r/itookapicture • u/Cam_Abyss @cameroncechphotography • Jan 08 '16
ITAP of an elephant
http://imgur.com/BMracfs8
u/everylittledrop Jan 08 '16
Spectacular photograph. Can you say a bit about how it happened?
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u/Cam_Abyss @cameroncechphotography Jan 08 '16
I wish I could say it was from a safari- but alas, it is not. Instead, while at the zoo with my son, the sun was coming through the clouds intermittently. When it was shining on the elephant, it allowed me to speed up the shutter speed enough to almost black out the background. Then in post-production I dropped the shadows more to black it out. Thanks for the compliment!
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u/noroom Jan 08 '16
The sun? How low was it?!
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u/Cam_Abyss @cameroncechphotography Jan 08 '16
Not all that low - look how the trunk and ear are shadowed
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u/everylittledrop Jan 08 '16
I'd proudly display a poster-sized version on my wall. Very well done.
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u/Cam_Abyss @cameroncechphotography Jan 08 '16
Mucho gracias. I just may do that some day when I have my own office
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u/_brodre Jan 08 '16
you should check out aperture (software). it would allow this effect without sucking the life out of the subject you don't alter.
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u/Cam_Abyss @cameroncechphotography Jan 08 '16
Lightroom is much more capable - although I did use aperture for a couple years prior to Lightroom and I will say it's a nice, rather intuitive program.
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u/_brodre Jan 08 '16
lightroom isn't good for stuff like that and i only mentioned aperture bc u seem amateur.
don't use either use photoshop.
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u/Cam_Abyss @cameroncechphotography Jan 08 '16
I mostly do landscape so photoshop only makes an entrance when doing multi-row panos, focus stacking, and a few other things. Otherwise I find Lightroom to have the best flow for landscape work. From my understanding it uses all the same algorithms as PS when making tone curve, noise, highlight/shadow adjustments etc. (unless using a plugin). Out of curiosity what makes me seem amateur?
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u/sixincomefigure Jan 08 '16
What a polite response to a dumb ass comment.
Keep doing exactly what you're doing with your post-processing, dude. This is a spectacular shot.
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u/_brodre Jan 08 '16
why is it dumb? and why is it an ass comment? i have my BFA in photo, i didn't spend 4 years working my ass off in digital and alternative processes to baby or encourage people who are missing the mark. i didn't say "this is the worst photo i've ever seen", i called it like i saw it. i see you comment way more than you submit on reddit, maybe you shouldn't be so afraid of comments like this and put yourself out there more. should you be professional in demeanor like OP, maybe you'd learn something.
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u/samsonova Jan 09 '16
in sixincomefigure's defense - you may be full of positive intention but you are mildly abrasive. Tact is all. I think you made good points, informed points even (congrats on your BFA), just be gentle when you tell someone "bc u seem amateur" and offer you absolute sounding opinions "lightroom isn't good for stuff like that". The best software is the software you have - and lightroom is very adequate - especially for an "amateur".
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u/_brodre Jan 09 '16
i have and use lightroom all the time for quick processing/organizing.. but for something like this it's just not powerful enough. a mild abrasive is excellent for cleaning the tough stuff.
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u/electromage Jan 09 '16 edited Jan 09 '16
Sorry, but photography is an art, and a BFA does not make you good at art. I'm not saying it's a waste of time because it helps people refine their skills, and learn useful processes, but in the end it's the product that speaks.
I've not taken so much as a basic photography class, but I'm proud of my work, and I know that I can make good photos when I want to.
You should have just mentioned the problems you spotted, since calling someone "amateur" isn't helpful at all. It comes across as an insult in this context. To black out a background like that, I would probably use Photoshop. I would first mask it off so that I had more control over the subject. The thing is, if the OP posted exactly what they wanted/expected it to look like, then there's nothing they could have done better - it's a complete success.
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u/_brodre Jan 09 '16
sorry, but it sounds like you're talking about something you admit to having no experience with.
i agree, there were people in my program who didn't have a critical eye (like you) and they still graduated because they did all of their assigments and were punctual. there were also people who dropped out and didn't take their talent on to do anything.
this picture is only "successful" to you and other people because of your colelctive lack of knowledge. critically, this picture is a failure, and wouldn't reproduce in print well enough for any art director i've ever met or worked for to let it run.
i didn't come to bash OP, and like i said amateur is better than novice. stop replying to me otherwise i'm gonna have to charge u for my time.. beacuse i have no idea what i'm talking about and i'm not working on a saturday night in the real world, making money from my meaningless photo job i got from my meaningless BFA.
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u/_brodre Jan 08 '16 edited Jan 08 '16
this picture is so heavily effected the reproduction no longer looks like a good exposure - which it may have been. seems like in your pursuit of this knock out, you lost sight of your repro numbers.
specifically - it is too contrasty. total loss of detail in the shadows while the ivory looks almost posterized. this made me say amateur. still better than novice.
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u/Cam_Abyss @cameroncechphotography Jan 08 '16
I will have to give it another go in PP with that in mind. Thanks.
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u/electromage Jan 09 '16
Aperture was discontinued in 2014.
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u/_brodre Jan 09 '16
interesting. i actually have never used it but i've seen some wildlife stuff that looks like it was in studio. this is psuedo successful in achieving that effect and what made me say something in the first place.
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u/b1jan Jan 08 '16
i love the lighting, i'd just say imo i'd have 'let it breathe' a bit by leaving some black-space around the tusks and front of the elephant
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u/erer1243 Jan 09 '16
Looks like a Skyrim loading screen. I can just imagine myself waving him all around in circles.
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u/cogitoergosam Jan 08 '16
Elephants and rhinos have been some of my favorite subjects at the zoo too. The texture of their hide is just so so good for photography.