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Wild Elephants in Yala National Park

Young female elephants in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Young female elephants in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.
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Palatupana, Southern, LK

upload_date

Mar, 2021

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Behind The Lens

Location

I was incredibly fortunate to be invited on Safari to Yala National Park, Sri Lanka. This was my first time seeing these majestic animals in the wild and it was a truly magical experience. We had a 2.5 hour car journey to get to the park, where we transferred into a massive open jeep that could comfortably accommodate x6. There was only my client, our guide and myself, which was perfect for being able to move around in search of good angles for photographs. Shoes off, crouching, kneeling, hanging out the sides... you name it I was doing it!

Time

This photo was taken around 17:00. We had started the Safari around 14:00 and had only seen one male elephant in the distance so far. My client was concerned we would not find more but I assured him to keep faith. Our wonderful guide managed to take us to a spot where three females and a baby were feasting on the foliage. Our interruption to their meal seemed unwelcome and they moved away from us, at which point I was able to take this photograph.

Lighting

I was very thankful that there was a light haze of cloud across the sun to soften the powerful daylight in Sri Lanka. This had been a concern prior to the trip, but it seemed nature was highly conducive to my photography session that day.

Equipment

This was shot with a Nikon D810 and Nikkor 80-400mm VR FX AF-D f/4.5-5.6 (2000-2013) lens, in hand, with UV filter. It is an older version lens that I bought second hand on eBay and have become great friends with. At 1.2kg is is no light addition to my bag, but I am extremely happy with the image quality and I'm convinced my arms are more toned after a day together!

Inspiration

I photograph what my heart guides me towards. I usually see the photograph in my mind, and then take 4-5 shots to try to capture the perspective I desire.

Editing

I have recently started using Adobe Lightroom upon the recommendation of a colleague. I am new to photo editing, and I prefer to keep it to a minimum. Small tweaks to contrast and light alongside small tweaks to clarity are about all that I use so far. I prefer for my photos to be raw with very little post production.

In my camera bag

I always carry my Sigma Art Series 35mm and 50mm lenses. These are possibly the most stunning portrait lenses that I have ever shot with. The vibrancy and depth to them allow for editing to be minimal, which I love. I always carry two charged spare batteries - although this camera is incredible for battery life and rarely do I require a change. I took around 350 photographs across 8 hours this day and it is still 4/5 full! Always I carry a couple of spare SD cards, a lens cleaning cloth and a circular polarising filter. There is also a remote shutter living inside my bag, although I've yet to use it. I really prefer photography that is "hands-on". I love to move around a lot to play with angles and perspective, rather than tripod work. So I justify carrying three lenses because I negate a tripod! My bag is also never short of a snack - it's vital to keep your energy up when on a long shoot. And spare contact lenses.... just in case!

Feedback

When I am asked for photography advice, I always answer the same way. Tune into your environment and capture what your heart is most drawn to. When you are in love with your subject matter, the photography will come naturally. I describe myself as an intuitive photographer, my fingers just seem to know what settings to use in the moment! I honestly believe that intuition and connection are the two fundamentals of photography. Learning theory is important and I believe it will take my photography to the next level when I do. But, for now, I shoot with my heart ??

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revivekarma

Wild Elephants in Yala National Park

Young female elephants in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow revivekarma

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