Elephant 1
Sep, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
Took this at the San Diego Zoo, not long after they'd upgraded their elephant enclosure to "awesome".Time
I think this was late morning. It's been a while so I can't really remember.Lighting
When I shoot with daylight, I just look for the best shot I can get. Not a lot of real thought goes into it, just use the available light.Equipment
This was shot on a Nikon D5000.Inspiration
The elephants were so happy and were engaging in eating and bathing behaviors. Their new environment allows them to actually wade in the water up to their hips. This girl had just had some hay and decided a bath was in order.Editing
I did do quite a bit of post on this. I'm a graphic designer by trade so, for me, processing is the fun bit. There were a number of fence posts and zoo "stuff" behind her which I got rid of and then I added a soft halo around her which I think enhanced the "wetness" of the scene.In my camera bag
Nikon D5000, 200mm zoom lens, 50mm lens. I really have a very basic camera and only the two lenses. As I said, I'm actually a graphic/presentation designer who also dabbles in photography. Ask me what applications I've got in my computer and it would take a page and a half to list everything.Feedback
I know there are a lot of folks who are anti-zoo, but really, support the animals in zoological parks with your time and money. Most of us will never have the time or money to visit them in the wild so visiting them in captivity may be our only chance to see them up close. Zoos are our modern-day arks and we may, sadly, have to dip into their DNA supply to replenish the Earth one day--so, I feel they're important. I think I appreciated this particular photo simply because the elephants were so happy to have so much space and so much to keep their minds busy and their bodies happy. All creatures in captivity deserve the best possible lives we can give them. When we visit these spaces and show our respect for the service these animals are providing us by educating us, entertaining us, reminding us of their deep importance to the survival of us all, we, in turn, contribute to that best possible existence for them. And most of all, by making images of them, we bring home a reminder of their beauty and importance.
