Dust!

Gallery: WildlifePosted July 28, 2011251 views14 comments

Instinctively it always comes across as strange to us humans when we see elephants bath in water only to completely cover themselves with mud or dust immediately thereafter! Yet, for the elephants of course this is normal and simply their way of cleaning and maintaining their skin.

This was yet another situation in the field that was far from the ideal shooting situation with light coming from the wrong direction and dense vegetation on either side. The only way then is to not shoot OR adapt to the situation and analyze it for its potential. In this case I felt forced to go in tight to get rid of distractions and focus on the backlit dust. At the time I did not think much of the images created, but in hind-sight, after a bit of processing and a crop of the right to get rid of protruding branches, I was quite happy with this one after all.

African Bull Elephant
Khwai, Botswana
Camera Model Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Shutter Speed 1/1250 Sec.
Aperture Value f/9
ISO Speed 500
Lens EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM @ 400
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation -1
cropped from right and top (crop app 80% of orig)

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Graham Goddard on July 28, 2011 at 7:51 AM

I rarely view this Gallery, but I'll be visiting more often having seen this Vincent - right up my street

Registered on November 21, 2008, 66 Posts, 253 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on July 28, 2011 at 8:58 AM

This is STUNNING Vincent !!!
Reminded me of the Martin Colback's picture, taken many years ago. I understand these kind of images are hard to execute and one has to be very fast. Although I'm very pleased with this, but if I had a choice, I would like to have some more Ele on the left side and some more of the trunk at the bottom.
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on July 28, 2011 at 11:15 AM

Works for me. A nice mix of light and dark tones and I like the patterns on the trunk. I too would have adjusted the bottom crop slightly, either getting rid of the little sliver of trunk, or showing more if it was available in the original frame.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on July 28, 2011 at 1:40 PM

Nice job in making the most out of the moment. I like that you can see the dirt coming out of the trunk. I wonder how this would look in B&W since you have some nice contrast in this image. Very creative solution to difficult conditions, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on July 28, 2011 at 10:10 PM

Woooohhh !! That is pretty dramatic ! Love the shut eye in the mud shower. I am completely with max, would like to see more of or not see the bend in the trunk.

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on July 28, 2011 at 11:48 PM

W!!! A striking and very dramatic photo. Truly a pleasure to visually explore. Excellent image Vincent.

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on July 29, 2011 at 10:21 AM

Simply stunning Vincent, the texture of the Elephant, the dust, the light, the chosen composition.. all GREAT! My only very small nit Is that I'd love to have seen a sliver more of the trunk on the bottom of the image where it curves back up. I know it's extremly petty

, but just a mm more trunk would make my day here

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on July 29, 2011 at 10:39 AM

Hey Vincent,

Good job on making lemonade when given a lemon!! I always like more creative shots and this one is no exception. Great job of turning a rather mundane behaviour into something quite dramatic and visually appealing (at least to me). My only "perfect world" wish is this - the only thing I don't really like about the image is the dark shadow that is thrown by the tusk - for me it interferes with the flow produced by the arch of the trunk. Ironically, I LIKE the tusk being there, so I really can't offer any constructive way to "solve" this perceived problem. On cutting the trunk so close to the bottom of the frame - I honestly didn't notice this at first, but after reading the comments of the others I can see their point. So for me it's hardly an issue...

Cheers...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on July 29, 2011 at 1:09 PM

Thanks for the feedback people. I agree a sliver more of the trunk at the bottom would have been an improvement. I will try cropping a bit off the bottom to see how that compares. Cheers.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on July 29, 2011 at 6:02 PM

I see no nit, Vincent!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on July 29, 2011 at 10:53 PM

Love the dramatic lighting on this one, Vincent, and your choice of crop.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Johan Malmros on July 30, 2011 at 3:00 AM

Perfect processing Vincent - There was potential but I wouldn't have thought it could get this good.
Nice that you could avoid the branches altogether.

Registered on January 6, 2011, 20 Posts, 154 Comments

Comment posted by Oscar Benavides on July 30, 2011 at 6:06 PM

Hey Vincent. Nice detail of this elephant bath on dust. I like the texture of the elephant. I agree about to see more trunk at the bottom but anyway it works to me. it's original, something different.
Regards
Oscar

Registered on January 2, 2011, 12 Posts, 141 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on August 8, 2011 at 1:52 AM

Beautiful piece of art Vincent!

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments