Across Lake Amboseli

[Hilary Hann]

It has been a long time since I posted an image for c&c, a lot has happened in the last year but I'm putting a toe in the water to see how it feels again.

Elephants cross the dry pans every day going from the swamps in Amboseli National Park to the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro. Where I was staying in a private camp in Kitirua Conservancy, we had access to the majority of Lake Amboseli without ever having to go into the National Park so had unrestricted opportunities to photograph the various herds making the dash across the dry lake bed. On this occasion it was a small breeding herd and this cow was out on her own. By this stage, although early morning, the sun was already quite strong and the distant haze was becoming pronounced.

1DX; 200-400 @ 350mm; ISO640; 1/640 sec @ f14; Tv exp.

Slight crop of the foreground to straighten.

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Hilary, I like the running pose and the flying dirt. The strong light was unfortunate. If try to brighten the area around the eye and lift the shadow a little bit. Loi

[Morkel Erasmus]

I like your recent series of images from Amboseli lake with heat haze and all Hilary. Nice stride with the faded animals in BG haze adding. I would try to open up the shadows a wee bit, but not so that it looks overcooked or unnatural? Horizon looks level but to me the line of stride of the elephant is a clearer "horizon" and this could suggest a need for a slight CW rotation? WDYT?

PS: GREAT to have you posting again! :5 Don't get lost? :cheers:

[Brendon Cremer]

Great Image, Like the slight dust trail and the faded animals behind the heat waves in the BG. Colours look good to me but could possibly do with a little lifting form a levels/curves poit of view. Agree with morkel i might try open up the shadows a little on the ele and then try bring out a little more texture in her.

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Loi, I agree that the dark eye is a bit of a killer, I can lighten it a little but it still is a negative for me. :(

Thanks Morkel for the welcome back, I have a lot of images that need a second or third eye, that's for sure. The horizon will be a problem as she was coming towards us so if I straighten her, the horizon will annoy me. I've jiggled and juggled it quite a bit before posting and I think this was the best to my eye, but prepared to give it another try.

Brendon and Morkel, re the lightening shadows … I'll lift them slightly and see how it looks. The levels/curves adjusment is on the edge of blowing highlights and shadows so will approach the contrast via another route and see whether it works. May not be able to repost until Wednesday, builders are renovating my office tomorrow.

[Marc Mol]

Love the swaying amber in his walk, with the trunk, front and rear leg depicting this. The BG haze and inclusion of egret & grants? really enhance nicely, another vote for a slight increase in shadow detail if it's there Hilary.:w3
TFS

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Marc, I'll give it a go. Yes to Grant's gazelle. :S3:

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Hilary - Welcome back. You have been missed! I like everything about this, the walking stride with the visible pad of the foot and detail there, the flying dust and even the heat haze adds to the feel. The gazelles and egret take it up a notch too. I agree about the shadow detail but only a minor tweak needed.

I hope you'll do more than just stick your toe in as you always make valuable contributions and suggestions. Looking forward to seeing more.

TFS,
Rachel

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Hillary,
like the walking elephant with the kicked up dust , the empty landscape with little bits and pieces of other animals.
I do find the overall image kind of flat in tone and color, sorry to say that, plus i would add a tad more LCE to the main subject.

I think you should embed a color profile or least a standard one, took the image into different viewers and into photoshop all look different , and not just a little bit.In PS there was a lot more detail visible in the shadow parts than here, but the colors were really off, really light red ground and reddish /white egret????…..!!

TFS Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Hilary, nicely composed, sits well within frame. I like the striding pose and the dust bring created, plus the additional wildlife within capture.

The whites are already clipped in the tusks so and adjustment in Levels is going to push the whites. As Andreas has pointed out, the image does carry an untagged profile and so the image does look 'flat', however correcting this, then adding either some LCE or a Channels Curves adjustment to perk up the mid tone blacks brings more depth to the elephant and the image. Greeting a bit more colour in the 'soil' does also bring a bit more life to the image too I think, however you were there, so a better judge than me. Personally I think the elephant needs some more selective sharpening, but watch, as some outline areas are starting to show halos I think?

Curious why you decided to go TV and f/14????

TFS
Steve

[Andreas Liedmann]

Steve - why bringing death to the image with some slight LCE?

[Steve Kaluski]

Steve - why bringing death to the image with some slight LCE?


plus i would add a tad more LCE to the main subject.

Echoing your comment, however LCE is not something I choose to apply.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Understood that you echoed my comment, but still do not understand why i bring death to an image with slight use of LCE selectively applied, can you explain technically why this is the fact, at least from your POV.By saying you do not use it,up to you, you do not explain why not, and i asked for an explanation, Mr Detail, with all respect.

[Steve Kaluski]

Andrea, now I see what you mean, taking it out of context with the actual line did not make sense. Re reading the reply I meant DEPTH, not death, LOL :bg3:, fingers hunting & pecking with brain not engaged!

LCE - It's just not something I like to use, 'personal preference Andreas', as I much prefer to work in Curves, Channels and Tonal layer masks as I find them easier to control, they deliver what I want, as you know.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Steve - LOOOOL! You should stop, for today, writing comments . My name is Andreas i am still male not female as Andrea is female name, LOL.:bg3:

Understand now your comment and know that you prefer your beloved curves……..

Looking forward for some funny sounding comments by the master itself.

Bringing death to an image etc…….

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi HIlary,

great image with this running elephant. The comp works for me very del. You got already great suggestions above.

Have a great eve

Ciao
Anette

[Hilary Hann]

Excellent suggestions everyone, thanks. Andreas and Steve gave me an early morning laugh which is always good.

I can't implement any changes until I get my office back but I do know why my profile wasn't embedded. I've had to change my saving for BPN action because of the new sizes and forgot to click "embed profile", rookie mistake.

The tusk whites weren't shown as blown on my working file so I'll need to check that before re posting.

I have a bit to do on this image as soon as I can, I'll see if I can improve it.

[Steve Kaluski]

The tusk whites weren't shown as blown on my working file so I'll need to check that before re posting.

Just sent you a point of reference, hope it helps.

[Martin Dunn]

Great looking elly Hilary. Considering the position of the sun I think the exposure is good and the shadows are not nearly as harsh as they could be.
On my monitor the whites (tusks and egret) look bright but not blown, in fact until I read Steve's comment I thought you'd done really well to keep the whites under control.

Composition wise I would like a bit more space in front of and above the elly, but I don't suppose that is an option.

Look forward to many more of your photos.

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Steve for the email and reference points and thanks Martin for the comments. Hopefully tomorrow will have me back processing.

[peter delaney]

Hi Hilary

Steve has covered the technical side… I love the composition a the two Antelope and the Egret in the BKG as they add a sense of scale to the image. The Dusty BKG adds to the mood . I am sure this will work well as high key B&W too.

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Peter

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I've tried to incorporate as many as I could. I plan to try Peter's b&w suggestion later but would post as a separate thread, if I can make it work. Don't have the b&w processing skills of Peter, unfortunately.

Tusks don't appear to be blown in this image but the RGB readings on the previous image I posted weren't coming up as blown either so hopefully they appear ok when posted this time.

Thanks again for the help. :S3:

[Hilary Hann]

Curious why you decided to go TV and f/14????

TFS
Steve\

Forgot to answer your query Steve. I went Tv with the 1/640 as it was suiting the overall subjects that I was shooting at the time. The f14 was just the resultant aperture and seemed fine for the situation.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Love the RP, Hilary:w3, nice detail on the ellie there! All else has been covered I think, hoping to see more images from you:S3:

Kind regards,