Lashes

[Rachel Hollander]

Some may remember that I have tried to capture the eye lashes of an elephant in other images. On my recent trip I feel I was a bit more successful with this. I used the way the light was hitting the lashes and augmented how shadows behind to achieve the light vs dark I now strive for in my conversions. Again this was converted in ACR.

Canon 5D3
100-400 II @321mm
1/2000
f8
ISO 1600
HH from safari vehicle, cropped to vertical, converted in ACR, curves, sharpened in PSCC.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[haseeb badar]

Hi Rachel — I think the elephants make a nice subject in BW especially if one attempts portraits as their hide provides amazing texture. You got some excellent details here and the conversion works for me . The eye lashes are the strong point which have come out nicely against the shadows . Again something to keep in mind for me when attempting the BW shots . The comp is very nice IMO.
Hope to see you post more of BW images .
nicely done , TFS !

[John Mack]

I have never seen an elephants eye lashes. I enjoyed viewing. The textures throughout are great.

[Basil Dardagan]

Absolutely agree with Haseeb on the elephants hide creating a stunning background in this image ! The eye lashes work really well to complete a top class b/w image. These close ups of elephant eyes often have the big blotch of sleep very evident and its absnce in this image improves it imo

[Rachel Hollander]

Thank you Haseeb, John and Basil. I'm glad you all like this one. Basil - I agree on the sleep. I have several other shots of other eles close up that I do not like as much because of the sleep present.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice close-up and details here, Rachel.
I think it can use even more tonal contrast and bringing out the etches in the skin and the lashes - darker shadows overall and some dodging on the midtones and highlights perhaps?

[Steve Kaluski]

From the title Rachel I was expecting a far tighter image emphasising the title and to build on the 'detail' aspect, as I feel your eyes get drawn to other textures of the subject ie the head. Agree with Morkel that the image needs great Tonal contrast and more playing with the lights & darks, it all a bit 'mid' and much greater clarity/definition between the 'lashes' and the subject. I also feel there is too much dead space to the left and doesn't add much to the overall comp and this comes back to going tighter in the original frame. Going for a image like this, using the 300 with the 2x I feel would have created a better result and delivered more and would justify the title.

Tech wise I might have gone for greater DoF and you could have slightly dropped the ISO and pushed the ISO a little. Flipping left to right I think places the 'weight' of the image in a better position, irrespective of how the frame was shot, it's all about making the image and portraying it in the best way.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Morkel and Steve. I'll take a look at the tones but as you know I won't be flipping the image under any circumstances.

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Rachel Hollander]

Here's a rp with more tonal contrast applied mostly through some curves adjustments and a little dodging.

Thanks again,
Rachel