Savuti Elephants Dust Bathing

[Grant Atkinson]

Canon 40D, 70-200f2.8is, handheld. S/speed 1/400s at f/5.6, iso400, focal length 70mm. Metering Eval, Ai Servo, subject distance 21m, 16h15pm. Processed in ACR and PS. No cropping. Taken in dusty September, when the Savuti channel was just beginning to flow again, a couple years back, at Savuti camp. The dust haze created the hazy conditions. I would have preferred a little more separation between the elephants but didnt want to startle them by moving the vehicle.
All C and C welcome
Cheers
Grant

www.grantatkinson.com

[Morkel Erasmus]

I like this a lot Grant - the haze adds so much mood and the timing was perfect with the trunk and dust in the air.

the hazy trees in the BG are exquisite

makes me salivate...can't wait to visit Botswana again this year for the first time since '98.

[Grant Atkinson]

thanks Morkel, and congrats on your little one. Hope you are going to have a good visit to Botswana. Let me know when and where you are going?
cheers
Grant

[Hilary Hann]

You've created a really nice mood here. Agree with your point re separation but I wouldn't have moved either if it risked upsetting the elephants and losing the moment altogether.

Check your image border, there appears to be a narrow black line top right on the horizontal and top left on the vertical, probably where you did some straightening.

[Harshad Barve]

This is one fine image Grant for all reasons mentioned above , big congrats
TFS

[Marc Mol]

The overall colour and dust/haze really enhance this typical ele setting, well done Grant.
TFS

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks for the comments, and for spotting the border, I rotated the image 0.2 cw in ACR, and forgot to crop, Hilary. (was working in a rush)
cheers
grant

[Grant Atkinson]

Herewith the cropped repost...thanks again
Grant

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Grant, very, very nice image with great atmosphere to the scene. Reminds me of Harshad's misty cold morning.

Really like the whole content, dust, pastel BG colours, but feel it might need a bit more edge to it in Curves using the dropper to give it a bit more 'bite'. if you know what I mean, it just defines the subject overall?

Be interested to know your thoughts.

TFS
Steve

[DanWalters]

Really like the interaction and the dirt flying from the trunk.

[Vivaldo Damilano]

Fantastic image, love the haze and mood captured. The raised truck and mud spray is superb. I also like the inclusion of the river and trees in the BG TFS

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, Steve, I will have a go at working it slightly differently as per your suggestion
cheers
Grant

[Rachel Hollander]

Grant - I love the dust flying through the air, the waterhole and the haze. Big congrats on this one.

TFS,
Rachel

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks Rachel, Vivaldo and Dan, much appreciated..
cheers
grant

[Russell Johnson]

Really like the pastel colours that run throught this.

TFS

[Steve Canuel]

Great feel to this one.