Where the White Boys Dance

[Morkel Erasmus]

(with apologies to the band "The Killers") :t3


One of my aims on my recent trip to Etosha was to capture some solid images of the iconic white elephants (due to the clay and dust they apply to their bodies).


Understanding animal behaviour, predicting animal behaviour, and a stroke of luck, can make you reap some nice photographic rewards. Read the full story on my blog: http://bit.ly/WhiteElephants


Techs:
Nikon D3s
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II @ 70mm
f11 | 1/1250 SS | ISO-560

[haseeb badar]

Hi Morkel -- Didn't knew abt this ! Nice techs as well . Not the ideal of settings , in a perfect scenario those FG bushes would not have been there , but these elephants are looking marble like , enjoyed viewing this .

TFS !

[Andrew Merwin]

Great detail Morkel. I like it.

[keith mitchell]

Morkel you could be fooled into thinking these where statues created by a very good sculptor, all that clay really does help to show all the texture of the skin of there magnificent beasts,another like from me.

Keith.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like it very much Morkel - very different, I hadn't heard about these elephants before. They seem to be very thorough with the application!

[Basil Dardagan]

Beautiful Morkel !! Such a typical Etosha scene. You have also handled that side lighting really well

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Morkel - You captured the color well and brought out nice textures. I think the bodies look slightly oversharpened but not by much. Any of the iconic dust bath?

TFS,
Rachel

[Marc Mol]

Classic Etosha ele colours here Morkel, the contrasting colours between earth and sky also working nicely.

TFS

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks folks!


Hi Morkel - You captured the color well and brought out nice textures. I think the bodies look slightly oversharpened but not by much. Any of the iconic dust bath?

TFS,
Rachel

that happened too far from the road through oodles of heat haze earlier in the day...so nope :(

[Steve Kaluski]

I like the colours & comp here Morkel, but a tad of Clarity on the RH subject for a little more contrast will I feel, help pullout a bit more detail & Tonal clarity.

I might clone that light blue dot on the trunk/horizon on the LHS.

TFS
Steve

[Andreas Liedmann]

HI Morkel , great that you got your Ghost elephants !!! Agree they are special , i love the place and the elephants there . I think they are most of the times so relaxed compared to other places i have seen African elephants .
Good comp and lovely Etosha colors .
The blue blobs are just masking issues i guess :w3, i would expect the shadow side of the front elephant a bit darker in tone .
Nice details in the hide .

Nice one , TFS Andreas

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks folks
Noticed the blue spots only after posting! Steve and Andreas spot on - masking issues while processing late at night, oh no :)