Some B&W's from Africa

pathfinder · March 6, 2014

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.

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Stumblebum · March 6, 2014

Second one is out of bounds! Great conversion! They stick out and glisten perfectly!

Pretty close to you.....95mm!

David_S85 · March 6, 2014

I'm favoring the second of the two also. Great contrast against the darker sky. Hoping to see more from your trip soon, Jim.

puzzledpaul · March 7, 2014

If mine I'd be considering / trying ...

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

Harryb · March 7, 2014

Two wonderful images Jim. Two is more striking but both are excellent BW conversions. Please stop posting these pics or I might end up signing on to that next African trip.

wtlwdwgn · March 7, 2014

I like these a lot. In #1 the only way to have eliminated to OOF FG would have been to be higher than the elephants to get more FG for the elephants to stand on. Not very easily done there. Cropping the bottom wouldn't leave much for that. Nice conversions.

pathfinder · March 7, 2014

The first image was shot in 3:2 ratio, but there was even more sky, and so I cropped a bit out to give more preference to the ellies. The sky was very dark, but without any detail, so it did not edit well, and I just replaced it with a neutral gradient, which I rather like, but I can understand those who find it too bland.

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.

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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.

pathfinder · March 7, 2014

Hee's another monochrome image that I think may be worth a look, zebras this time.

Stumblebum · March 7, 2014

Great work! Minor issues don't bother me when I am blown away by awesomeness of rest of it! I would love to see some color shots too....from what I can imagine, light was sweet so color should be popping too!

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!

pathfinder · March 7, 2014

I will always listen to someone's serious critic of my images. Even if I do not fully agree with it, I will probably learn something in the process; so, don't hesitate to state your impressions or preferences.

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.

JeffC230 · March 7, 2014

amazing post....I just want to see more and more. And more!

puzzledpaul · March 7, 2014

wtlwdwgn wrote: »

... In #1 the only way to have eliminated to OOF FG would have been to be higher than the elephants to get more FG for the elephants to stand on. ... Cropping the bottom wouldn't leave much for that. Nice conversions.

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.

wtlwdwgn wrote: »

... Cropping the bottom wouldn't leave much for that. ...

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

endurodog · March 7, 2014

Great shots!

pathfinder · March 7, 2014

This is not exactly B&W but is monochrome to me - it is hanging in the entry way in my home

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pathfinder · March 7, 2014

Here is one in color in front of Mt Longido

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Stumblebum · March 7, 2014

Heavenly! Its not just wildlife....it is work of art!

bow

pathfinder · March 8, 2014

That was a very under-exposed shot of a very hazy backlit image, that I tried to rescue with editing. Maybe you will like this one also then.

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I find them interesting, but not as satisfactory as the monochrome ones earlier in this thread.

Stumblebum · March 8, 2014

Nice again! I hope to match these some day! Editing is out of bounds as there is not the slightest hint of it being back-lit..only give away is that color is not popping like previous one.....in fact sun is on left based on the shadow.....If it would have been a silhouette with bright glittering light penetrating/diffracting all around the phant, than that too would have been mind blowing! For that sun would have to be low and across from you! Cheers!

pathfinder · March 8, 2014

The first color image was back lit, but the second was side lit, you are correct.

The silhouette shot is here

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Awais Yaqub · March 8, 2014

amazing!

bfjr · March 8, 2014

Killer stuff, kinda can smell/feel the place, however the B&W

have contrast and silver to die for, great work all around!

kdog · March 8, 2014

Awesome, Jim! They just keep getting better and better!!

Earache · March 9, 2014

The B&W are superb - but my fave is the next-to-last color image posted (post #17).... the pastel palette is really appealing.

pathfinder · March 9, 2014

Thank you for your post Eric, I wondered how that interpretation would be received.

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

rwells · March 9, 2014

Howdy Jim,

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

pathfinder · March 9, 2014

Thanks for your comment Randy, I value your suggestion highly.

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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rwells · March 10, 2014

My personal opinion of the edited image is "That's one fine image you have there Mr. Jim"

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!

pathfinder · March 11, 2014

Wow, thanks for the kind words, Randy. We had a few days of glorious light while we we in Amboseli, and the guides leading us really knew their craft well. They get the credit for putting us in the right place at the right time.

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.

Stumblebum · March 11, 2014

Beautiful! I do wish bokeh lioness was looking to her left. Cheers!

rwells · March 11, 2014

Another beautiful shot Jim!

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!

pathfinder · March 11, 2014

You talked me into it - http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=1945183#post1945183