|
Post by nikonbob on Oct 1, 2010 11:54:20 GMT -5
Well we had our little jaunt out west to the mountains. Unfortunately the weather was very changeable with rain and snow mixed with sun. Still being in the mountains at anytime is great. Bob Both Elk shots are heavy crops, still need a longer lens.
|
|
daveh
Lifetime Member
Posts: 4,696
|
Post by daveh on Oct 1, 2010 12:09:57 GMT -5
My first thought was "were you injured?", my second "what a great set of photos!"
I particularly like number four. The changeable weather works. Which way to go on the pontoon, left or right? As the cloud rolls in, the uncertainty which is the right direction will become more acute.
|
|
|
Post by nikonbob on Oct 1, 2010 12:29:29 GMT -5
Thanks Dave, I prefer longer lenses to getting too close to anything that is in rut especially deer, elk and moose. I'll leave the getting close part to the younger more agile group. There were actually two floating T docks at the lake but they were in the process of removing the other for the season when we got there. With the weather I don't wonder why. Last year at that same time of year the weather was about 30c and there was a cow moose feeding in the water between the two docks. You could have reached out an touched her from the dock.
Bob
|
|
photax
Lifetime Member
Posts: 1,915
|
Post by photax on Oct 1, 2010 13:50:50 GMT -5
Bob, wonderful pictures ! I have never seen elks in the wild. The third picture looks like an Austrian mountain area ( with the red-white flag ) Your B/W picture is outstanding ! MIK
|
|
mickeyobe
Lifetime Member
Resident President
Posts: 7,280
|
Post by mickeyobe on Oct 1, 2010 15:08:15 GMT -5
Bob,
Splendid photos.
How did you get that black outline around the elk in the second picture?
Mickey
|
|
|
Post by nikonbob on Oct 1, 2010 16:16:03 GMT -5
MIK
Thanks, yea mountains tend to be similar the world over and a great place to be. As a coincidence in the town where the photo was taken there is an Austrian family that runs a hostel in a a very Austrian style house. I guess they thought the area felt like home.
Mickey
Thanks, if you mean the black strip down his spine, I took another look at the RAW file and it is there too. If that is not what you mean then it is down to bad PP on my part I am afraid. Both photos are of the same bull elk so it is a bit strange.
Bob
|
|
SidW
Lifetime Member
Posts: 1,107
|
Post by SidW on Oct 1, 2010 19:11:09 GMT -5
You certainly had a good day Bob. Just how close were you to those elks? And what focal length would you have preferred? There's a trade-off in that they get bulkier as they get longer, trickier to use in the hand, and faster shutter speeds usually mean less DOF.
|
|
|
Post by olroy2044 on Oct 1, 2010 19:23:51 GMT -5
Wonderful ! I can almost hear him bugling in shot #2. Thanks for sharing. Roy
|
|
|
Post by nikonbob on Oct 1, 2010 20:06:45 GMT -5
SidW
Thanks, I would guess we were 150 meters/yards or more away. I would have preferred a 600 to 800mm lens but that is just too scary price and size wise. These are very big crops and are about 1/8th the area of the original file. It might print an acceptable 8x10. I was using a D700 and 70-300 VR @ 300 hand held for these. The first was f5.8 @ 1/250 iso 800 and the second was f8 @ 1/160 iso 800. I can't say enough good things about this camera lens combo and coupled with a 24-85 afs lens is my light weight travel combo. I am too old and lazy to want to use a tripod and heavier lenses.
Roy
Thanks, and they were bugling. That is a great sound isn't it.
Bob
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2010 22:31:04 GMT -5
Fortunate to see a bull elk. In our area they reintroduce wolves about a decade ago. Now there are lots of wolves and a lot less elk. And the elk that are around stay out of sight. A friend was elk hunting last fall, blew his elk call and three wolves almost ran over him before they realized he didn't have a fur coat.
|
|
|
Post by nikonbob on Oct 1, 2010 23:14:37 GMT -5
It is very hard to make heads or tails of the wolf saga both here and across the border. Some look at it this way www.watertonpark.com/reference/predators.htm . Which ever way you look at the situation, one thing is for sure and that is wolves were historically part of a balanced eco system in the region we were in. I remember being in Yellowstone NP in the spring and seeing wolves trotting past herds of Buffalo with many calves present and did not witness any wanton killing of calves. I am not saying they don't kill Buffalo calves or other big game but they seemed to fit in there after their re-introduction to the park a few years before. With wolves there seems to be no middle ground, you either hate them or love them. We have always had them in our neck of the woods and I just take them for granted as part of the package. Bob
|
|
daveh
Lifetime Member
Posts: 4,696
|
Post by daveh on Oct 2, 2010 4:52:03 GMT -5
As a general thought: we blame wolves, seals or whatever but the real truth is that man is the great destroyer of animal stocks today. Man also is responsible for artificially high numbers of some animals e.g. cattle and hens. Bison almost died out because the white man didn't see their purpose, other than for being hunted. Left to their own devices animals will sort themselves out. Had wolves been able to decimate (we seldom use that word correctly, and I'm no exception) the other animals they would have died out centuries ago. There would now be no elk and no wolves. I'm not necessarily on the side of the wolves, but man is the biggest culprit by far.
|
|
mickeyobe
Lifetime Member
Resident President
Posts: 7,280
|
Post by mickeyobe on Oct 2, 2010 8:05:37 GMT -5
As Bison almost died out because the white man didn't see their purpose, other than for being hunted. Dave, Bison died out because the white men slaughtered them, primarily, in order to destroy the aboriginal populations and cultures. Men like William Cody (Buffalo Bill) killed them, not for meat or hides or even bones but for sport and the thrill of the kill. Their carcasses were left to rot untouched. Mickey
|
|
|
Post by nikonbob on Oct 2, 2010 11:50:01 GMT -5
Mickey
When you look back at history it is never neat and tidy but plenty there to give you pause to wonder.
Bob
|
|
|
Post by nikonbob on Oct 2, 2010 11:54:37 GMT -5
I was curious what a B&W conversion of #3 would look like. Not too bad but colour certainly adds to the photo. Pity the poor pre colour film shooters, they sure had a handicap. Bob
|
|