Elephant Study

[Rachel Hollander]

I had lots of opportunities to photograph elephants on my recent trip to Namibia and South Africa so I had a chance to experiment a bit with comp. Taken in the Timbavati Game Reserve, South Africa.

Canon 5D3
70-200 II @ 200mm
1/640
f6.3
ISO 400
HH from safari vehicle, slight crop from lhs for comp, converted in CS5, levels, curves, selective dodging and burning, sharpened in CS5.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

Good on you for experimenting, Rachel.
This won't be everyone's cuppa...but as an abstract I quite like it. Would tweak it as follows:
1. burn shadows and dodge highlights some more - again something that's according to taste but shots like this work best for me with heavier contrast
2. I'd crop from the RHS to remove that "corner" just beside your signature line.
3. I'd crop from the bottom to remove the dark band at the bottom as it draws the eye
4. I'd experiment with slight selenium or copper toning (in Nik Silver Efex)
:bg3:

[dankearl]

Nice experiment Rachel and a good abstract.
I think an open eye would have worked better for me.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, good to see you experimenting and looking at different ways to add interest & present your images. Was this after changing the white point to 6500?

Overall it doesn't grab me, whether it needs to be more Contrast, alternative crop or a combination I'm not sure? I would look at some more options within the processing, then add some toning as this is more cosmetic I feel and doesn't get around the more underlying issues IMHO, sorry.

Hope to see a RP.

TFS
Steve

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Rachel,
like it as is. Maybe cropping the RHs a tad to get rid of the LRC.
Like the texture and the contrast, possibly adding a tad more contrast in the mid tones.
Reminds of an aerial image of a landscape with some low mountains and part of a lake.

Good to see that you try something different.

TFS Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, having seen Andreas's comment, on reflection I do think there could be some mileage in perhaps pushing things a lot more, really go for it and therefore when pushed it brings outs some very nice contours & textures within the surface of the skin creating an interesting image. Then coupled with Morkel's suggestion of toning it brings things together nicely. Worth a play. :S3:

[Rachel Hollander]

Ok guys, thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Here's a repost in which I really amped it up, dodging and burning and adding midtone contrast. I cropped some off the rhs but I actually like the contrast of the dark jaw line so I left that. Please let me know what you think (btw , a lot of compression to fit -saved at 29).

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Jamie Douglas]

Respost looks better Rachel but it would have been sweeter if there was some tusk in the frame to compensate for the closed eye. Besides the wrinkles, it doesn't have a strong point of interest and that for me is the thing this image needs. Don't let negative nelly comments put you off from trying something different though :)))

TFS

Jamie

[Hilary Hann]

Well, I quite like it and would agree with Jamie's points re both the tusk and for continuing to try different things. With a tusk and open eye, you would have had everything going for it.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Jamie and Hilary

[Grady Weed]

Tusk or open eye not in frame...I still like it as is.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Grady :wave: