Nature Photographers Network
This is the preserved archive of the original Nature Photographers Network. The community continues at naturephotographers.network.
(W-Repost) The vanishing tribe
‹ PreviousWildlife GalleryNext ›

(W-Repost) The vanishing tribe

by Jagdeep Rajput

Gallery: WildlifePosted April 29, 2010139 views11 comments
Indian Elephant ... the vanishing tribe.

As for the title, Indian Elephant is suffering primarily due to habitat loss and poaching for tusks.

I was waiting at the edge of Sal forest for the Elephants, this was first to appear on the scene. He suddenly charged and then aborted the attack surprisingly, raising the dust and creating this image.
Incidently, this was my first elephant shoot with a digital camera.

Thankyou so much for your kind attention & views !
Canon 400D, 70-200mm, ISO 100, 1/250 sec. at F 6.3

PS. I happened to join this wonderful forum today i.e. 29 Apr. 2008, so today is my happy birthday here and I'm two years old. :biggrin:

Comments

11 comments
Comment posted by Neil Rossmiller on April 29, 2010 at 10:56 AM
Happy Birthday Jagdeep! :toast:
I really like the action here and the intensity of the situation. IMO this may work better in a horizontal format. The dust cloud is more intrigul to the action of the scene than the tree tops above the elephant and including more of it would help the dynamics of the capture. In this format I like it better if I scroll the image up to lose half of the tree tops above the head which also takes the eye out of dead center cropping.
Sitting in a springtime snow storm here in Utah, I long to be there.
I always enjoy your images!
Neil
Registered on October 30, 2009, 156 Posts, 749 Comments
Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on April 29, 2010 at 1:49 PM
Jagdeep, happy Birthday!!! So you are only two now; I thought you were around these forums at least as long as I have been!? That's how it feels anyway. :wink:
And if you are running out of elephants just give the Botswana Government a call, they have too many, maybe they can export some! :biggrin: Just kidding its is of course a very sad fact that Elephants are still being threathened due to poaching and habitat loss in many African and Asian countries... :mad:
The dust is a nice feature and provides for some mystique here. I also like how you used the FG vegetation at the bottom to frame the image. I only cannot help thinking that a scene like this would have potentially come out much more spectacular in early morning or evening lighting with a very low sun angle. Easier said than done I know :wink: .
Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments
Comment posted by John Tobias on April 29, 2010 at 5:19 PM
Nice shot and interesting story. I also think you could crop off of the top. Thanks for posting. I enjoy seeing the photos of nature from your region.
Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Sharp on April 29, 2010 at 9:49 PM
Nice work JR. I noticed the eye being near exact center and suspect if you prepared this shot today it would be elsewhere. Still the effect is fine. I found myself wondering if the elephant were in the top of the frame with most of the vegetation near the bottom if that would emphasize the elephant proportions by having him (in terms of perspective) tower over the viewer. I love the suspended dust and the story that accompanies it.
Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments
Comment posted by kiran khanzode on April 29, 2010 at 11:02 PM
The title and the dust in the image do match, nice light and compo, Jagdeep ! :toast:
Registered on February 21, 2009, 83 Posts, 428 Comments
Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on April 30, 2010 at 8:05 AM
First of all - many happy returns of the day, Jagdeep! About the image, it is so eerie! I did exactly what Neil Rossmiller did without having read any of the comments - I cut off the top and the bottom of the image and cropped in only the elephant, and voila, it worked for me! Then I read Neil's comment and went bonkers!
Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments
Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on April 30, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Thank you Neil for your valueable suggestion ! Horizontal frame wasn't possible as the earlier post was almost full frame.
Jagdeep Rajput :wavey:
Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Sharp on April 30, 2010 at 11:11 AM
I like the crop version, with the remaining branches now curving over the elephant to provide arched framing!
Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments
Comment posted by Neil Rossmiller on April 30, 2010 at 12:22 PM
Hey Jagdeep,
I really like the transformation. Much greater impact IMO.
Very nicely done!
Neil
Registered on October 30, 2009, 156 Posts, 749 Comments
Comment posted by Greg Cope on April 30, 2010 at 11:05 PM
What drama! The dust in the air makes me feel the action. I prefer the original post, the Elephant on the lower third of the frame really anchor the drama with the rest of the frame, My .02
Registered on January 22, 2007, 212 Posts, 2737 Comments
Comment posted by Nilanjan Das on May 1, 2010 at 3:55 PM
This is one of the best Indian Elephant shots that I have seen Jagdeepji... Happy Birthday too :) :toast: :toast:
Registered on June 5, 2008, 94 Posts, 383 Comments