Elephant Haven

[Chataignier]

At a refuge for retired circus elephants in Haute Vienne.



I've posted here rather than in pets as the image is part landscape and, anyway, this elephant was born in the wild - they have her history.

[mugge]

I really like this image for some reason ( and that is the best reason )
Cheers Ole

[escape]

I'm with Ole on this one. It's just so appealing.

[JohannaDiggs]

Nice, I like it.

[selig1656]

Well done in black/white

[Manfred M]

Overall, this is a very good image and it suits B&W. What bothers me about the shot is that rope that the elephant is holding with its trunk, that stretches our of the image. I find it to be quite distracting.

[billtils]

It depends on how you regard the shot Manfred. Your edit treats it as a portrait whereas David's has the elephant doing something. Looking at both again I prefer the original as the edit leaves the elephant with a trunk that is curled up for no clear reason.

[escape]

I like them both. What distracts me is that blurry shadow alongside his back leg. I'm not sure what it is, and I'm not sure if its removal would be an improvement. Sometimes, you get used to looking at something the way it is. Removing it would make that space look empty to me.

[Manfred M]

It depends on how you regard the shot Manfred. Your edit treats it as a portrait whereas David's has the elephant doing something. Looking at both again I prefer the original as the edit leaves the elephant with a trunk that is curled up for no clear reason.

That is a significant distracting element and it either needs to be removed or otherwise neutralized in order to create a more effective image. Removal is quickest and easiest. This is a portrait of an elephant, regardless of whether that piece is in the image or not. Having observed elephants in the wild numerous times, I have seen that positioning of the trunk, regardless of whether something is being held by it or not.

[Manfred M]

I like them both. What distracts me is that blurry shadow alongside his back leg. I'm not sure what it is, and I'm not sure if its removal would be an improvement. Sometimes, you get used to looking at something the way it is. Removing it would make that space look empty to me.

That's the elephant's tail and in my view, the image would look strange without it.

[Chataignier]

Thanks for your comments Manfred, I see what you mean... However, what she is holding is not a rope, it's a long piece of bamboo that just went out of shot. I wonder if a good compromise would be to shorten it so that she has a reason for holding her trunk like that, but it does not go out of shot. No time today, but tomorrow I'll revisit it.

[DanK]

That sounds like a good solution


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[Chataignier]

Modified as discussed - much better without the over long bamboo.

[Manfred M]

Modified as discussed - much better without the over long bamboo.

I agree. With this crop, the piece of bamboo is short enough, i.e.not at or over the edge of the frame to be a distraction. The current version tells a stronger visual story than my crop.

[Round Tuit]

Nicely done. I like this final version.

[billtils]

Works for me too