Wolf....what's wrong with this photo?

[Permagrin]

I entered this in a contest, not a pro contest, just amateurs. It's my favorite shot I've done of a wolf. It didn't even place...I'm just wondering what's wrong with it?

[Permagrin]

Oh, and I forgot, part of the rules were no PP except cropping allowed.

[Photodawg1]

I like it. It would be hard to not like any wolf pic. You don't always know why or why not you didn't make it. There have been a couple of shows/contests I was "sure" I would make and didn't. Sometimes it depends on the curator or the reviewers personal taste, sometimes there are just better pictures to pick. I thinks it's a really good picture. Might have been more dynamic if you could have him looking at the camera. Maybe frame the shot so you only really notice him and not the tree and that beautiful rock that kind pulls the attention away. Keep shooting and entering.
Linda

[Gary Fairhead]

Its a beautiful image however the tree behind the wolf is a little distracting and that is likely the biggest nit anyone would have with this

[dancinec]

It is a great capture, the only thing that I would like to see is the wolf doing something dynamic. Of course, this is not under your control. Sometimes it is being there at the right time and right place.

[sparker1]

You can't always control the factors that sway judges. They may not even know why they pick a certain shot, but the WOW factor comes out. The tree is an issue, might have been hidden by use of shallow DOF or a different perspective. Wolves don't usually sit and pose, so much of it is luck. I don't shoot a lot of wildlife, but find continuous shooting helps capture any action that occurs. This wolf looks pretty docile, like a caged animal. Doesn't gain many points, I'm afraid.

[Permagrin]

Thanks everyone for the C&C. I really did want to know what you thought...so I appreciate your responses.

[Lightstream]

This one's a little too two-dimensional, almost looking as if there are two feet and a face.. and just that. I can also imagine it thinking "Does this make me look fat?" (yes ;) ) as sparker1 said, you can't control how they move though.

[malla1962]

Looks very good to me.:D

[cosworth]

I would venture a guess that there were bird pictures in this contest.

I've done the same, entered a competition with a great shot and a typical warbler shot or another standard owl shot gets placed ahead of me. I have to sit in a skatepark with wood or metal flying at me all the time, set up pocketwizards, deal with dumb kids, get a sunburn, have every person ask me what magazine I shoot for, etc etc. For one great action shot.

And the guy next to me in his 60's with a $50 film camera gets to sit in a municipal/national park bird blind with his amaretto and take me out with an owl shot.

Welcome to photography my friend.

[Permagrin]

Well, two bird photos did place. :) The winning photo was of a cowboy, herding some horses. It was truly beautiful.

Thanks for the encouragements though. I am truly finding that I may love a photo and everyone else hates it (or I'll just think a photo is "okay" and it goes over in raves).

It is an odd world, this photography one, but I'm having a ball while I'm here!

[Titus213]

Well, two bird photos did place. :) The winning photo was of a cowboy, herding some horses. It was truly beautiful.

Thanks for the encouragements though. I am truly finding that I may love a photo and everyone else hates it (or I'll just think a photo is "okay" and it goes over in raves).

It is an odd world, this photography one, but I'm having a ball while I'm here!

Permagrin,
I like the wolf picture but the tree is an issue. Too bad about the no post processing....

Were those cowboy pictures taken in Oregon? There is a ranch in Oregon that has a photo shoot session and sets up all the necessary events for photographers to 'catch' that wonderful natural image...:lol:

[Permagrin]

Permagrin,
I like the wolf picture but the tree is an issue. Too bad about the no post processing....

Were those cowboy pictures taken in Oregon? There is a ranch in Oregon that has a photo shoot session and sets up all the necessary events for photographers to 'catch' that wonderful natural image...:lol:

:lol: Probably! Didn't know about the ranch either...but the photo was beautiful.

You know, since I posted this, that tree has really bugged me. It doesn't show up so badly on the print (it printed out much more saturated than this looks on screen and the wolf stands out more) but seeing it this way, I really did notice the tree A LOT!

Thanks for the input Titus213...and maybe I'll have to check out that ranch sometime ;)

[samsen]

Nice to see one.