Adrian Binney, PPSA, LRPS  

Wolves on a Bison Kill by Adrian Binney, PPSA, LRPS

November 2024 - Wolves on a Bison Kill

November 2024 - Adrian Binney, PPSA, LRPS

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About the Image(s)

I field an image from 2012 this month, when we went to Yellowstone in January/February - an amazing adventure, when the 8 guests all looked after each other to be able to cope with the extreme cold. It was a landscape focussed trip, but if there was wildlife to photograph……..!

Well we came across a bison kill by the relatively recently re-introduced wolves (the bison was apparently far from well).

This was taken with my then Canon equipment of Canon (5D and 7D bodies) - with this using the 7D and 70-200 f2.8 lens plus the x2 converter - at its full reach. Settings 1/2,000 f5.6 and ISO 200.

I’ve developed in very recently afresh using mush better Lightroom facilities than 12 years ago and finishing up with Topaz Photo Ai, to sharpen, denoise etc.

7 comments posted

Bruce Benson   Bruce Benson
Hey Adrian, I have visited Yellowstone many time during the winter and only had one opportunity to see wolves on a kill. It was very close to sundown so light was poor and they were about 100 yards way. I did manage to get a few decent images of the 12 wolves at the scene. You were lucky to come upon a kill close enough to get good images. The sun appears quite harsh creating shadows especially on the dark wolf. Todays technology might be able to deal with them, but still would be difficult. Bruce   Posted: 11/13/2024 02:30:02
Dr Isaac Vaisman   Dr Isaac Vaisman
Adrian, great capture. I was in Yellowstone this past January, and just saw 1 wolf about a 1000 yards away. We heard that the day after we left, 8 wolfs took care of a weak bison. kept him in the water until had no choice but come out. The rest is as you depict in your image. I worked with the adjustment brushes, added light to the wolfs and removed a greish cast from the snow.   Posted: 11/14/2024 19:04:04
Comment Image
Adrian Binney   Adrian Binney
Thank you Isaac - I have put an adjusted one up in reply to Chris   Posted: 11/16/2024 17:40:02
Chris Walsh   Chris Walsh
Hi Adrian.

What a moment to witness and capture! As Bruce points out, the light is harsh and the dynamic range is wide, so it'll be a personal choice for where your edit ends up. I think I like something between yours and Isaac's - I like that you kept yours dark enough to not make the edit so obvious, but I think bumping up the overall exposure rather than the shadows might go a long way to make the snow less muddy. I like that Isaac's edit brings the birds out a bit more too - they're a neat part of the story to me.

Thanks for sharing!   Posted: 11/15/2024 22:17:06
Adrian Binney   Adrian Binney
Many thanks Chris, I appreciate you comments here, which are so logical! I've tried to make adjustments to both the snow and mostly the birds (agree with you that they are part of the story).   Posted: 11/16/2024 17:44:22
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Barbara Gore   Barbara Gore
Hi Adrian. This photo captures the harsh realities of survival. Yes, the lighting and shadows are a bit harsh but sometimes raw imagery is needed to convey life as it is. Your re-edited version works well.   Posted: 11/18/2024 15:36:17

 

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