Zambezi textures

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 17, 2013828 views21 comments

Aerial view of an Elephant bull crossing the, at the moment not so mighty, Zambezi River just upstream of the Victoria Falls. To me this image is all about the textures; the water ripples, the sandbanks and of course the trail of stirred up mud.

Camera Model Canon EOS 1D X
Shutter Speed 1/1600 Sec.
Aperture Value f/3.2
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM @ 200mm
Full frame

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on October 17, 2013 at 12:25 PM

It's always interesting to see aerial perspectives. Originally I was going to remark that I'd prefer the elephant in the lower left corner to allow the line of silt to run diagonally across most of the frame... but I see your point about the textures. Also, it almost looks like a clock this way.

Max

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

Comment posted by Ingrid Vekemans on October 17, 2013 at 1:47 PM

I think it's an amazing and original shot. Beautiful mainly due to the simplicity in colours and composition. Top!

Grt, Ingrid.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 138 Posts, 780 Comments

Comment posted by Barb Pflaum on October 17, 2013 at 2:56 PM

I love the comp, textures, and aerial perspective! Very nicely done!

Registered on January 14, 2009, 316 Posts, 2724 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 17, 2013 at 4:10 PM

This came out so well! Microlight or helicopter?

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on October 17, 2013 at 4:18 PM

Amazingly gorgeous capture, Vincent. Such a wonderful perspective from this aerial view.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Butch Lama on October 17, 2013 at 8:10 PM

A unique image Vincent, a visual treat,

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Andrey Antov on October 17, 2013 at 9:27 PM

Very unique image. I would take out the watermark.

Registered on March 18, 2008, 292 Posts, 341 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on October 17, 2013 at 10:26 PM

Vincent, if this is full, or near-full frame, please enter it in next year's BBC contest. Fabulous image!

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

Comment posted by Guy Runco on October 17, 2013 at 10:52 PM

Interesting image Vincent, the perspective is great. Nice one!

Registered on September 9, 2008, 77 Posts, 705 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Donovan on October 17, 2013 at 11:43 PM

Textures are fantastic! This image really catches my eye! Great shot.

Registered on August 29, 2013, 11 Posts, 40 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on October 18, 2013 at 1:10 AM

Yep, great perspective and textures throughout! I find the elephant itself, unfortunately, slightly difficult to visualize its form. Maybe just not used to seeing elephants from above. A good sized print might evaporate those concerns for me. Interesting and unique!!!

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on October 18, 2013 at 1:55 AM

Vincent,
I find this interesting but also puzzling, for me at least I would have no idea if this was an Elephant or not, the whites are confusing me, but I certainly like the textures of the BG.
As for entering into the BBC this is neither blue, OOF or leaving the frame what chance would you have

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on October 18, 2013 at 7:45 AM

Very interesting frame, nicely captured! I was just wondering, how could this elephant be more identifiable?
Looking forward to your answer to Morkel's question.
Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by Balan Vinod on October 18, 2013 at 12:31 PM

Top Class Vincent ..have'nt got any other words ..

Balan Vinod

Registered on March 20, 2006, 889 Posts, 2312 Comments

Comment posted by James Blue on October 18, 2013 at 7:09 PM

Very cool perspective Vincent - the mud trail is fantastic, but I would have liked the elephant to be a little more discernible...perhaps an angle more from in front, or behind him, and a little closer. A second guessing nit on a great image. (I'm sure you have many different comps)
Jim

Registered on June 16, 2013, 16 Posts, 144 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Andrews on October 19, 2013 at 9:35 AM

Wonderful birds eye shot Vincent and I agree, this shot is all about texture, lines, patterns and shapes.

Registered on December 31, 2011, 45 Posts, 222 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on October 19, 2013 at 2:08 PM

The elephant not discernible?

Taken from a helicopter.

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

Comment posted by Rob Graham on October 19, 2013 at 11:43 PM

Great combination of patterns and textures. I think the elephant is very identifiable, though i find the bright areas on the elephant to be overly bright.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on October 21, 2013 at 1:10 PM

Wonderful shot Vincent. All the elements work well together: the ripples, the textures of the sand under the water and the trail of mud left by the elephant. Very artistic.
It may be my monitor but is there a ridge of highlight along the elephant's back and another just under its head that need to be darkened a bit.

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 21, 2013 at 3:17 PM

To my eyes, clear as daylight that it's an elephant.
Was the helicopter door "off"?

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on October 21, 2013 at 4:04 PM

Very creative, Vincent. Very well seen and superbly executed. Love the overlap of small wind-created ripples and the larger ones from the elephant.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments