Trunk Shot

[Rachel Hollander]

It seems kind of slow lately so I thought I'd post something a little different. I'm sure those of us who have been to Africa have all taken trunk shots. I like this one because of the morning light, the shape and the grip on the branch.

Canon 7D
100-400 @ 400mm
1/1250
f7.1
ISO 400
HH from safari vehicle, levels, curves, selective color, burning and dodging, sharpened in CS5/6. Shot in portrait and this is ff.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

We all have... :bg3:
I like this - there's a good flow with the trunk resembling the Golden Mean guideline and the branch coming in from the corner. It does feel a bit 'long' so perhaps a slight crop from the bottom to get the branch coming perfectly out of the corner will address this and enhance aesthetics?
Have you tried it in B&W?? :w3

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Rachel,

I like this image. Especially the grass wrapped around the tusk and being hold with the trunk end :bg3:
The light is great, Morkel suggest a little crop from the bottom. I might would too crop it, just above your watermark.

Ciao
Anette

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Morkel and Anette, I'll take a look at the crop you both suggest. Morkel, of course I have a b&w version. Here it is.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Rachel, quite a 'graphic' portrail, really like it. I like the way it wraps around the tusk, then down and you have the tip of the trunk visible, not always easy. The strong diagonal of the stick works IMHO. Techs looks good, with nice detail & clarity in the trunk and the whites are not blown. Before reading further, I too thought about a B/W, but wonder if it's too stark and a duo/Quad tone might be softer?

Like your thinking on this one. :cheers: I will leave the crop for you to wrestle with.

TFS
Steve

[Robert Amoruso]

Well composed Rachel and with the suggest crop to make it perfect. Nicely done.

[dankearl]

The color version is much better to me.
It is interesting and works for me, but just the trunk alone I would have liked.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Steve, Robert and Dan, much appreciated.

[Gen Benjamin]

Love the composition and detail in this image. I also would crop from the bottom a bit. This image really gives me a sense of how powerful those trunks are
Gen

[Brendon Cremer]

Great image Rachel, nice detail and textures with a great oof bg, i like the colour version tho agree with Steve that a Duo or quad tone B&W conversion might be quite interesting.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Gen and Brendon.

[Morkel Erasmus]

B&W looks nice, agree with Steve, a toned one would work nicely...

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Rachel, I do too like your B&W of the elephant trunk. As well I do agree with Steve.

Ciao
Anette

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks everyone. Here's a rp with the suggested crop, really just a sliver off to keep the entire strip of peeled bark in the frame.

Thanks again,
Rachel