Alaska Photography and Photo Tours: Specializing in Wild Lands & Wild Life
Don’t worry, this is not a Victoria’s Secret add.
I would probably be the last to say that moose are “attractive” creatures. In my humble opinion (or, in internetics, IMHO) they are pretty much butt ugly. However, they are impressive as hell. Especially when they are walking right towards you, a purpose in their step, showing no sign of hesitation at 10 yards. Even more so because they weigh in around 1200 pounds. They may not be cute, but they sure make up for it in sheer size. This is the same bull from the last post and was taken about 1/2 hour after that shot. He had just emerged from the woods, following one of the cows that he had just “gotten jiggy with”. Oh love was in the air; lip smacking, drooling, twinkling eyes, urinating. You know, the usual stuff.
Walking Tall. Bull moose near Powerline Pass, Anchorage, Alaska.
It can be difficult to photograph moose. First there’s the whole “death” thing. I like to joke with some clients that we are going to have a great time, get some great shots, and we might die. But, you see… it’s a joke. I haven’t been killed yet doing this. Where’s Haley Joel Osment when you need him? “I see dead people…”
Really, the difficult part is the exposure. The antlers are typically fairly bright and easy to overexpose if you meter for the darker portion of it’s body. Meter for the rack and the body goes black without detail. It’s the wildlife photographers version of a wedding couple. Bride in a white dress standing next to the groom in his black tux.
So, I watched the sky. We had partly cloudy skies throughout the day. I used the bright sunlight times to change locations or to maneuver for a different perspective. Once the clouds moved in place, I shot. My priority was for the antlers, I didn’t want them (or the lightly covered back) to be overexposed – so I let the darker belly fur go dark. The clouds acted like a huge soft box and lowered the contrast to a more manageable level. Imagine a diffuser panel dozens of miles across. The only issue is, you can’t control it. But you can take advantage of it.
Stay tuned…
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My wife describes moose as “adorably ugly.” I think they’re delightfully awkward looking. At any rate, this is a fantastic shot, complimented by the colors in the environment. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Greg
I think you and your wife are spot on with your descriptions!
This is a great shot! And yet you are right they are butt ugly in ways, but I have to admit, I saw a baby moose and he was cute!