...ok...now we have 2 people wishing the elephants were facing a different way than what they are.
This is not a posed studio shot.
It is a photograph of something as I saw it it. I don't think the elephants would have listened to me if I started yelling at them to turn around...nor did I EVER consider thinking this would be better any other way.
I took this photograph because the creatures seemed bored...hence the title. Bored with their toys and with us, the zoo patron. Hence my rather sarcastic title. The balls were there to amuse them, and they were there to amuse us. Plus the light, the shadows, the textures, those cement balls, the general composition was intriguing to me.(I didn't crop this at all.) It never occurred to me to think it would be better if they were in a different position. Suggestions like this are only somewhat practical for an image that is in a studio set up, or something that is obviously staged. Then again, it is the photographers vision, so who are we to tell them to do otherwise.I truly wish people could learn to view an image as it is. Like, or even love a photograph...dislike or hate a photograph...but why wish to change a photograph?
...I need more tea.
[Dec. 7th, 2008 11:40:48 PM]
I wonder why I enter the free studies?
Statistics
Place: 352 out of 417 Avg (all users): 5.0342 Avg (commenters): 6.8000 Avg (participants): 5.0000 Avg (non-participants): 5.1020 Views since voting: 793 Views during voting: 228 Votes: 146 Comments: 8 Favorites: 1 (view)
you enter the free studies so I can find the balls...
I belong to a local photo group, and no matter how many times people of acknowledged expertise and experience remind us to look at what's there in the pictures, one of the first things folks want to do is to "improve" the image at hand. And such nice people too.
Heh! Was checking out your Christmas tree and recognized this one. Just read the remarks. Glad to see someone else who takes out their frustrations in the newly allowed "photographer's comments during the challenge" feature. And yes, I quite like this one. Bah on the 2 second viewers with no sense of appreciation for enjoying a photograph.
It almost looks as if you did pose everything, there's a still life aspect to it - even resembles your recent "o o o" shot in a vague echo kind of way. The light is wonderful here and makes for a scrumptious black and white. The turning away of the 'phants has the feel of affront - hmmm, a 'phant affront - they repudiate our attempts to trick them into thinking they've got it made.
Speaking of tea, I find the distress brought on by too many low votes is becalmed by a good vanilla chai with some generous spoonfuls of sugar and cream. :)
I like the light in this and I think the bw conversion makes the elephant stand out more but I'd rather the elephant was facing a different direction or maybe I've missed something