Wapiti

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Wapiti
Photo Information
Copyright: The dude who loves Frogs (AnimalExplorer) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1022 W: 9 N: 2201] (8244)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-02
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Nikon D200, NIKKOR 200-400mm 1:4G AF-S VR
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Mammal [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-03-12 4:37
Viewed: 872
Points: 44
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Wapiti or Elk
Cervus canadensis

This was a very cold dark day and this shot was taken close to the evening. Somewhat of a difficult shot with low lighting. I bumped my ISO to 400 which help compensate.

A magnificant and graceful animal was the first thing I was thinking when this gorgeous fellow came hoofin it over the snowy hill at Yellowstone National Park. The size of these beast are enormous and I felt dwarfed by it's presence. The power of these creatures are definitely not to be under estimated as I had witness a female fend off six wolves that very same day.


Siberian and American Elk, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after the moose (Alces alces). Elk are also referred to as "wapiti", which is from the Native American word waapiti, or "white rump" used by the Shawnee. Elk are widely distributed across North America and Eastern Asia, and have been transplanted to other countries such as New Zealand and Argentina. American elk are not to be confused with the European animal also known as the elk, which is the moose of North America. Early European explorers to North America, who were familiar with the smaller Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) of Europe, believed that the much larger North American animal looked more like moose, which in Europe is called an elk. The renaming has become part of the common vocabulary of North Americans.

Until recently, the elk and the European Red Deer were considered the same species, but recent DNA evidence has demonstrated that they are different species. According to the study, another even more closely related species to the Elk than the Red Deer is the Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) of Asia.

Elk are one of the largest mammals that inhabit North Asia (Southern Siberia, Mongolia), temperate Eastern Asia (including Manchuria, Ussuri Region, Northern China, and Korea), and much of North America. They have a unique mating ritual in which males perform posturing, antler wrestling and especially bugling, a loud series of screams designed to help attract females and to establish dominance over other males. Elk populations are currently increasing in North America, but population figures in Eastern Asia are not well established. In some parts of the world, where elk have been transplanted, they have proven to be highly adaptable and are considered to be an invasive species that may pose a threat to existing endemic species.

Source


Paul Bratescu Copyright 2007 All rights reserved
Janice, SelenE, clnaef, Jamesp, Adanac, GLEM, jcoowanitwong, marcin, fiyo, pauljk, stevkds, scottevers7, marhowie, claudine, loot, cecilia, horia has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 144 N: 5582] (16516)
  • [2007-03-12 4:49]

Hi Paul, terrific shot and interesting note. I like your pov and composition looking up at the animal coming over the hill. Very good exposure, even though you say it was late in the day. Well captured, he looks quite tired plodding along in the snow. Well done,
Janice

Bonjour,
Bel atmosphère qui met en évidence ce splendide cerf.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2298 W: 58 N: 4010] (13114)
  • [2007-03-12 5:09]

Hello Paul,
I liked the light, the mood, and the composition a lot. TFS
Selen

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1175 W: 0 N: 4262] (12492)
  • [2007-03-12 5:59]

Hi Paul

This is an amazing shot - almost abstract. The sharpness is terrific and I love the way the antlers seem to fade away into the sky.
James

hi paul,
very nice shot, well composed with fine pov, nice natural colour tones,the light bg is in good contast with the animal,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1043 W: 1 N: 4023] (13228)
  • [2007-03-12 7:23]

Hi Paul,
Great capture of a stately animal, your tight composition gives him the attention he deserves. Very nice colors and sharp details for the limited light.
Rick

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 507 W: 81 N: 670] (5182)
  • [2007-03-12 7:53]

hi Paul,
c'est vraiment une belle image, dans des conditions climatiques difficiles. Très bon contraste de couleur. Excellente netteté.

tfs

Really nice shot of this beautiful animal, Paul.
Details, colours & pose are good.
TFS
Ralf

Hi Paul,
Beautiful elk. Magnificent antlers. Sharp and crisp clear image. I like the mood of this picture and the way you composed. Very well done and tfs.
JC

