The Bull 16x24 Print

2024 American Society of Photographers Southeast District Award
2024 Judge’s Choice – Adilfa – ASP round 1
Score: 95/100
Texcellence
Silver Star of Texas
Yellow Rose Diamond Medal


This elk was from my first trip to Montana/Wyoming in 2021. We were at the top of a ridge on the way to Hayden Valley and he and his harem were grazing. He was covered in urine, his own version of Bod spray, and was definitely feeling it with his ladies.

Unfortunately for me, the light was too high in the sky for a better image than what I had, so I sat and stared at the original photograph for about a year before I made up my mind what to do. I altered the shadows by hand and redirected the light on his coat so that it could be more appealing. Then I painted it four or five layers deep in Photoshop.