Photo
Jun, 2018Views
229
Likes
Awards
Legendary Award
Elite
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This capture was from a trip to the Badlands of South Dakota.Time
The mountain sheep unit, a few ewes and numerous young, were drifting through some precarious terrain. The foot paths they negotiated were mere inches wide, and the abrupt angles of the geology was extreme! I thought it odd that they would be wandering around in the midday hours and was not expecting to see them in such high light of the day.Lighting
Though taken at midday, the light was at enough of an angle that I could capture some details throughout the youngster's anatomy.Equipment
This image was captured using a Canon 5D MKIV, Canon 1.4 teleconverter III, on a Canon 600mm f4 L lens. I utilized a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod with a Mongoose side-mount gimbal.Inspiration
I had been extremely close to a group that morning at sunrise, so close that I used my Canon 70-200 f2.8 L to fill the frame. After that experience, I spent the day hiking and looking for similar opportunities. I drove around a bend, and there was my opportunity! The morning group were all adults, so seeing the young members of this group motivated me to get focused, no pun intended, and immortalize their actions. To see them play among the dangerous terrain, head butting each other, racing up the narrow paths, and even feeding from the ewes that were present, made feel energized and privy to their daily existence.Editing
I am the "Technology Challenged Professor", so my average edit is completed in less than a minute. I commonly adjust the contrast, whites and blacks, with occasional bumps in the clarity slider in Lightroom. When I teach my students "Fundamentals of Photography", I stress "getting it right in camera.In my camera bag
This day, I was tooled up for wildlife, distant landscapes, and broad vistas. I had two Canon 5D MKIV's, 600mm f4 L, 70-200mm f2.8 L, and a Tamron 16-30 f2.8. I also had a few filter systems along for the landscape opportunities.Feedback
I know many photographers say it is not the gear, but being fortunate enough to have some great equipment definitely helped pull this and the rest of the photographs from that day off. At high magnification, use as good of a tripod as you can afford, it will salvage your shot! And as an Italian friend of mine always said of the lottery," you no (ah) can (na) win (na) if (a) you no (ah) play".... Patsy Romano. So my biggest advice, get out and shoot!