  • Great 
  • marcin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 148 W: 0 N: 153] (1357)
  • [2007-03-12 13:02]

hello Paul
amazing shot and interesting note. Well done,
tfs
marcin

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 965 W: 5 N: 2183] (7934)
  • [2007-03-12 13:16]

Hello Paul,
Very nice capture with perfect POV.Colors,lighting,sharpness and framing are excellent.TFS

Hi Paul,
Wow! Great composition...simplicity of the image is what makes this one. Well handled exposure. Looks like very cold shooting conditions...nothing like we get over here in NZ.
Cheers
Paul

amazing pic, TFS Ori

I like this a lot Paul.
Very well done. tfs. stev

Hi Paul,
This looks excellent in the vertical format. Exposure is really great. Amazing all the different colors and tones in the fur. Nice sharp detail. The minimalist surroundings enhance the elk very much.
Scott

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3085 W: 231 N: 5879] (19530)
  • [2007-03-13 1:01]

What a fantastic set of antlers on this magnificent elk, Paul.
Great POV, sharp details, good light.
I wish there were a bit more space for him to walk into.
Being such a huge animal, he seems a bit tightly cropped in.
TFS. : )

Excellent results under low light conditions Paul. All the ducks lined up very well..very well indeed :)
Magnificent animal, what a rack!
Very well done.

Hello Paul,
It must have been an impressive encounter indeed. These are very big animals and standing close to them must be an experience that one can't forget. This is a very good capture with excellent details, exposure, composition and pose. This low POV makes the animal looks huge. I like those tones of colors and very good exposure. Your notes are interesting too. Thanks!
Claudine

Terrific indeed:
The mood, the colors, the antlers. WOW!~
Impressive shot.
TFS
JM

This is a beautiful sharp image, great quality shot.
Well done...
Cecilia

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2059 W: 220 N: 3571] (11664)
  • [2007-03-26 8:05]

Hi Paul and really sorry for the late return, but i was actually gone on a field trip :)

I aparently missed this one when you initially posted it but when i saw it a couple of days ago in your gallery...i couldn't help myself :))

It's magnificent!!!
The POV here is exceptional and the pose of the elk is terrific! Also the fact that it doesn't have a "complicated" BG is a big plus and that sure makes it stand out even better.
The exposure here was a bit difficult i presume, but you handled it perfectly and that gave you a great set of well saturated colors and tones o the subject without burning the Sky or snow.
The DOF is also impeccable and it keeps all the subkject in full focus, with plenty of sharp details allover.

Brilliant work!
Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5677 W: 602 N: 3179] (8505)
  • [2007-04-09 12:17]
  • [2]

Hi Paul

Sorry, but I did not forget my promise. I am just terribly slow in catching up.

Nothing less expected, nothing less encountered – so it is no surprise to find another clinical result from your hands. Maybe you might think that I am repeating myself, but I cannot help it when I view one of your postings. The fact remains that every single one is always immaculate. So, please endure me and allow me to reiterate this fabulous attribute as the outstanding characteristic of your talent and labour. Of course it is rather difficult to say this to a "Nikon" man, but I am sure I will survive (chuckle).

You have the skill and tremendous ability to achieve optimum application of whatever lighting condition you might encounter, be it sparse (as reported and evident with this photo) or be it in abundance. Your portfolio reveals sufficient confirmation of this ability to anyone who might care to go and take a look. The sharpness in your photos is another aspect that never fails to amaze me. All your shots are always executed with surgical precision resulting in such remarkable material, and it is this feature that really differentiate your work and gives it the distinctly identifiable "AnimalExplorer" (or Toucadoo) mark of quality (and it definitely has nothing to do with the "doo"). The other technical facets such as composition, POV, colours, BG, etc. are invariably always in alignment with the aforementioned aspects. Your portfolio contains such diverse and spectacular content which is just another illustration of your continuous efforts and endeavours to find and present constant variety.

This shot is testimony of all the above mentioned elements and clearly underlines your contribution towards and accomplishments on the TrekNature site.

Excellent work and TFS.
Regards
Loot

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