Elephant closeup

[mazzachre]

I took this image of an elephant in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with my Olympus E-P1. The image is taken with the 14-42 kit lens at 14mm more or less putting the camera in the elephants face, but as it was quite peaceful I could get away with it.
It is taken in Aperture priority at f6.1, can't remember the shutter time, but it was bright daylight so probably fast, and at ISO200 (Base for the camera) handheld with no extra lighting or settings.

in PP I have cropped slightly to put the eye more in the 1/3 - 1/3 top down to be focal-point. And converted to B&W trying to get as many of the crinkles and spots visible.



My gallery here is the photos I am contemplating entering into the local competition at my photo club. Any comments here would be appreciated!

randstoft.dk/photos

[chicagojohn]

Originally Posted by mazzachre

I took this image of an elephant in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with my Olympus E-P1. The image is taken with the 14-42 kit lens at 14mm more or less putting the camera in the elephants face, but as it was quite peaceful I could get away with it.
It is taken in Aperture priority at f6.1, can't remember the shutter time, but it was bright daylight so probably fast, and at ISO200 (Base for the camera) handheld with no extra lighting or settings.

in PP I have cropped slightly to put the eye more in the 1/3 - 1/3 top down to be focal-point. And converted to B&W trying to get as many of the crinkles and spots visible.
My gallery here is the photos I am contemplating entering into the local competition at my photo club. Any comments here would be appreciated!

]

To me, this is a striking image from several perspectives. I did not read your comments before looking at it, and the rule-of-thirds placement of what I think is the subject of the image, the elephant's eye, was immediately apparent.

I'm struggling with exactly how to express the feeling that eminates from this image because it seems to have so many different levels. But to touch on a starting point, it is in the discrepancy between the seemingly ancient, large, wrinkled exterior and the eye, and in how 99% of the image is so completely different from ourselves, and yet in that eye there is connection to a consciousness, not unlike our own, that resides within.

As Wittgenstein wrote in The Tractatus, "That which can be shown, cannot be stated.", so I will leave it there.

Thanks so much for posting this!!

[MJoliat]

Wow! I don't normally like B&W photos, but this one works for me. There is an intensity in that eye that just keeps drawing my eye back to it. Nice photo!

[ericgarner118]

This photo is amazing! I can't find anything to really critique about it. I would love to see a color shot also. Do you have any specific questions about this particular shot?

[Sterling]

Excellent photo. Great composition and very compelling subject.

[Barbara V]

Wish I could state it as eloquently as chicagojohn did, but yea, that's one hell of a shot, and the eye is mesmerizing. Love how you've filled the frame.
Your gallery for the photo competition is just wonderful!

[rmpillai]

Great Capture friend............. Love the BW mode.

[sgeary]

Fantastic shot..I would love to see one even cropped more with the eye being even larger...

[chicagojohn]

I don't know what it is, but as a consequence of this thread, I like elephants a lot. I'm guessing, based upon their longevity on this earth in addition to their size, their brains are probably bigger than ours.

We'll see what happens.

[katahdin]

Having been charged by an elephant, let me tell you, I find this image scares the %$#@ out of me!!!