Dr Isaac Vaisman, APSA, PPSA
January 2025 - Javelina Family
About the Image(s)
We were in South Texas on a birds of Texas workshop, and while at one of the water holes, suddenly a large herd or as also called a squadron of Javelinas showed up for a drink. Javelinas also known as Peccaries or skunk pigs. They are often confused as domestic pigs since like a pig, it has a snout ending in a cartilaginous disc, and have eyes that are small relative to the size of the head.They are omnivores and eat roots,insects, small animals although their preferred food is the cactus prickly pears. Their tail is small and discreet.
This image was created using a Nikon Z9 with the Nikkor zoom lens 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 230 mm and these settings: ISO 4000, f/6.7 and 1/1250 sec. The image was PP in Lightroom and cropped
This round’s discussion is now closed!
5 comments posted
Isaac, You got them to pose with all of them facing the camera? Looks like Santa Clara Ranch, I have been there twice and saw several squadrons of Javelinas plus the bonus of a bob cat that drank at the pond for almost 20 minutes. I really like your image, it is sharp and shows an unusual subject.
Bruce Posted: 01/01/2025 00:57:47
Bruce Posted: 01/01/2025 00:57:47
Isaac - Great image and looks like a perfect exposure. I love (some might say "am obsessed with") reflections and can't help wondering how this would look if we could see more of the reflection of the animals in the water. Posted: 01/15/2025 20:17:30
Well that's a new animal for me - never heard of this. Nice image which shows them off well and different ages. The partial reflection adds to interest. Thanks for posing! Posted: 01/16/2025 14:54:11
I've seen Javelinas once before in Arizona but from a distance so this is special treat for me, particularly with the cute little ones. What a beautiful capture; very sharp image. The background gives the viewer a strong sense of place but doesn't detract from the subject(s). Posted: 01/16/2025 20:09:57
Hi Isaac,
Nice capture of this dynamic group of javelinas! I really like how they're all facing the camera. The level of detail is great, and the partial reflection in the water is a fascinating element, it can either enhance the composition or detract from it.
It makes me think of two options: the image could benefit from a bit more space at the bottom to include the full reflection of the animals, or a crop just above the light line where the sand touches the water, removing the reflection.
The latter could help focus the attention entirely on the javelinas, but both are valid approaches, each serving a different visual purpose. Posted: 01/22/2025 23:37:37