Some B&W's from Africa
pathfinder
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I have not posted many images in the wildlife thread lately, but I have been working on a couple images of elephants that I find I like. Maybe some folks here will as well. Comments and criticisms heartily encouraged.
Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com
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Pretty close to you.....95mm!
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
Cropping 1 to either 3:2 or 16:9 to remove the fg oof grass and RHS to 'uneven' the spaces to right and left of the 'phants' ... ie less space behind trailing one compared with space in front of the leading one.
Cropping would also remove some of the featureless sky (if you thought that was needed) ... was the land sloping here?
I've no idea what it is in 2, but, once seen, I find it difficult to see past the diagonal line (con trail?) going across the right half of the pic.
If I was feeling particularly motivated to engage in extensive 'fiddling about ... rare) I'd be looking for a chunk of less bland sky for 1.
Unmodified ... for me, the more dynamic poses in one trump (et, sorry) the sky /contrast in 2.
Takes me back to my time in Africa
pp
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How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
The diagonal light beam in the second image is real and was captured in the image prior to editing. I,too, prefer the stance of the ellies in the first image, slightly.
Here is another shot of elephants captured that afternoon. Maybe I will offer another species in this thread if there is interest. Most of my images are in color not B&W, but I just kind of liked the graphic of these creatures against the sky in monochrome. I like some images of wildlife in B&W also.
Harry, I think there is still room for you if you change your mind. After this winter I decided I need a break from winter weather next winter, and so I am headed back to Africa. You should do the same, although your winter was not quite as cold as mine, I bet.
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If I had only one dying wish, it would be to see African wildlife!
I guess it pays to be moderator of "Technique forum"! Glad I didn't suggest any edits....that would have been embarrassing. I have never even known that forum existed.....for someone trying to learn I better spend some time there!
Cheers!
Yes, the ellies were all shot with a 70-200 lens, so no super tell shots here today. Even the zebras were shot at 150mm. Took me a sec to figure out what you meant by 95mm at first.
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I disagree re being 'higher than the elephants'
A higher pov would certainly have altered the image by shifting the horizon line up ... but I suspect that the (low) pov chosen was for creative reasons (good choice imo) and possibly not wanting to offer an even bigger target when standing
So the OP had the height between that actually used and fully standing at his disposal, before needing a stepladder or similar to gain even more height.
Well, I've not grabbed the image and messed around with it in PS, but arranging it in the browser window so's the lower horizontal just intersects the tuft of grass by the leading 'phant's left front foot ... works for me ... ymwpv
pp
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I find them interesting, but not as satisfactory as the monochrome ones earlier in this thread.
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The silhouette shot is here
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have contrast and silver to die for, great work all around!
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It was quite hazy, the air was laden with dust that day, and the colors in the image posted above are obviously "not accurate" but they rather appealed to my eye as well.
Now a return to monochrome or at least desaturated images. It was still before sunrise, it was cold in the winter in South Africa, and these girls were looking for breakfast
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Just thought I'd also state how well these images you've created work.
As hesitant as I am to state a nit per your request, due to the excellent content and work within these images, I'll also agree about the OOF grass on the first image. It just pulls my eye down there, and that's a shame because the image itself is killer! To leave the spacing from image bottom to elephants, I'd probably just clone out the grass.
YMMV
I will see if I can create a smoother foreground, either with cloning, or burning or something, and see if I can tame/trim that grass.
Here is the first image in this thread minus the shaded grass stalks, better, worse, or no change?
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No distractions at all now.
The Lions shot you posted in #24 is a real treat for the eyes. It's not often that we get to see a shot composed so well and with great use of DOF, that not only allows, but demands that your eyes travel back and forth from the nearest (in focus) lion, to the furthest OOF one, then back. It's almost humorous that I can't look at the image and keep my eyes from traveling that way. Very good job
BTW, I hope that your as proud of these images as any of us would certainly be. Shots of a lifetime
Thanks for sharing!
Since you liked the 3 lion sisters above and their shallow DOF, I have similar one you might enjoy. I like it because it shows just how hard to see lions are in the grass. They just disappear before your eyes. I have several shots of lions in the dried grass, and I have thought about a thread just about how hard lions are to be seen in the grass. A good reason for not being a foot in the grasslands in Africa.
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And I agree, I don't think one would be walking around very long!!!
These gals make walking up on a rattle snake in the grass, sound like a party.
Post up that new thread. Not that we deserve it, but we'll enjoy it!
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