Breakfast in Mana Pools

Gallery: WildlifePosted March 6, 2014163 views11 comments

Just a tranquil scene from the albida forests along the Zambezi floodplain in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe. I was on foot, crouching, and soaking in a glorious moment as we followed 3 elephant bulls around for a couple of hours.

I can't wait to return in August!

Techs:
Nikon D3s
Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f4.0 | 1/500 SS | ISO-900

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Jerry Austin on March 6, 2014 at 9:39 PM

Morkel,

This is wonderful. One bull would be great. Two puts this over the top. I can only imagine the experience of following these guys on foot. My only nit, and it is a very minor one, is the bright sky in the middle of the image. Not a deal breaker by any means. Fabulous image. Well done. Does the jealousy show? (smile)

Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments

Comment posted by Ashleigh Scully on March 6, 2014 at 10:00 PM

Hi - great job getting them right on the ridge line it really helps to set them against the background and I also like how you framed them with the trees.

Registered on November 4, 2013, 36 Posts, 210 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Finchum on March 6, 2014 at 10:20 PM

The soft warm light along with the shallow. DOF works very well for this image. I am liking this a lot. Well done Morkel!

Registered on September 8, 2013, 43 Posts, 222 Comments

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on March 7, 2014 at 5:04 AM

That must have been a great experience Morkel.
For me it is the bull on the left, reaching up into the tree that lifts this image.

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

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on March 7, 2014 at 7:33 AM

Like the tranquility of the scene with these big bulls around, but IMHO the bright sky in the middle is killing the effect.
Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by William Bickle on March 7, 2014 at 9:32 AM

Hello Morkel

Great capture and very well framed ( as Ashley pointed out) with the surrounding trees. The interaction is great with the high reaching bull and the observing other guy. The DOF is right on with the f4. and it separates the bulls from background well!
The bright center sky is overpowering ( as Jagdeep mentions) and draws my eye to that area, constantly, as I revisit the scene. Beautiful time of day with that glorious light!

Thanks for sharing

Bill

Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 7, 2014 at 2:20 PM

The two together makes this special. I can see what the others are talking about on the sky, but I think of you lighten the left a bit to help that bull stand our in the darker trees better it might help.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Mario Moreno on March 7, 2014 at 3:48 PM

FANTASTIC Morkel ! Great setting and nice low angle make this image IMO. The bright sky doesn't bother me at all

Registered on January 24, 2012, 163 Posts, 369 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 7, 2014 at 4:37 PM

Hi Morkel, I am loving this. Nice environment, love the behavior going on, nice job on DOF. I do agree about the sky being toned down a bit, but I still am really liking this.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on March 8, 2014 at 12:43 AM

You captured them in interesting and differing poses. The scene feels just a bit busy to me, although I get it that this is where they feed. Perhaps if you were positioned a little to the left the bright sky would have been minimized.

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

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on March 9, 2014 at 3:30 AM

Thanks for your feedback, folks. I tried toning down the sky and lifting shadows on the elephants but it started to look too HDR for me then. Gary is right, a little to the left would have been nice - hindsight

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