Elephant March
Jan, 2016Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Powerful Photo Contest
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Spring Selection Award
Contest Finalist in Discover Africa Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Herds Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in From Afar: Wildlife Photo Contest
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p_eileenbaltz
March 01, 2016
Beautifully captured image! Congratulations on being chosen a finalist in the 'Wildlife From Afar' contest. Good luck. :)
charlielynam
April 11, 2016
Thanks folks, really appreciate the encoragement. I'm on safari now in Tanzania and have some lovely shots from Serengeti migration!
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. My wife was eager to move on as the elephants were getting close. They were very relaxed so I hung in a bit longer and got an ear bashing (from the Missus, not the elephants!).Time
This was late afternoon, we were traveling back to our campsite when I spotted the herd in the distance. I took up position across their path in order to get full frontal photos. It was in August when the grasses are a lovely golden colour, enhanced by the "golden hour".Lighting
I was looking to capture an image that appeared like the elephants were right on top of me, in amongst the long golden grasses. The time of day was perfect and the sun low enough in the sky to provide the depth and texture I was hoping for. Elephants are not easy subjects to photograph, especially in colour. I think the lighting here provides an excellent balance between subject, the grasses and the mountains in the background.Equipment
This was taken from my Land Rover. I use a Kirk window erected stabiliser. I am a Canon user and this was taken with the Canon 1D Mk III. Having just the window of my vehicle to shoot from can be quite restrictive and challenging but I ensured my position was directly at right angles to the elephants to give me as much latitude as possible in framing the shot.Inspiration
Just being out in the African bush is all the inspiration I need. I am a conservationist and lover of wildlife and when you bundle photography into that mix, it's the perfect marriage. I feel the lens is an extension of what I see and feel, and I try to reflect the beauty and emotion of the moment so that the viewer feels like they are actually there. I like to present my subjects in their natural habitat, they are one with their environment, be it the trees, grasses, water, weather, they are not islands but a woven into nature's complex fabric. I try and express that as best as I can in my images.Editing
I think post processing is a pre-requisite for wildlife photographers. We don't have the luxury of working in a controlled environment and often have little control over distance from subject, background, lighting, subject position / pose etc. Understanding the subject is really important to predicting the next move but they are "wild" animals and by definition, unpredictable. I use Lightroom for probably around 80% of my pics. The other 20% I will use external Plug-Ins like On1, NIK and Topaz. I have my own customised Presets that I use for the majority of my images to speed up the process but when I get a special shot, I will spend the time to perfect it with a combination of the above.In my camera bag
I take a stack of equipment as I not only shoot wildlife but am also nurturing my skills in landscape photography. For wildlife, I carry 3 bodies. Shooting in Africa means dust. I therefore never change lenses in the field. So, I have a 3 x Canon 1D Mk III, with a 70-200 f2.8, an f2.8 300mm prime, and an f4.0 500mm prime. I also have a 5D Mk III with an f4.0 17-40mm lens. I also carry a 1.4 extender, 100mm macro lens with macro flash, filters and Feisol Monopod and Tripod.Feedback
Yes, patience! You need to be very patient. I will often wait hours waiting for an animal to move to a better position or interact in some way. Get up really early and make sure to use the best of the "golden hours". Know your gear really well. Often you don't have time to think it through, so fast reactions and working the dials quickly is essential. Think and plan for what you want out of your images before you get to your destination. For instance, if you decide you want to capture movement, then set your camera up for panning. Don't get in too tight, animals jump, fly, run in a split second so unless it's stationery, give the animal some space in your frame, you can always crop.
