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Thread: Elephant Crossing the Sand River at Sunset

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default Elephant Crossing the Sand River at Sunset

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    Since jetlag is still keeping me up at strange times, I processed another image. This one was taken at sunset as a herd of elephants crossed the Sand River. I had hoped to capture some silhouettes but the surrounding foliage and angle of shooting from the vehicle on the river bank didn't really make it conducive. So I dropped the exposure in camera anyway, shot toward the setting sun and still tried to come up with something. I brought the exposure of the sky down further with a GND applied in pp. I decided to leave the 2 partial elephants on the rhs because I didn't think they were too distracting and prefer not to clone but also didn't crop them out to give the crossing ele sufficient room to move into. It was also one of the only days we had any clouds.

    Canon 5D3
    70-200 II @ 180mm
    1/640
    f7.1
    ISO 1600
    HH from safari vehicle, ff, luminosity mask, levels, curves, selective color, dodging and burning, sharpened in CCPS.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel - very nice moody look of the image with great colors and tones fitting the scene nicely .Comp works, too, if there were not these two ellies . Nothing you can do about.

    TFS Andreas

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    Shame about the blown bits because otherwise it is pretty much spot on mood and comp. Did not notice the other 2 rumps until I read the text, so I agree they can stay.

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel,

    love the mood and image. I thought the 2 ells would be rocks. I did not pay at all any attention to that.
    The blown out bits in the sky is a tiny tad disturbing, but not much to do about it, unless you clone or try hard.
    Remember my polar bear image, when I told you that I wanted the sky not blown out. With this image I would have done the same! Just me

    Have a great day

    Ciao
    Anette

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    I also like the overall colour & mood here Rachel, but this one's not quite up to your usual standard I'm afraid, the blown sky/clouds and the cut 2 eles take too much out of the image for mine. It would require too much cloning, but then take too much
    away from the "truth" of the story I feel.

    TFS


  6. #6
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, I know you wanted to experiment on this trip and you certainly did, good to stretch things.

    Going portrait certainly was the answer, as the crossing was short and you got all the elements in that were required for the shot, although I too feel the two portions of elephant within frame on the LHS do not really add much to the scene, all in or loose I think. I agree on dropping the EV, but based on the posting it needs a tad more tonal range so adding the usual Selective tweak gives some more 'pop'. Personal preference and also being there, I would ease off on the ND, it's pushed the saturation a little too much in the sky and perhaps a more gentle hand maybe better? If you have some minimal tone in parts or blown elements in the sky so be it, it's the overall look & feel, however I see you prefer Partial metering on something like this . Saying that, I love the reflective colour in the water.

    It was certainly a nice ending to the sighting to be surrounded by all those elephants at very close quarters.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Hi Rachel, I think it is great that you experimented and took a shot at this scene. It's easy to be conservative and takes only pictures in good light with the sun behind our back, but then we won't be able to learn. The blown bit already mentioned. the 2 partial elies look like rock to me. PP an image like this is beyond my skills, so can't give you advice here, but I would like to see a little more pop on the main elie. Love the scene. TFS. Loi

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    Forum Participant edwardselfe's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel - this has a semi-HDR feel to it that is not really my cup of tea but I appreciate what you've tried to do. Most things covered above.
    Ed

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