Charles Walker
August 2020 - Chobe National Park
Original
About the Image(s)
This photograph was taken in March of 2019 at the Chobe National Park in Botswana. It was midday in unbearable heat and humidity. My 500mm lens was becoming more of a burden than a portal to the wildlife in the savannah. However, in the distance I saw other sentient beings, a family of African elephants bathing together, seemingly enjoying the heat, not despising it. I tried to capture their spirit in this image. Besides cropping, adjusting colors, and sharpening, not much else was done in post processing. Camera data: 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2000, ISO = 500.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
8 comments posted
(Group 4)
Charles, for all the pictures we have looked at as a group, this certainly is different and original. To my eye you have done excellent work in capture of getting the correct DoF - with the soft background. I feel that soft background enhances the elephants as the fixation point of the image. I believe that the exposure in the final and the sharpness are also right on.
For me the visual distribution leaves too little at the right of the image. The elephants seem to me to be walking out of your picture rather than into it. Bruce Barnbaum (The Art of Photography) from his experience, states that the viewer's eye will always go the the brightest spots on the image. Holding that as true, I like what you did to brighten the water spray from the first elephant. However, to my eye that blue water larger than the water spray, too bright and too florescent blue - drawing my eye ultimately away from the elephants
I am very interested to know if you applied some variation of a blue/yellow filter or preset? It seems that the shadows on the trailing elephants have gone blue and the back of the lead elephant is too brown. For me these do not seem natural. Posted: 08/04/2020 16:24:27
For me the visual distribution leaves too little at the right of the image. The elephants seem to me to be walking out of your picture rather than into it. Bruce Barnbaum (The Art of Photography) from his experience, states that the viewer's eye will always go the the brightest spots on the image. Holding that as true, I like what you did to brighten the water spray from the first elephant. However, to my eye that blue water larger than the water spray, too bright and too florescent blue - drawing my eye ultimately away from the elephants
I am very interested to know if you applied some variation of a blue/yellow filter or preset? It seems that the shadows on the trailing elephants have gone blue and the back of the lead elephant is too brown. For me these do not seem natural. Posted: 08/04/2020 16:24:27
Gary, I wondered too about the blue in the shadows and the tight right side. The herd was not moving, but there was the potential to move. I will include your suggestions in a revision of this image. Thank you. Posted: 08/12/2020 21:21:30
(Groups 85 & 92)
Hi Charles, I think you have captured a great image. I like the composition, how all the elephants are facing the same way and how you can see each one's eye. I agree with Gary, I think that the right side is crowded, I think that some space could be added to the right side of the image in Photoshop and the background cloned in using one of the PS tools. I also think the elephants are a little too dark. That being said, I believe this is a wonderful image, thanks for sharing. Posted: 08/08/2020 15:22:03
Lou, feedback like yours is what makes these discussion groups so valuable. What you suggest will improve the image. I'll revise it. Thanks. Posted: 08/12/2020 21:23:44
With what's at the right you can easily duplicate and extend the right side of the image for the space Gary speaks of. I like the cropping to the action: There is a good circular motion for the eye from the trunk and water streams of the first elephant to the white tusk of the foreground elephant to the babies and back. I'd ditch the yellow on the backs and let the water spray be the brightness of the image. Coming from ag country where there isn't a lot of blue in the water I wouldn't have changed the water color here. Nice capture and I really like your cropping on this and the hide textures of the elephants. Posted: 08/15/2020 10:57:36
Good advice Trey. It will be easy to add room to the right side of the image. Your point about the water splash is on the mark. I will darken the backs and pull out some of the yellow and blue too (Gary's advice). Posted: 08/16/2020 21:36:48
Some day i hope to get to Africa! Been too rich for my blood at this point. Everything the others said i agree with, not sure how you extend a photo, would love to learn. Then again i guess if I could use PS I would know. Did you try and lighten the baby elephants and the one on the left side? i think, if you can, it would enhance the photo and keep me in looking around the photo. Nice capture. Posted: 08/15/2020 14:54:38
When I went to Africa I took a bunch of shots of elephants, both in the water and on dry land. I think that you have a great job of capturing what it is really like seeing these beautiful beasts in their natural setting. Great job! Posted: 08/17/2020 14:40:40