DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 
Challenge Entries
Portfolio Images
This image is not part of a public portfolio.
Big Ben - outsmarting fishermen for 30 years...
Big Ben - outsmarting fishermen for 30 years...
notesinstones


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Superstitions & Urban Legends II (Basic Editing III)
Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6D ED
Location: Vernon Beach, Lake Oneida, NY
Date: Jun 23, 2006
Aperture: f5
ISO: 200
Shutter: 400
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Jun 26, 2006

 In the tradition of Grumpier Old Men's Catfish Hunter, and every fishing hole ever fished by young kids - as well as the lake I grew up on. Big Ben was the name of the "20 year old at LEAST" Large Mouth Bass that lived in the deeps of Lake Monomonack. If you lost your bait, must've been Big Ben who took it, 'cause he was much to smart to ever get caught.

And you know, every town that has a fishing spot, has a local legend "big fish" that is always getting away. :)

-

This photo is just a PURE lucky duck shot with a heavy dose of ESP or something like it or a gut instinct I dont understand. I never get THIS lucky. :) Setting up to shoot terns on the shore of Lake Oneida in NY, I set up the tripod and put on the lens - Nowhere NEAR where I was going to be shooting, just because I felt like it was a good place to be at the moment. I started gabbing with the park ranger when out of the corner of my eye I see something in the water. Gut reflex caused me to push the trigger (and the fact that I had just spent 2 hours shooting wild leopard frogs and trying to catch a jump had me trigger twitchy). The ranger was amazed (DO THAT AGAIN!! was her response) and I was amazed myself.

Behold. Jumping Sturgeon. :)

Processing - Selective color, RAW adjust, edge sharpen, crop, rotate, size for web. Not in that order.

Its screaming for some Dodging on that waterspray, but it will have to wait till after the challenge. lol

Statistics
Place: 75 out of 97
Avg (all users): 4.7666
Avg (commenters): 5.0000
Avg (participants): 4.7442
Avg (non-participants): 4.7697
Views since voting: 862
Views during voting: 541
Votes: 347
Comments: 9
Favorites: 0

Please log in or register to add your comments!

AuthorThread
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Sony Alpha a7 II
Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
 07/02/2006 11:22:09 AM
I have heard that one. As to the shot, it is a shame the image wasn't more focused and maybe a bit closer.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 07/02/2006 03:09:58 AM
Ahhh...good capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D700
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 06/30/2006 10:07:27 PM
Yeah!! Reminds me of Catfish Hunter from Grumpy Old Men :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
 06/30/2006 01:59:46 PM
Great timing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D40
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
 06/29/2006 07:36:41 PM
Not an easy shot to get. Composition, focus are good but (maybe because of zooming in from a distance?) the sharpness and quality that bring top scores just isn't quite there. Definitely not a terrible picture, tho!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7000
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 06/29/2006 02:19:18 PM
Lol. Funny idea. But the photo is a bit too much of a snapshot - bit out of focus, not much colour. Simply not enough impact.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Coolpix 4100
 06/29/2006 12:16:46 PM
Wow! What a great capture. I wish this wasn't an open challenge so that you could have "doctored" the light up a bit.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 06/28/2006 05:16:22 PM
nice comp. I would prefer sharper focus on the fish. obviously thats hard to do with a fish and a spur of the moment type thing such as this. so well done with what you had to work with.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-20D
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 06/28/2006 09:26:09 AM
Big Ben doesn't look all that big. Maybe a tighter crop or a closer view of the fish to make him look unusually large. Little contrasty also to help the image pop.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Theme: Classic / Light / Dark
Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2026 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 10/15/2026 04:13:57 PM EDT.