Turning Heads
Jul, 2015Views
612
Likes
Awards
Top Shot Award 21
Winner in Giraffes @ the Zoo Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 1
Top 20 rank
Top 20 rank week 2Top 20 rank week 1Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the London Zoo on a particularly scorching summer day.Time
I have always been fascinated about giraffes. There's something majestic and extremely elegant about their shape. I decided to visit the giraffes last thing on my zoo trip, so the picture was taken around 4 pm.Lighting
The day was really hot and humid but there was a nice quality about the light: the dark shadows of the summer sun were neutralized by a really thin layer of white cloud that I decided to use as a "natural background" to my subjects.Equipment
This image was shot handheld with my Canon 5D Mark III and I think this was the first time I was using my 70-200mm f.4 series L lens, which has now become one of my favorite pieces of equipment as it is extremely sharp and versatile. No other equipment was used.Inspiration
I really love animal interactions, the way they communicate between them with movement. It's extremely beautiful to watch. These two giraffes were engaging in sort of a playful "dance", going in circles around each other. I thought at the time it almost looked like a flirtation ritual and found the idea really amusing, so I decided to take the shot zoomed in, to single their heads and the direction of the looks.Editing
The image straight from camera was slightly overexposed, so I compensated for this in Photoshop by adjusting the levels and also added some saturation and contrast to add depth to my subjects against the background.In my camera bag
I know it's bulky, but I always need to have my Canon 5D Mark III with me. I also take my Sony a6000, which I love because it's so light and convenient. I always pack an extra battery for my mirrorless, a 50mm lens ( for my Canon) and a 30mm ( for my Sony). If weight or space is ever an issue, I only pack the 5D mark III and my 17-40mm lens.Feedback
If, like me, you live in an urban environment and do not have the chance of the time to get closer to nature very often, just visit your local zoo. I find it very uplifting and it's also a good opportunity to unleash your inner wildlife photographer.
