Big Nibbler

Gallery: WildlifePosted February 4, 2015180 views10 comments

Hi, this is a young bull moose I photographed last fall in the Gros Ventre area. The colors were so nice I tried a lot of verticals to get more of the leaves and berries. I really like the colors and brown tones even in the background. I tried to frame this bull using the bush and it worked out pretty well even though I wanted a little more room on the righthand side. I was using a fixed lens so I couldn't adjust very well for the distance. I used a wider aperture to blur out the busy background.

I had to expose the dark hair so I think the back paddle is too bright because of that but I left it alone.

I am wondering what you think of this especially if you think there's enough room all around the moose.

This is full frame nothing is cropped. I know what the distance rule is with moose and I was definitely far enough away from it and if anything happened my Dad would've saved me :)

Canon EOS 5DMIII
Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM

ISO 1250 | f/4 | 1/1250s

I changed levels a tiny bit and increased the saturation a tiny bit too.

Thanks so much, Ashleigh

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on February 4, 2015 at 6:19 PM

Ashleigh, I really like this. I think the leaves and berries add a lot. However, it is a bit tight. That is men only nit. However, it is a solid image regardless. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Richard Teller on February 4, 2015 at 6:26 PM

I like the framing for this. It is a good environmental and behavioral shot. All the exposures look good and a nice catch light in the eye. If I might share a story from the Gros Ventre campground. I was there the end of last September and drove to the campground. At the end of the campground I saw a group of people, do I got my camera and walked over. There was a nice bull laying in the grass and two cows in the edge of the woods. I counted 40 photographers in a semi circle around the bull waiting for him to get up and do something. I stood there a couple of minutes and said to myself, "I feel like the moose paparazzi. I left and found some pronghorns that gave me one of the best images I took while there. This is a nice image and I have appreciated the work you have post on npn.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Ashleigh Scully on February 4, 2015 at 6:43 PM

Hi thank you. Thats really sad about so many photographers. I was there in October and it was just a few people and all the moose were free walking around. It was really busy with people when we found bears though.

Registered on November 4, 2013, 36 Posts, 210 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on February 4, 2015 at 7:27 PM

Ashleigh,

I've come close, but never able to see a moose in the wild. It is a very tight composition, but everything fits. There's texture in the back paddle so I would not worry about it............................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on February 5, 2015 at 4:06 AM

Ashleigh,
This is really great, a little tight but there was nothing you could do about it, and no vital parts have been clipped.
Great detail I wonder what the berries taste like

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

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on February 5, 2015 at 8:19 AM

I agree, the surrounding shrub and berries are special additions to the scene. The moose isn't bad either! Keep them coming.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on February 5, 2015 at 1:32 PM

Ashleigh, I really like this photo. The moose looks like he's smiling at you

and the pretty foliage really adds a lot to the image. I think it might be worth considering a bit of a crop off the bottom as I'm not sure that much room on the bottom adds to the image. I would definitely suggest that you use the burn tool in Photoshop (or whatever software you are using) to tone down the bright antler. That will make this image so much better as right now the brightness draws your eyes to that area. Otherwise the exposure is really excellent.

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Dottie Short on February 5, 2015 at 4:13 PM

Ashleigh I think your moose is fabulous. A tiny bit more room would have been nice, but it's a fine images just the way it is. Love seeing the Moose's lower teeth, and the golden leaf color and red berries add the finishing touch.

Registered on April 12, 2010, 61 Posts, 375 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on February 6, 2015 at 10:47 AM

Hi Ashleigh,

It DOES look like the moose is smiling - or at least quite happy! Besides the obvious (the nice depiction of the moose), the thing I like the most about this shot is the overall harmonious colour palette.

For me it feels a bit tight on the left side - I know this is full frame so you can't do anything about it. I agree with those who've suggested this one could benefit from a little selective exposure work (including toning down the brightness of the antler, and - at least in my view - some minor adjustments to the dark tones as well).

But overall - a very appealing image!

Cheers...

Brad

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

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on February 6, 2015 at 11:49 AM

Hi Ashleigh, a cool portrait.

Backing up a bit allowing a hint more breathing space would be good, but perhaps with this image I'm saying it with hindsight rather than being there and in the 'heat of the moment'.

Agree that just some subtle tweaks in the exposure sliders would benefit the image and add some more 'tonal' depth to the overall image.

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments