Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
Is it better to make a subject like this blend a bit into the background, or stand out?
Other Information
Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.
Image Description
I took this image in late evening from a hide in eastern Finland, a stone’s throw from the Russian border. It is only a very small crop to reformat.
Technical Details
Sony a1, Sony 200-600mm lens at 600mm, manual exposure, 1/640th at f/7.1, ISO 1250
First impression: wonderful image. Everything here screams motion. Somehow even the position of the grass in the lower left part seems perfect, leaving the space for that beast.
The small droplets it throws back are a very nice addition, and the looks in its eyes matches the title perfectly.
Couldn’t find anything specific that I didn’t like, sorry…
Personally, I feel that blending in with the BG is more appropriate for this particular image because the Wolf is obviously in his/her hunting mode.
The stance is great, it’s very obvious what going but it’s great to see it in a photograph.
Well done!
Edit: Sorry I didn’t include my initial reaction in this, it’s just that I imagine that most people are going to think “Wow” or “Great Image” when they first see it.
From your description and feedback guide question, you didn’t seem to be asking for any type of emotional response, it seemed to mostly be technical and aesthetic thoughts or advice.
But, I guess I should just say that my initial reaction was “Wow”. How’s that?
Initial reaction: WOW! A wolf, any wolf, is powerful, but this is a super powerful wolf! There is a huge energy in the curvature from the back paw to the nose, and the gaze is riveting! For me, you have just the perfect amount of fitting into the BG while standing out from it – both in color and sharpness of focus. I think the composition of the animal in the frame is perfect, too.
LOvely shot - great story. animal is well processed
Personally, as a wildlife photographer, I prefer separation of subject from the background - to that end i would apply negative clcarity and texture to the background behind the subject but tut consider the opposite for the area in the immediate foreground - lower 1/5th via a gradient
Just my 2 cents…
Hi Charles, I think this is fabulous. Love the intense stalking look of the wolf and the striding stance. I think it stands out fine here for my taste. No nits from me - Very well done!
