Bighorn Stare

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
1

Bighorn Stare.jpg
Bighorn Stare.jpg2000×1545 704 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

There’s a crew of at least 19 Bighorn Rams that hang out in one area near Yellowstone, when the snow builds up at higher elevations. (I counted 19 a couple of times, but am never sure that I counted the all.) This one gave me a head on look as his “buddies” continued to graze. If you look at his horns carefully, you’ll notice that there’s some wear on the ends. This indicates that he’s old enough to breed, but in this crew, there were several bigger and older Rams… The second thing to notice is the big “creases” in both horns the same distance back from his head. This indicates a very hard winter. Such creases are seen every winter and can be used to age the Rams, although sometimes it’s hard to tell a full crease from the standard wrinkles that are part of normal growth.

Specific Feedback

I cropped the full frame image to 8.5 x 11 to emphasize the symmetry, but as I compare the two versions, I’m liking the extra space in the full frame version.

Technical Details

R5, 100-500 @ 233, 1/640 s, f/11, iso 320, braced on car window.

Critique Template

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  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
  • Emotional Impact and Mood:
  • Composition:
  • Balance and Visual Weight:
  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
  • Processing:
  • Technical:
1 Like
2

I like this portrait a lot. One thing I would consider if it were mine would be to slightly dodge its shaded eye and cheek just a touch. Well done.

3

This is a compelling wildlife portrait that captures the strength and character of the bighorn sheep. The texture, focus, and composition are strong, making it a memorable shot. With minor adjustments to background blur and framing, the image could become even more impactful, enhancing the animal’s natural beauty and presence.

Strengths

  1. Sharp Focus: The image is sharply focused on the sheep’s face, particularly its eyes and horns, which is essential in animal portraiture. This clarity draws the viewer in, allowing them to appreciate the animal’s textured fur and rugged horns.
  2. Composition: The symmetrical framing emphasizes the sheep’s face and horns, creating a balanced and centered composition. This framing works well for portraits, bringing attention to the animal’s striking features.
  3. Detail and Texture: You excellently captured the texture of the horns, fur, and even the sheep’s facial expressions. The texture on the horns, in particular, gives a sense of the animal’s age and strength.
  4. Natural Lighting: The lighting is soft and even, without harsh shadows or overexposed areas. This helps to retain details in the fur and horns while making the eyes glisten naturally.

Suggestions for Improvement

  1. Background Blur (Bokeh): The background is pleasantly soft, but a slightly stronger blur could make the bighorn sheep stand out even more, creating a more pronounced separation between the subject and the background.
  2. Additional Lighting on Eyes: Adding a slight catchlight in the eyes could enhance the liveliness of the photo, drawing more attention to the sheep’s expression. This can often be achieved by positioning yourself at a slightly different angle.
  3. Framing: The tight framing works well here, but I was wondering if leaving a bit more space around the horns might give more of a sense of scale and prevent the image from feeling overly cropped. This could also make the animal appear more majestic by showcasing its full horn span against an appropriate background.
1 Like