Solar Worshipper

[Morkel Erasmus]

I love shooting into the golden light in Mana Pools. I also love spending time with big elephant bulls on foot in Mana Pools.
What I especially love - is being able to combine the two when a willing subject is found at a suitable location!

This shot might not be to everyone's tastes and the starburst might be overbearing, and that's okay.
We followed this big bull (called Big Vic, or Big V) around during the magical hour of sunset in the albida forests south of the Zambezi floodplain.

Photo taken while crouching low down, coaching the photographers with me on how to take these moody images.

Techs:
Nikon D3s
Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR-II @ 150mm
f22 | 1/320 SS | ISO-1100

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Morkel - Always good to experiment in the field and I like the overall image. I do feel that the sunburst is overwhelming the image and wonder if it would be a more balanced image with the elephant less centered and to the left a bit.

TFS,
Rachel

[D. Robert Franz]

Overall a very well thought out image. I really like the diagonal formed by the sun and the elephant.. If your would crop a bit off the right side of the frame the placement om the 2 main points of interest would be in compositional power points! Seems to be a slight green cast overall but I'm hesitant to mention anything since iit could be my monitor.

[haseeb badar]

Hi Morkel -- This one I absolutely loved it ! I don't know what specifically but it has certain mood that is attracting me to this image . I liked the overall settings and the way you have framed it . Personally I would not like to change anything here .

TFS !

[Jonathan Ashton]

I think it is great, love the lighting and the elephant's pose, just a hint of colour coming through - very nice indeed.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Morkel this is simply stunning for me , brilliant work and i love the two components of low POV and the stunning light .
No crit and i would not change a thing , very very nice !!!
Love it TFS Andreas

One day .....

[Stuart Philpott]

Morkel I love the sunburst,what really makes this utterly special for me is your positioning to have that pale backlit tree behind the bull's head, A spectacular i,mage I would change nothing absolutely nothing
top drawer

take care

Stu

[Marc Mol]

Love the sunburst here Morkel, with the reaching ele paying homage to it's early warmth and light, great story telling image, first class.

TFS

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks for the feedback, everybody