close iframe icon
approved icon janetcapps avatar Platinum
janetcapps
Banner

Baby Elephant trunk up



behind the lens badge

Views

1553

Likes

Awards

Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Community Choice Award
Curator's Choice
  View more
Peer Award
Superb Composition
yssfbrkt gielgroenewald joeykhantipol brockslinger rialegrange Georgia_louise2 davidferrerijimnez +15
Absolute Masterpiece
427mph AndrewOrdieres albiemyburgh paulpeter_2545 Granoah fildish tylerreeve +14
Outstanding Creativity
tristafetchenhier Jennyc304 Durham_Photography peggyhogsett kuntalbakhade LesAlinaSK hamidkavari +13
Top Choice
DGIMAGE tiffanyroot mircobattisti christyisaacferguson Tosky shelbysuegundy SierraShante +11
Magnificent Capture
James-Evans WildSidePhotography p_eileenbaltz mrmacca UPbyVeronica simonparry johnelfed +2
Superior Skill
kasper
Virtuoso
BtBates

Emotions

Impressed
Tanya333 Praveenmandlik BarbaraR56 Seisselberg
Happy
toddcreed BtBates

Top Ranks

Capture The Wildlife Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Capture The Wildlife Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Color Explorer Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Color Explorer Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Earth Day Every Day Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Safari Wildlife Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Picturing Other Species Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Visualize Beginnings Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Visualize Beginnings Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
photographyawards2019Top 10 rank
photographyawards2019Top 10 rank week 2
Anything Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Anything Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Change Of Seasons Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Change Of Seasons Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
An Unforgettable Adventure Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Swag ProjectTop 10 rank
The Swag ProjectTop 10 rank week 1
The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
ViewBug Photography Awards 2018Top 10 rank
ViewBug Photography Awards 2018Top 10 rank week 2
ViewBug Photography Awards 2018Top 10 rank week 1
Covers Photo Contest Vol 50Top 20 rank
Covers Photo Contest Vol 50Top 20 rank week 2
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 6Top 20 rank
Covers Photo Contest Vol 50Top 20 rank week 1
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 6Top 20 rank week 1
Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 38Top 20 rank
Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 38Top 10 rank week 2
Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 38Top 10 rank week 1
Unique Sceneries Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Unique Sceneries Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Unique Sceneries Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1

Categories


4 Comments | Report
Blossom_Girl
 
Blossom_Girl October 11, 2018
So adorable! Great shot.
LETSGOPHOTOSHOOT
 
LETSGOPHOTOSHOOT October 11, 2018
awesome
DNproSTUDIO
 
DNproSTUDIO March 31, 2019
look this happy little elephant
Seisselberg
 
Seisselberg November 10, 2021
So Beautiful!
See all

Behind The Lens

Location

The Western portion of the Maasai Mara Reserve in Kenya (a little less traveled than father east) on Safari as part of a photographing wildlife educational tour.

Time

It was mid-afternoon on June 22, 2018 (the day of the summer solstice). The EXIF data shows 4:15, which is likely close, but it was soon after I arrived so I probably hadn't set everything exactly right as to local time.

Lighting

We were resting near a herd of elephants (engine off so as not to cause vibration that elephants pick up with their feet), in a tree shadowed clearing. The baby and its Mom were standing away from the herd in the less harsh afternoon sun while Mom browsed and the baby experimented with his trunk. I was lucky that our position put the light on him/her as opposed to having it behind Mom and baby.I took several shots before this little one spied the Land Cruiser with his trunk in all sorts of funny positions, but when he turned and saw us, he was in beautiful light and raised his trunk to smell us.

Equipment

This is hand held, with my Nikon D750, and my 80-200mm Nikon lens with a 1.7x extender. No tripping, or flash. Not even neutral density filter, just the UV haze lens protector, transferred on to the fastest card that the D750 can write to, a Sandisk 32 GB 95 mb/sec card.

Inspiration

During the educational part of the trip the professional teaching and reviewing us did give us assignments for specific things, but also expected that as already accomplished photographers we would be able to spot an opportunity on our own and be able to maximize the important aspects such as depth of field, composition, lighting, white balance, etc. He was not with the other student and I at the time. The mother and baby had already drawn my attention because they were not lost in the crowd, and the baby seemed to be having so much "fun" using his trunk. When he turn toward us it was a natural part of my sequence of shots.

Editing

Not much. I would periodically check the ASA, white balance and F stop, as we started at sunrise and got back to camp at sunset. Keeping the camera ready was part of being able to take advantage of a scene quickly when you saw it. With 30 plus years of experience, much on film, I would rather get it right with the camera than Photoshop.

In my camera bag

At the time, 2 Nikon D750s (now a D750 and a D850), and depending on where I am going a Nikon FX lens on each, which could be a long distance zoom (200-500mm) an 80-200, a 30 year old Nikon 35-135mm that requires manual focus below 50mm, or a 24-70mm. Since the long lens alone weighs 5 pounds, I tend to take only 2 lenses that I expect will cover the spectrum of what I want to take that day. Additionally, extra charged batteries and fresh cards, some way to clean my filter, and possibly a neutral density, close up or circular polarizing filter. At night I add the remote trigger. Rarely do I carry a tripod anymore.

Feedback

Patience, patience, patience, plus taking enough cards so that you can start clicking if you sense a possibility, plus learning to know the signals of your quarry that something worth photographing might happen. For example, on that trip, the driver/guide was very experienced, so when we found a female leopard with fresh kill who was trying to get food to her cub stashed out of harm's way, and the others who had spotted her were all trying to irresponibly crowd around her and block her path. He drove out in a clearing with the explanation that she would be forced to come out into the open and pass us due to the other people in her way. She got so close to us I could not capture her with the lenses I had due to the minimum focal distance being too long. For the elephant, we were taking an important break to refresh ourselves and review how we had been doing, rest, and decide where to go next as the sun was on the decline, but still kept close to a group of elephants that might present an opportunity, and it did. We had probably been sitting for only 15 minuets, but there were other times when we would watch a group of animals for some time, usually if they were grazing in tall grass that would allow the approach of a hungary hunter. We would wait for their heads to all of the sudden come up and then start to move away from a sensed danger, presenting the possibility of capturing a lion or leopard.

See more amazing photos, follow janetcapps

It’s your time to shine! ☀️

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.

Already a member? Log In

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, and acknowledge you've read our Privacy Policy Notice.