Moose Portrait
Neighborhood moose licking his lips after eating his fill of willow leaves. He seemed to be saying, "That's enough portraits".
Shot with C...
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Neighborhood moose licking his lips after eating his fill of willow leaves. He seemed to be saying, "That's enough portraits".
Shot with Canon 70D, 100-400mm lens at sunset.
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Shot with Canon 70D, 100-400mm lens at sunset.
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Jul, 2016Views
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Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
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MamaShazsWildLife
February 12, 2017
A contender for overall winner of the Odd Animal Poses Challenge. Thanks for submitting.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken less than a block from my home in Calgary - a Canadian city of more than a million people. A nearby ravine park brings wildlife well into the city limits and occasionally we get some larger visitors. This young moose just starting to grow his antlers had been seen in the area however he was elusive and I missed several chances to capture him in good light.Time
I shot this photo at 6:37 PM on June 14th. Although it was about 3 hours before sunset, the location was in a valley with tall trees so the light was getting lower to the horizon.Lighting
The moose was moving around on the hillside so I had varying lighting conditions depending on his mood. Lucky on the timing because many of the shots didn't have lighting on the eye and profile like this one.Equipment
I shot this with a Canon 70D on a monopod, EF100-400 mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM, 1/500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 640Inspiration
This photo experience reminded me of why I love photography – and especially capturing wildlife! I was planning a hike to look for the provincial flower of Alberta (the Wild Rose) for an online photo challenge but had no idea where to start. When I got a call that there was a moose in the neighbourhood, I grabbed my camera bag and headed to the woods nearby. I spent an amazing hour with a very calm, very large yearling bull - getting hundreds of shots. As I was packing up to leave the area, I saw that there were Wild Roses all around me! I quietly changed my long zoom lens to a 50mm prime and shot the flowers while keeping a very close eye on the moose about 75 yards away. An incredible evening followed by the post-processing discovery of a special shot!Editing
Yes, I did minor adjustments in Adobe Lightroom including sharpening, tonal changes to shadows with dehaze and clarity bumped slightly and lens profile correction enabled. My Canon tends to be stronger in the reds/magentas so I reduced saturation there as well.In my camera bag
My camera is a Canon EOS 70D. My lenses include a Canon EF100-400 mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM zoom lens (usually on the camera and over my shoulder – it is a beast); Canon 18-135mm 3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens, Canon EF50mm f1.8 prime (nifty fifty is a bargain with amazing clarity), Sigma EX10-20mm 4-5.6 HSM wide angle lens, Insignia collapsible reflector, Pixel TC-252 Remote Control, Yongnuo YN560 Speedlite flash and a turkey baster for dusting.Feedback
“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks” -John Muir Although I knew the general area that I might find this young bull moose, it still was an incredibly exciting - and potentially dangerous - moment when I first found him. For 30 minutes I had scouted the edges of a forested ravine with no luck so I followed a game trail through some thick trees. As I quietly rounded a corner, he was standing in the path less than 5 yards ahead, facing away from me. At that range he looked enormous – standing over 6 feet at his shoulder. We saw each other at the same time however he did not show aggression or sudden movement. I immediately backed around the corner and very quickly retreated back into the clearing. A moose encounter has the potential to be just as dangerous as a bear encounter. If a moose feels threatened, it may charge at the person that has invaded its space. Unlike a bear encounter, walking quickly, or if safe to do so, running away from an angry moose will not lead to a sustained attack; it will likely prevent it. Circling around the trees at a safe distance I found an area about 75 yards upwind and set up to wait. The young bull emerged from the forest a short while later and I was able to photograph him while he was feeding on willows. The moose was very relaxed and aware of my presence. Photographers should always be aware of body language and signals being sent by the animal. Also, your position should never interfere with any natural escape routes the moose may want to take. Plan for your exit path before the situation changes. Always remember - moose are HUGE wild animals that know how to defend themselves with incredible speed. Signals such as its ears are back, or a lowering of the head or raised hackles on the neck/mane are strong indicators of aggressiveness and you must leave the area quickly. Similar to a horse, the ears forward and erect is the animal being alert, back and down over the head is aggressive. As harmless as a moose encounter may seem, it is important to have a high level of respect for these animals if they feel threatened. Good safe shooting!
