Happy Hour Rush

[Morkel Erasmus]

Seeing as I'm heading off to a double-whammy Etosha-Kgalagadi trip with my family on Friday...
Here's something I captured at dusk in Etosha this May past.
ISO was high by necessity - no light available (after sunset).

Techs:
Nikon D3s
Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f4.0 | 1/250 SS | ISO-4500
Exposure Bias -1 EV (to accentuate mood/dust and also get ISO a bit lower)

[Arthur Morris]

Greet situation and framing. But me thinks that you could have gotten a lot more out of it. The repost via NIK Detail Extractor with a Hide-All Layer mask painted in on the pachyderms only. Plus a bit more.... Whaddya think?

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Beautiful image Morkel, Artie's RP has taken it up a couple of notches. I like the colors of the sky, the raised trunk and the dust. Well done.

[edwardselfe]

I like this, although I don't think it's one of your best. I also like Arthur's effort and idea, but it reveals so much noise in the darker areas that I think I prefer the OP on reflection. Of course, the two periscope trunks are great and really make the image. Perhaps somewhere half way between yours and Arthur's but with more NR applied if possible.
Ed

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Artie - I tried that in my original processing and didn't like the look of it, plus it accentuated too much noise.
I went for a darker feel here, retaining only a sliver of detail so as not to make it a silhouette.


I like this, although I don't think it's one of your best.
Ed

I never claimed that it was :w3

Always happy to receive inputs on how it could be improved in any way!

[edwardselfe]

thanks Artie - I tried that in my original processing and didn't like the look of it, plus it accentuated too much noise.
I went for a darker feel here, retaining only a sliver of detail so as not to make it a silhouette.

I never claimed that it was :w3

Always happy to receive inputs on how it could be improved in any way!

Yup, I think it's great with the trunks up in the air and that really makes the image, and perhaps try to eke a little more detail in the eles but not as much as Arthur tried. It's a tough one as you don't want to lose the image's nice soft feel, but you don't want to be straining your eyes to resolve detail. You know better than me how much you can push a D3s file at ISO 4500 but I suspect, knowing your skill, that you've gone as far as anyone should! Of course, it could all be down to how well my screen's brightness is matched to yours!

Ed

[Martin Dunn]

As has been said already, what lifts this image is the raised trunks.
The pink sky is a lovely backdrop for the raised trunks but the foreground is a bit unattractive.
I think that of the two I prefer the original post.
For me although the repost does bring out more detail from the shadows is is at the expense of a substantial increase in noise and I also think it makes the resulting image too bright overall.
In the original post because the foreground was dark the eye was naturally drawn to the top of the image, whereas in the re-post the foreground is bright enough to demand a look too.

[Hilary Hann]

I'd stay with the OP Morkel but I'd crop vertically on the right hand side encompassing just the 2 snorkelling elephants and the calf in front of them. I don't think the dark smudgy elephants on the LHS add much to the composition. I know, it will get more and more noisy, but that's the comp I'd be looking at. Nice mood.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Morkel -like the pink sky and the raised trunks. My first thought was exactly the same as Hilary's, crop to a more vertical or square eliminating the darker eles on the left. The noise and halos are a problem for me in Artie's rp.

TFS,
Rachel

[Marc Mol]

I like this, although I don't think it's one of your best. I also like Arthur's effort and idea, but it reveals so much noise in the darker areas that I think I prefer the OP on reflection. Of course, the two periscope trunks are great and really make the image. Perhaps somewhere half way between yours and Arthur's but with more NR applied if possible.
Ed

You took the words right outta my mouth Ed, couldn't agree more.:w3

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Morkel,

the OP looks good to me. I as well agree with the crop Hilary suggests. The color of the sky looks great! :S3:

Have a great eve :bg3:

Ciao
Anette

[Rudi van den Heever]

Love this family image Morkel, the raised trunks and the stunning dusk colors! Will however be nice to see some more detail and exposure on the ellies with something between the OP and Arthur's RP... Enjoy the trip mate!:S3:

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Morkel,

I looked at this image a few times today, wondering…had you taken this image some thirty minutes before, would you have still captured that beautiful colour of the sky?

Unfortunately the RP reveals too much noise for me, in which case I would add some effect of sorts instead, a kind of grain, to make it look like a painting on canvas, and thus disguise the noise?

The OP moves one's imagination, this photograph does not need detail, it has brilliant colours and the outline of the ellies instead. I like it Morkel, your eye is sensitive to beauty in nature and you do not shy away from capturing a scene in the most difficult conditions-well done, always something different from you, keep them coming my friend! And have a wonderful trip to Etosha, say hello to the Kalahari from me, don't forget to look for all creatures, big and small:w3!

Warmest regards,

Travel safely,

xxGabriela

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Morkel,
tried to work on it in different ways, but in the end i left it as per your vision.
Works great in all terms.
I do find best the colors , the lined up elephants and the raised trunks.

Nicely done , Morkel :5

TFS Andreas

[Gregor Bergquist]

Hi Morkel

I think this is very lovely. All sad and talked about, but I agree the most with Gabriela. I vote for the OP.

TFS / Gregor

[BenBotha]

Interesting comments. One of your best-?? One with a lot of impact, mood, reflecting nature and elephants in the dessert on the way to drink-absolutely! I like it and can smell the dust and hear the trumpeting. I would say 1/3 lighter than the repost would IMO be better. Enjoy the trip!
Ben