Ele's from heaven

[Marc Mol]

A variation here from my aerial shadow images taken from a micro light over the Luangwa floodplain one clear & still early morning.

What's kinda interesting is the young ele 3rd from left with it's trunk held high (in all images from this herd) was very aware of us flying overhead, and the only one that did this. Granted that we were still some 4/500ft or so above them.

I'm not too concerned that one isn't playing ball and not in line, .......interested to know what other members think. I do have others with them all in file, but liked this one better.

D3s 70-200 f/2.8 VRII 1/6400s f/4 ISO1600@ 98mm. Slight crop for comp, levels, curves, colour adj in ACR/PSCC. In hindsight ISO 800 would have been sufficient for S/S, but the sun rises fast and didn't want to take any chances.


C & C most welcome

Cheers
Marc

[Dumay de Boulle]

The game paths and the shadows are fantastic. I love it and I would really like to see it in a A1 print....Nice one Marc!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Fabulous Marc, my favourite of this series of yours. Diagonal game path leading lines from the bottom corner is a VERY strong design element here...and the shadows become the subjects - very much what Peter D always quotes: "showing what is isn't, rather than what it is"

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Marc - This is really great. I too love the game trails, the texture of the ground and the shadows. I actually think the lone ele out of line adds to the image rather than detracts. The only thing I would do is burn the bright rock next to the head of the shadow of the 4th ele.

TFS,
Rachel

[Marc Mol]

Thanks Dumay, Morkel & Rachel.

Diagonal game path leading lines from the bottom corner is a VERY strong design element here...

The diagonal path was what I liked especially about this as well Morkel.

I actually think the lone ele out of line adds to the image rather than detracts. The only thing I would do is burn the bright rock next to the head of the shadow of the 4th ele.

TFS,
Rachel

The lone ele for me as well Rachel, just adds a little something,
the bright rock is actually a large dried ele footprint that's competing with the shadow forehead, and yes worth a little more work.

[Shreyas Mantri]

Marc,
Agree with all the praises above and it sure is quite artistic. Wondering why the RHS looks more damp.....perhaps closing the river?
TFS

[Mark Needham]

Just an awesome image here, Marc. Love the shadows, leading lines, and textures of the footprints. Big thumbs up!

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Marc what a great piece of natural graphic art .Just wondering where the blue shadows have been . Just pulling your leg .

Nice one , TFS Andreas

[Carl Walker]

Once again this is stunning Marc. Tried a similar thing from a balloon flight over the Mara many years ago but came no where near as good as this. Was shooting film then too and still in a learning phase ��.

[Marc Mol]

Thanks guys.

Once again this is stunning Marc. Tried a similar thing from a balloon flight over the Mara many years ago but came no where near as good as this. Was shooting film then too and still in a learning phase ��.

From my experience with ballooning the Mara & Serengeti was the lack of clear sunny skies to get the shadow/angle that's required, plus you have no control either.
I found the weather conditions to be calm but cloudy most of the time, backed up by the balloon pilots as well. A nice experience, but frustrating for us photographers.

[Tom Graham]

Very nice. It took me long time to "find" the elephants!!! Think my problem was the light coming from bottom of image. I can't get used to that. I always expect light to come from top!!! So true, you see what you expect to see.
How about flipping image (180) so light comes from top ? Like this -
Tom

Well, you'll have to try that for yourself. I tried to "Insert Image" and only choice is to link to URL. No more adding images from my PC? Bummer!! If so, bye all, it has been fun.

[Rachel Hollander]

Tom - your status is showing as a Forum Participant not a member. Forum Participants must use an external host. If there is a mistake about your membership status then send a PM to Peter Kes.

Rachel

[Marc Mol]

Very nice. It took me long time to "find" the elephants!!! Think my problem was the light coming from bottom of image. I can't get used to that. I always expect light to come from top!!! So true, you see what you expect to see.
How about flipping image (180) so light comes from top ? Like this -
Tom

Well, you'll have to try that for yourself. I tried to "Insert Image" and only choice is to link to URL. No more adding images from my PC? Bummer!! If so, bye all, it has been fun.

Just won't work Tom, in order to have your shadows the right way up, the light must (appear) to come from the lower edge.

[Tom Graham]

Just won't work Tom, in order to have your shadows the right way up, the light must (appear) to come from the lower edge.

Yeah, I pretty much agree. Just some thoughts.
What if you had been on opposite side of eles? Then shadows would have been upside down (I think). Then would it work better flipped?? Would the light then be coming in from top?
Tom

[Joe Galkowski]

Wow, I just had to say I love this image. The "out of line" ele makes it stronger. If I were going to print this big, I would leave the composition alone. If it was smaller than 16X20" I would tighten up the composition a bit. Yes, the ground texture is awesome, but the details of the shadows will show better if a larger percentage of the frame.