Hello...

[Steve Kaluski]

• Steve Kaluski
• www.untamedimages.co.uk
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 13.5.1 (Macintosh)

One nice 'unit', a slight rotation CW required, but have left it as shot.

Subject: Elephant
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: RF 24-70 f/2.8L IS USM
Exposure: 1/3200 at f/8 ISO3200
Original format: Portrait, FF

All Raw captures perfectly exposed, confirmed by Raw Digger

Thanks to those who viewed or posted a comment on the previous image

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

"Hello" Steve

Oh but I like this a lot, I really do
Perspective is great, nice view of this ele from down below, its big silhouette against the blue sky a little intimidating.
Beautiful colours and detail is superb, love those textures. Some lovely light from the side, warm and gentle.
IQ is great, image overall well exposed and nicely processed as always.
How did you feel when he was looking at you like that? Eles are so impressive. One only realises their sheer size when close, this must have been some experience

Warmest regards,
Gabriela

 

[Steve Kaluski]

'Hello Gabriela'... No idea on what to title this??????

Perspective is great, nice view of this ele from down below, its big silhouette against the blue sky a little intimidating.

I needed to be closer and to have had the 15-35F/2.8 to hand, you just can't keep swopping and or contemplating what's going to happen, but better equipped next time in all senses.

Beautiful colours and detail is superb, love those textures. Some lovely light from the side, warm and gentle.
IQ is great, image overall well exposed and nicely processed as always.

Thanks you again, can't remember if it was am or pm, should check, but easy to expose, however it's as you said, the detail the camera/lens has captured, even the fine hairs that outline the leg, but again its the textures I just love. Think it was with the screen flipped out, not the technique we talked about for Kruger.

How did you feel when he was looking at you like that? Eles are so impressive. One only realises their sheer size when close, this must have been some experience

Heart was pounding being so close, but the Elephant was just so chilled, but it's that soft, muffled breathing you hear from the trunk that was so magical. They are such gracious and gentle giants, but you always need to remember things could change in an instance. A friend of mine got speared by one big old unit whilst guiding!!!!

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

'Hello Gabriela'... No idea on what to title this??????



I needed to be closer and to have had the 15-35F/2.8 to hand, you just can't keep swopping and or contemplating what's going to happen, but better equipped next time in all senses.



Thanks you again, can't remember if it was am or pm, should check, but easy to expose, however it's as you said, the detail the camera/lens has captured, even the fine hairs that outline the leg, but again its the textures I just love. Think it was with the screen flipped out, not the technique we talked about for Kruger.



Heart was pounding being so close, but the Elephant was just so chilled, but it's that soft, muffled breathing you hear from the trunk that was so magical. They are such gracious and gentle giants, but you always need to remember things could change in an instance. A friend of mine got speared by one big old unit whilst guiding!!!!

Title is great, basically the ele was just greeting you

Well now you know more or less what to expect at those waterholes... have all gear handy, and like you once said to me, go with your gut and use what you have on hand...

Love those textures, the wrinkles and those fine little hairs.
Haven't tried the technique we discussed, Kruger not the right place, maybe Kgalagadi might offer some opportunities. Have some time to work on it, only going next year.

I am sorry about your friend, must have been quite an experience. Hope he's ok? Did notice over the years that eles' mood can change quickly, their actions possibly dictated by previous experiences. So I am always cautious. Do encounter them almost every day and sometimes fairly close, still get that shiver down my spine when driving past them. There's one who always pretends he is busy munching on some leaves but keeps an eye on you, as soon as you get closer he turns around and chases you His name is Steve

 

[Steve Kaluski]

I am sorry about your friend, must have been quite an experience. Hope he's ok? Did notice over the years that eles' mood can change quickly, their actions possibly dictated by previous experiences. So I am always cautious. Do encounter them almost every day and sometimes fairly close, still get that shiver down my spine when driving past them. There's one who always pretends he is busy munching on some leaves but keeps an eye on you, as soon as you get closer he turns around and chases you

Recovered yes, but we haven't really spoke about it, I just heard about it when we were at Chiefs a few years back, ironically the location where I gave him a freebee, a chopper ride, where we could take the doors off and step on the skid, great fun.

Ele's most days, some small herds, others in excess of what we counted was 40-50. You are so fortunate with your encounters in your back yard, don't you just love the tiny ones that have no control over their trunks?

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Recovered yes, but we haven't really spoke about it, I just heard about it when we were at Chiefs a few years back, ironically the location where I gave him a freebee, a chopper ride, where we could take the doors off and step on the skid, great fun.

Ele's most days, some small herds, others in excess of what we counted was 40-50. You are so fortunate with your encounters in your back yard, don't you just love the tiny ones that have no control over their trunks?

Glad your friend is ok. He was very lucky. We had a sad incident this year in our area, a guard who was on foot on patrol, he did not make it.

And yes, there are a lot of those little eles in Kruger, love them, they are supper funny and entertaining. Saw one that was just learning to use its trunk to drink at a waterhole, too cute Here on the reserve I mostly see those big bulls, usually five or six, seriously big boys and I am super careful around them. They are usually chilled and I make sure to drive slowly, never rush past them. I guess they are used to me by now