Just returned from a long road-trip, and among others visited the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa. It was only my second visit to this reserve, and my first multi-day visit having previously just did a quick drive around en route to elsewhere.
These 2 young elephant bulls were having a friendly bout of "how's your father" all morning. It was fun to watch but challenging to photograph as they were moving in and out of the surrounding foliage.
Techs:
Canon 7D with 100-400mm L IS USM @ 115mm
f8.0 @ 1/640 SS @ ISO-800
This is nearly full frame, cropped some off the top and bottom and a sliver from LHS
I like the interaction between the two elephants, especially the curves of the trunks. Nicely lit on the sides of the animals. My only reservation is that the colour of the earth is so similar to the elephants skin that they don't stand out of the background as much as they deserve … but not much you do given the situation.
You've captured a lovely, playful moment very well. BTW, I thought the Addo elephants didn't have much in the way of tusks so these boys are doing very well! :)
Great interaction here Morkel, with the lighting enhancing nicely, would have preferred a lower perspective but understand that may not have been possible?
Would like to have seen this @1024 wide.;)
TFS
unfortunately one looks slightly down on this waterhole from the roadside and can't get out of your vehicle so lower angle wasn't possible...I've got other shots from Addo where the elephants were "higher" than me :)
Marc - too much detail in this, saving at 1000px gave me a quality setting of about 55 :(