fast enough shutter speeds for the D800's sensor

)

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

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on January 22, 2014 at 6:57 AM

Classic scene with great feel !
I really love the storm clouds; dark rocks and Sea Lion at the top!
I echo John's comments to see more details in the wave crashing, which really adds to the scene.
Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on January 22, 2014 at 7:27 AM

The texture and colors on the rocks, along with the crashing wave, make this for me. Also, the light is sweet. It looks like the sea lion is basking in a shaft of sunlight. As always, well done.

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by William Bickle on January 25, 2014 at 4:30 PM

Hello Brad

This guy seems so proud to be on top and looking over his domain!

Can imagine his feelings here...The wind in your face, Alone, enjoying the moment!

Great to see such a scene with great lighting and waves breaking, adding to this capture!