The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Another photo from the 2007 collection of Yellowstone images I recently reworked. This also happens to be one of my favorite wildlife encounters, and probably my favorite YNP photo.
It was taken the same day as my last coyote den shot I shared here (just two of the many amazing highlights that day). I entered the Lamar Valley that morning and quickly spied a large crowd of wolf watchers, all set up to watch a distant black wolf on the valley floor a few hundred meters away. I overheard someone mentioning another wolf that was “somewhere” down the road… so I decided to go for a walk. I eventually came to the next pullout, occupied by a single vehicle. I asked the driver if he had heard about a wolf in this direction. He pointed at the slope above us… and there it was.
The wolf stared out into the valley, presumably at its pack mate, and it wasn’t until it howled and started coming down toward the road that the rest of the crowd realized it was there. For a few moments there, it was just me, the wolf and one other person. Pretty special.
(It’s possible I posted this ages ago on the old NPN, but since it’s recently had a re-edit, I figured it was okay to share it again. Apologies to those with photographic memories who don’t like retreads. )
Technical Details
Canon 20D(!)
Canon 500mm + 1.4x
ISO 400
1/500th
f/5.6
The centered composition always works well with head-on views like this, Max and the habitat is worth showing off. I was still using the old 20D for documentary shots on crab monitoring a few years ago and it’s still working just fine. A wonderful encounter when you think about how many wolf-watchers there are at Yellowstone.
Wow, what a great shot! I have followed your photos on your website and have always loved your Yellowstone photos. I love the wolf’s posture and expression. The foreground and background are great! Very nice photo.
Oh! This is so beautiful. The wolf, the background and your editing has worked a treat. The front on pose is very dynamic.
What a joy it must have been to see him in his own world.
I have images of a dingo at Well 30 on the Canning Stock Route in Western Australia. It was an encounter I will never forget. We were alone. Just him, my husband and I. I might dig out the images, but to my recollection, he looks like any other dog.
I was still using the old 20D for documentary shots on crab monitoring a few years ago and it’s still working just fine.
Amazing. The only DSLR I still own these days is my 1DXII, which I saved to pair with an underwater housing. Took five years, but I finally used the combo for the first time last year. Waiting for another “big marine wildlife” trip to dust them off again.
Hi Max !
You managed to extract great quality form 20D Canon and I like the IQ of image. Was it a 20mp camera?
I may slightly reduce the saturation of greens touching top end.
Cheers !
I have been to Yellowstone over a dozen times. I KNOW how difficult is to get a decent image of a wolf. The setting with the blurred background and the in-focus foreground adds quite a bit. The centered subject works here. Lightning in a bottle. An image like this is truly amazing.
Wow, Max. What a day in the valley. Sensational. What a stunning looking wolf and at such close range. Ears are up and you have a nice quizzical look from the wolf. I love that it’s dead center. It works really well. What an amazing experience to witness this wolf with just yourself and one other person. It must have felt like the wolf was talking to you.
)