Bulls Fighting

This picture has become a popular one and I have been asked why it isn't for sale, simple, even though all the elements have come together for this image, a good story, lighting, context, etc. there is one major problem—this image is heavily cropped. These elk were so far away from me that even at a full 300mm zoom (450mm equivalent) I had to crop out most of the picture to get what you see here and as such I can't "embiggen" it. I will work on it some more and see what else can be done but for now it remains a smaller image that I quite enjoy.

From the Simpsons—

"A noble spirit enbiggens  the smallest man" 
- Jebediah Springfield 

Edna Krabappel: "Embiggens"? I never heard that word before I came to Springfield. 
Miss Hoover: I don't know why. It's a perfectly cromulent word.

Showdown

This is a great tension scene-two bulls during the peak of the rut sizing each other up. These may be the same two bulls I caught on camera as they fought later this same morning in this same meadow, it's hard to tell for sure as there were so many elk in this meadow on this particular morning.

The funny thing about the Fall season high in the Colorado Rockies is how some groups of aspens lose their leaves while other stands are in full bright Autumn colors. Just to the left of this scene is a large Aspen stand with every single tree full of leaves. I would have loved to have those colors in this scene but wild animals most often do not cooperate. I will probably work with this image some more to try and bring out the few remaining leaves but I also like the ghost like qualities of the bare aspens.

One other thing about this photo that I wish could have been better is the lighting. As the sun came up the lighting was very dramatic but once it went above the storm clouds I was left with a bit of a bland scene. Well, you get what you get and you do your best.