Muddy Elephants

[Andreas Liedmann]

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Photographed this Elephant mud bath in Addo Elephant NP some years ago. Was fun to watch the herd of ellies ,big or small enjoying themselves in muddy environment.Hope you have fun too,watching my image.
Comments as always most welcome.

EOS 1D Mark II
500 IS L
window bracket

f7 / 1/400sec / ISO 100 80 % of FF

Processed in DPP + CS6 tryout cloned out some super highlights on the muddy elephants.
The question are the reds in here for me. too colorful ? to bright ? toning them down a tad ?
what are your suggestions ?

Cheers Andreas

[Andreas Liedmann]

Sorry guys,
i wanted to change the picture,that is the reason for double posting the picture.Will not do this again.

Cheers Andreas

[Rachel Hollander]

Andreas - not something we see every day. Good behavioral capture. My first impression is that it is a tad too bright. On color, it is difficult to say without having been there, the mud seems a bit more orange than red, maybe reduce the yellows.

TFS,
Rachel

[Ken Watkins]

Andreas,

Wonderful stuff, how did you get them to line up so neatly?

Colour of the mud looks OK to me (I got a few myself recently, none as good as this), and you clearly had some sun as well.:cheers:

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andreas, I think in relation to your questions, Rachel has answered it, it's one of those images you have to be there to make any informed suggestions, there isn't even an object to use as a guide. I might look at applying some mid tone or some adjustments in Levels/Contrast (but you are adding more black!!!!) to get some more definition and clarity and even some Selective sharpening in parts, WDYT?

BTW What is the difference between the two, you said you wanted to change the image?

TFS
Steve

[Ken Watkins]

Steve,

I think my post answers the question about the colour of the mud. Obviously it tones down a bit when dry, my recent posts from this park clearly illustrate the "Red Elephants" that are found there.

[Andreas Liedmann]

At first thank you for watching and commenting the image.I tried to keep my hand on the reds and added some LCE with USM through a mask.Hope it helped.I remember ,when i was in Addo the reds where amazing.At the same time i was shooting analog and digital,i do have some slides taken with Velvia 100F or Velvia 50 ,where the reds were so intense that you will kick my butt if i show them here.So all in all i think the reds are now ok,at least from my POV.

Cheers Andreas

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[Tom Graham]

I think the color is fine, but does need your explanation that it is mud.
The overall composition I'm not too sure about. It rather looks like the four little eles are sticking their trunks into the body of one lying down. Although I'm aware that this does not make sense. Then there is the eye(?) of one in low center.
Tom

[Ken Watkins]

.So all in all i think the reds are now ok,at least from my POV.

Cheers Andreas



Andreas,

It always puzzles me that comments are made on colour "correctness".

These Elephants would be red that is the colour of the dust and mud they cover themselves with, in Etosha they are white,the colour of the dust there.

The "white" in Zebras stripes is not always white this can be dependant on many things, not only dust but area and whether there is a shadow stripe present or not.

All animals colours vary naturally and there are no fixed colours that everything has to be.

Last year I posted an image of an Asian Paradise Flycatcher in the Avian forum, the initial reaction was of "horror" at the colours, luckily many of our members from India were able to state that the colours were correct.