Through the Trees

[Morkel Erasmus]

Sorry for my inactivity on responding to images posted - had a week at home to adjust to having a second child at home after my son was born :bg3:.
I am back in full swing tomorrow (in real life) so I should find more time to get back into the swing of things on here as well...:Whoa!:


Here's one of my favourite images from my recent Mana Pools trip.

This is Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, ladies and gentlemen...
Gentle giants strolling through ancient forests of trees towering so high over them that they seem miniscule...and so much more for you, the feeble human being trudging around trying to photograph the enormous magnificence of this place, yet coming out of there feeling totally inept to do justice to the place.


This is one such attempt...

Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f5.6 @ 1/400 SS @ ISO-560
handheld
I know many won't like the 'blown out' sky, I feel it adds to the ambience/mood here...

[Marina Scarr]

Morkel, this is a very powerful image! You have used the light well and the way you have framed the elephant is quite unique. I also like the vegetation at the top of the frame which is glowing. Me likey!

[Tin Man Lee]

Absolutely love the framing by the tree and golden light. Must be tough to expose correctly and you did an amazing job.

[Tom Graham]

Love everything about it.
Tom

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Morkel, I'm glad you posted this one.

As previous images from this location the quality of light is exquisite and as you say, having the almost burnt out sky just adds to the mood and feeling of this tranquil image, rather than detracts. The two trees flanking either side framing the Elephant is a nice touch, even with the subtlety of the RH tree just kinking in, all adds to the make-up of the image. Wouldn't change a thing, lovely Morkel, print it!

TFS
Steve

[Dumay de Boulle]

Congrats on the addition to the family mate. I like this image for all the reasons mentioned above. Good image design!

[Chad Caswell]

I couldn't agree more with the mentioned above. Great eye contact as well, the added touch of the leaf remains on the elephant even tell more about this great image.

Nicely done!

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Morkel,
beauty image design, lovely light, love the framing of the elephant by the two trees in the FG.
Very good handling of the light situation, colors just beautiful.

But you should chopped off that tree growing out the left ear :bg3:. I know not possible , that makes the image not bloody perfect. But who wants perfection ?:w3

Like it a lot, Morkel. IF you have more , i like to see !

Cheers Andreas

[Ken Watkins]

Morkel,

Very beautiful indeed, the BG is undoubtedly a problem, but I for one do not care. Another excellent Mana image.

[Markus Jais]

Awesome shot with fantastic light in the BG and wonderful framing of the Elephant. This looks like a place I should visit in the coming years!

Markus

[Stan Cunningham]

Morkel, you used to post good to great images, now they seem to be all over the top as Robert says.
Ignore the blown out sky as there is so much right with the image.
the only thing I might think of doing is to see what cloning out some of the small weeds closer to you around his feet in lower trunk, just clean it up a bit.

[Steve Canuel]

Nice light and mood. Feel like I'm right there with you looking out from behind/between the trees.

[Arno Ellmer]

Great capture ,Morkel.I love the way the imposing presence of the elephant is framed by the trees.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thank you all so much for the kind compliments...
:bg3:



Like it a lot, Morkel. IF you have more , i like to see !

Oh, Andreas...to many to share I believe!! :w3

[Rudi van den Heever]

Super capture Morkel! The size of these Mana ellies are impressive!:w3

[Morkel Erasmus]

Super capture Morkel! The size of these Mana ellies are impressive!:w3

Thanks mate...don't you mean the size of the trees??? :Whoa!:

[Robert Amoruso]

Morkel,

I like the framing and the BG,

I would have preferred that the left tree was a straight trunk down to the ground.

[Grady Weed]

Nice light and mood. Feel like I'm right there with you looking out from behind/between the trees.

Same for me! Love everything about it.

[Jamie Douglas]

If people can't get over the sky on this image then they should rethink their nit picking. This is a magnificant image Morkel and good luck getting back into the swing of things at home and... work.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thank you Grady, Robert and Jamie for your kind comments!!