Bighorn Ewe

Gallery: WildlifePosted December 25, 201415,404 views8 comments

While driving up towards Marshall Pass in Colorado to shoot fall color earlier this year we ran into a small group of Bighorn Sheep in the middle of the single lane dirt road. 3 of the 4 animals retreated slightly into the aspens, still in sight but in the trees a bit. This ewe, who had been digging for something in the dirt on the road kept coming back down to the road right in front of me. She would retreat every time a car came by but would then quickly walk back to the road, paying me almost no mind at all. This was when she was up the hill slightly from me after a car had come by.

Nikon D800, AF-S VR 80-400 @80mm
Maybe a 30% crop (70% of the original image) and slightly straightened.
ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/400, hand held.

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on December 25, 2014 at 7:00 PM

What an interesting photo. Can't say I've seen anything similar. Your POV makes it seem like the ewe is in some sort of a stockade here. You certainly got a nice view of her from the cooperation exhibited. Guessing it was some sort of mineral trace she was attracted to on the road. I would have liked that odd sapling to be gone on the right but it's there. Nevertheless an interesting composition.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on December 25, 2014 at 10:24 PM

Very unique capture. I'm with Peter. I don't think I've ever seen anything similar to this. In a perfect world, the right hand sapling would not be there, but still a unique image.

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

Comment posted by John Tobias on December 25, 2014 at 11:44 PM

I agree, get rid of the trunk on the right and you will have a knock out photo! I also have not seen one in aspens like this. I have seen a ewe keep coming down to a road and then move back as a car came. Thanks for sharing.

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

Comment posted by Max Waugh on December 26, 2014 at 2:06 PM

This is a really unique environment for a bighorn shot. I think if you crop out the dark trunk (and maybe subsequently a tiny bit off the bottom), thus emphasizing the great pattern created by those tree trunks, it'll turn out really nice.

Max

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

Comment posted by Brad Hill on December 27, 2014 at 8:32 AM

Hi Clinton,

Love the leaves on the ground and the nice patch of yellow in the top left corner (and it goes without saying that the repeating background of aspen is great). I'm with the others wishing that the darker trunk on the right wasn't there, but I have to say cropping it will change the composition considerably and leave the subject really dead-centre. With just a little work it could be "replaced" (a combination of content-aware fill and cloning in Photoshop), but I'm not suggesting you SHOULD do that...(ethical can of worms there for some).

Very nice...thanks for sharing this one...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on December 27, 2014 at 6:03 PM

A very cool bighorn sheep photo Clinton

Very unusual habitat with the surrounding aspen forest. Nicely seen and captured. I agree with Brads suggestions.

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on December 27, 2014 at 9:07 PM

Same critique from me as others about the dark tree...but not sure I see a way around it which would still make this work. Still nice image. I like the setting a lot.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on December 30, 2014 at 1:55 AM

What a unique and pleasing bighorn image, Clinton! I love the setting and light here, though to my eye it could benefit from a touch more contrast. I would also echo Brad's thoughts re comp. Wow, what a cool scene though!

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments