Elephant in Water

Mara. A shady spot provided even lighting but pushed the iso a bit, still not an issue.
D850 200-400 f4 1/833 iso 1110

Hope she was not embarrassed to be captured while bathing .

Where was this, Bryan?

I love the portrait, sad looking face.
They stand at water a lot drinking, not too often they go in. 

It's the mara, Kenya. My long time favorite place for photo safaris.

Excellent shot!  Putting that 200-400 to use there!  

Buddy of mine (neighbor) just went to safari workshop 2 months ago and came back with some cool shots of animals and incredible landscapes.   Whats funny is that his longest glass is a 70-200mm.  He had rented a 300mm prime for that trip and nearly lost the lens when an elephant changed course and charged the people in the workshop.  Beautiful animals and love this shot!!  

ShutterPal wrote: Buddy of mine (neighbor) just went to safari workshop 2 months ago and came back with some cool shots of animals and incredible landscapes.   Whats funny is that his longest glass is a 70-200mm.  He had rented a 300mm prime for that trip and nearly lost the lens when an elephant changed course and charged the people in the workshop.  Beautiful animals and love this shot!!  

Sounds like the tour guide could have done a better job keeping distance.  Elephants while beautiful and super smart animals, but extreme caution needs to be used in the wild ESPECIALLY if they have their young around.  

BTW OP, elephant here does have a story to tell and you captured it!  

Ah, seeing that elephant tugs at the heartstrings. Did you know that elephants are known to display behaviors that humans would associate with grief, compassion, and even self-awareness? In the wild, they've been observed to mourn their dead, touching the bones of deceased family members gently with their trunks and feet. It's fascinating and heart-wrenching to think about the depth of emotions these majestic creatures can feel. Makes you wonder what's going through their minds when they look so contemplative, doesn't it?

How long will an animal like this pose for you before running off?  

Every animal is very different. Zebras for example turn their heads away almost immediately. Giraffes and elephants tend to keep moving. The big cats can stay in the same spot for a while

It does. I've been lucky and privileged enough to view some of their more mind provoking interactions up close and in the wild over years

CaptNemo wrote:

ShutterPal wrote: Buddy of mine (neighbor) just went to safari workshop 2 months ago and came back with some cool shots of animals and incredible landscapes.   Whats funny is that his longest glass is a 70-200mm.  He had rented a 300mm prime for that trip and nearly lost the lens when an elephant changed course and charged the people in the workshop.  Beautiful animals and love this shot!!  

Sounds like the tour guide could have done a better job keeping distance.  Elephants while beautiful and super smart animals, but extreme caution needs to be used in the wild ESPECIALLY if they have their young around.  

BTW OP, elephant here does have a story to tell and you captured it!  

Thanks. Distance to wildlife dies vary on a number of factors, such as if they have offspring, what the animals are doing and also how their day has been!  Harassed animals in crowded parks are always likly to be more aggressive which is understandable. So location is critical. I have shot with everything from a 50mm to a 500mm it all depends on the circumstances and as you say having a food guide is also critical. I have blog covering some tips
www.exposuretours.com/10-tips-for-the-best-photo-safari/

bryanpereira wrote: Every animal is very different. Zebras for example turn their heads away almost immediately. Giraffes and elephants tend to keep moving. The big cats can stay in the same spot for a while

Ha!  because they see you as lunch!  Remarkable photo though   

Finn wrote:

bryanpereira wrote: Every animal is very different. Zebras for example turn their heads away almost immediately. Giraffes and elephants tend to keep moving. The big cats can stay in the same spot for a while

Ha!  because they see you as lunch!  Remarkable photo though   

Haha, more a case of the big cats being too lazy to move during the day most of the time. 

Which do you find to be the most aggressive cats?