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Siberian Express
Siberian Express
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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Panning (Basic Editing)
Collection: Workshop
Camera: Canon EOS-40D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS
Location: Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport, CT
Date: Feb 10, 2008
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/10
Date Uploaded: Feb 11, 2008

 The skill of my first round opponent in the Enzo tournament had me stressing over this challenge all week. I had several ideas for Bread, but they would all require a lot of work. Little did I know this would take longer. :-/

I got some decent panning shots of my kids sledding, but I figured others would try that too and, well... it's kids. I'll bet nobody else tried this, and for good reason... I spent nearly three hours standing out in the cold waiting for these tigers to run. This particular zoo is not very camera-friendly, either. The tigers are surrounded by a shiny chain link fence, so you have to shoot where shade falls on the fence to avoid reflections. That requirement, plus the surrounding poles, bushes and signs, leave a very narrow window for capturing action. There are obstructions just outside the frame on either side of this scene. In addition, the tigers have to be running across the field of view to get anything sharp (most of the time they moved at an angle toward or away from me). Yes, the missing head on the first tiger is distracting, but it's the best I could do under the circumstances. My strategy was to manually focus in a particular spot, then wait for the tigers to cross that point and follow them as smoothly as I could using the camera handheld in burst mode. Out of over 400 shots, I got maybe 3 good ones. Hope it's good enough!

Processing Convert from RAW, Shadow/Highlight (just the highlights), channel mixer for saturation, boost the green channel, desaturate the blue and cyan channels, Levels, Curves, and several rounds of USM and Noise Ninja.

Statistics
Place: 9 out of 128
Avg (all users): 6.3388
Avg (commenters): 7.2105
Avg (participants): 6.2800
Avg (non-participants): 6.3538
Views since voting: 2263
Views during voting: 559
Votes: 245
Comments: 32
Favorites: 10 (view)

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AuthorThread
Canon EOS-40D
Sigma 24-35mm f/2.0 DG HSM A
 02/22/2008 02:47:27 PM
This is the winner for me, because i thought this is what the challenge was looking for. And not the infocus subject out of focus background I keep seeing.
I love this :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D200
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
 02/21/2008 12:54:42 PM
I actually think this is the best submission!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-300D Rebel
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L USM
 02/20/2008 01:24:30 PM
SO BADA$$
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus E-500 EVOLT
Olympus 40-150mm f/3.5-4.5 Zuiko Digital
 02/20/2008 01:07:25 PM
LOVE IT!!!!! FAVED
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R5 Mark II
Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
 02/20/2008 04:36:53 AM
Sigh!!! I was one of your 9'ns :o) :o) Congrats on your top 10... this picture is SUPERB... I am glad it was such a great picture I lost to :o)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7000
Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4
 02/20/2008 12:49:07 AM
Being patient paid off with this shot. Great capture of awesome subjects in motion. I think that the one running out of the image adds a bit of mystery about where they are going, and seems to infer that the run isn't limited to the frame of the image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Nikon D70s
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
 02/19/2008 11:23:55 PM
Nice shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-7D Mark II
Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount
02/19/2008 12:40:43 PM
very cool, The way the head is the only part in focus makes for a real sense of speed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Kodak C613
 02/19/2008 10:03:03 AM
The subject is in focus making the photo's focal point interesting
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5
 02/19/2008 09:50:43 AM
Very nice picture good emphasis and background
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Fujifilm FinePix S5000 Z
 02/19/2008 09:46:10 AM
Wow, a great shot. I know the tigers are supposed to be in focus but it just looks so good like it is.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D50
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 55-200mm f/4.0-5.6G ED
 02/19/2008 08:00:33 AM
Wow, nice capture!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D50
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
 02/19/2008 12:18:26 AM
What is not to like about this shot. This will hang on somebodies wall for sure. Top notch.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 02/18/2008 09:47:16 PM
Nice shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Kodak CX4230
 02/18/2008 02:41:57 PM
thats a crazy looking picture. i like the colors in this shot and the way it came out makes for a very interesting photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony DSC-S700
02/17/2008 09:04:22 PM
This photograph has a great amount of movement. It does take a second to figure out the focal point becaseu it is somewhat small, but it is a strong one.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D40
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G
 02/17/2008 01:34:06 PM
One or two tigers?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D60
 02/16/2008 02:33:01 AM
Oo WOW
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z20
 02/15/2008 05:03:05 PM
The tigers arn't very well in focus for this shot, but the idea's different
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D80
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di for Nikon
 02/15/2008 01:03:01 PM
That's haunting. Great job keeping the head sharp. I can hardly wait to see what your settings were for this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
 02/15/2008 08:04:43 AM
Wow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D80
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 02/14/2008 06:34:35 PM
Wow amazing shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 02/14/2008 02:24:26 PM
Gorgeous! the first pic I opened will be hard to beat. back to bump to 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-7D
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 02/14/2008 08:47:53 AM
Even though the rest of the bodies aren't in focus, the face of the back tiger is, and that makes this photo FANTASTIC to me. If the whole tiger was in focus, I don't think it would have been as interesting to me. The crop also is great for this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D200
Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED
 02/14/2008 12:11:07 AM
Wonderful motion and panning! Too bad the tiger's head wasn't angled so we may see the eye! Terrific capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM II
02/13/2008 11:59:53 PM
Great impressionistic effect here. Wonderful how the face and whiskers are in full focus.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark IV
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM II
02/13/2008 10:11:14 PM
Great Action!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-300D Rebel
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
 02/13/2008 08:18:49 PM
nice
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon PowerShot Pro1
 02/13/2008 06:55:46 PM
Wow...the colors catch my eye and the repetition keeps my interest. Bravo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 02/13/2008 05:53:58 PM
Wonderful :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D850
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR
 02/13/2008 08:20:58 AM
Great, if a bit blurry
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D810
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR
 02/13/2008 03:45:57 AM
Cool, I really like the effect from panning & slow enough shutter speed.
Great shot 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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