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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Thirty Two: On Safari -- expressing the essence of nature > Twilight, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, 2006
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07-JAN-2006

Twilight, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, 2006

A wet-season safari in Zambia offers photographers abundant sightings of African wildlife in an emerald green setting under cloud-streaked skies. I have tried to take this image beyond just another wildlife sighting. I offer a surrealistic impression rather than a descriptive landscape. The twilight hovers between being there and not there, creating a painterly aura through muted color that makes this image seem less real, and more symbolic of a world that may be slowly slipping away. The two elephants are incongruously reminiscent of ancient mastodons upon the land. The incongruity of the dead tree standing amidst lush green surroundings implies the presence of death as well as life, while the horizontal streaks of clouds in the sky offer a counterpoint to the vertical threadbare branches. It is an image that takes us back in time, yet also implies an ecosystem in jeopardy.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
1/400s f/7.1 at 16.5mm iso100 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time07-Jan-2006 09:17:23
MakePanasonic
ModelDMC-FZ30
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length16.5 mm
Exposure Time1/400 sec
Aperturef/7.1
ISO Equivalent100
Exposure Bias-0.66
White Balance (10)
Metering Modemulti spot (3)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Programprogram (2)
Focus Distance

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Phil Douglis04-Feb-2006 22:41
You earned your stripes as my photo-analyst in residence once more, Celia. You begin where I left off in my analysis of this image, carrying its meaning forward by stressing not just an ecosystem in jeopardy, but how it must keep the endless life and death struggle for survival in balance. I stand in awe of your interpretation of this image, Celia -- it makes me understand my motivations here in a new and substantive light. I wanted my opener to speak of nature itself, not just elephants or Zambia. Because that's what a safari is really all about -- seeing nature in it most raw, uncompromising, and elemental form. Thank you, Celia, for illuminating this image so beautifully for us.
Cecilia Lim04-Feb-2006 22:19
This is a great opening shot Phil about the essence of nature! You introduce us to the concept that this is a world that exists as a consequence of the interaction between the living species (such as in the implied destruction of tree, now dead, by the elephants) And that the world here is a constant struggle for that balance between life & death. I noticed that you express this struggle and balance with the repetitive use of opposites that always seem to counter-balance each other out -such as beween the dead tree & the lush living greenery around it; the elephants walking in opposite directions but in symmetry; there's one big elephant & one small elephant; there are vertical lines and horizontal lines; there's that slight warm golden glow and the cool muted blue sky, and that time of twilight which is neither dark nor bright. There's conflict but there's balance... Such is the life that seems to exist in nature.
Phil Douglis28-Jan-2006 19:11
Thank you, Augustinus - this image was a magical experience for me. One of those times when everything comes together at once -- the landscape, the light, the subjects, all there for me. All I had to do was to make the most of it by finding the right moment in time and the most effective vantage point in terms of spatial relationships.
Guest 28-Jan-2006 11:13
Indeed a timeless picture. The mood of this photo is strong and the composition of the elephants and trees, also the atmosphere of the surrounding, are the power of the feeling brought in this photo.
Phil Douglis26-Jan-2006 17:47
Mood is really the subject of this picture, Ramma. I devote an entire gallery to the subject of creating mood and atmosphere athttp://www.pbase.com/pnd1/atmosphere_and_mood
Ramma 26-Jan-2006 08:07
This picture has a mood of its own. Beautiful
Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 21:52
Thanks for discussing the meaning of the tree to you at length, Jen. It does indeed imply the presence of death in the face of life. I am glad you pointed out the scale incongruity regarding the size of the tree vs the elephants, too. Perhaps the ultimate irony is this tree has died because of elephants -- they strip trees of leaves, fruit, and bark, and absorb its moisture in the summer's dry months. They often rip them up by the roots, as well. The elephant destroys trees, yet also creates them by eating seeds and then propagating trees through their droppings.
Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 21:46
Dandan and Mo, the light can be interpreted as both sad and ominous. There was no sun, just a muted glow. The elephants become characters in the drama created by this light.
Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 21:44
Alister and Cesar, thanks for your comments. When I saw the ethereal nature of this light, I gasped. I was shooting the light here first, the elephants and trees secondarily. And you are right, Alister, it was a bit lighter than the original scene. Our light meters tend to want to make things lighter than they actually are. As for the tip of the tree, its irrelevant to the point of the picture. I wish it was there, but I am not about to start cloning -- it's not my thing.
Jennifer Zhou24-Jan-2006 13:43
The lush green of the grass and the trees matches the skin color of the elephants. It is like the nature and the elephants are perfectly belonging to each other. The dead tree almost comes as a shock here in this peaceful land. The elephant is one of the largest creatures in the world, but we see the dead tree is many times taller than the elephants, it is like saying no matter how strong, how big one is, nobody can really escape from death.
monique jansen24-Jan-2006 13:25
Ominous light here, looks like the elephants might even be aware of that
Guest 24-Jan-2006 12:18
This picture is almost like an oil painting to me. Love the muted tone. The grey sky echoes the sad mood of the two departing lovers (ok, elephants here…). And makes me wonder what the next is…Great opening image for your new gallery!
alibenn24-Jan-2006 11:33
The cropped tree branch doesn't actually bother me at all...I think the rest of the frame has enough excitement and feeling to make it an unimportant point. I asked because I have given up taking Phils' crops for granted...there may have been reason for this which I was missing...just keeping on my toes!!!
Cesar Fernandez24-Jan-2006 04:28
Very nice indeed Phil.
Soft, gloomy light with an almost jurasic feeling. Great composition with awesome subjects in your
image captured at the perfect time. The tip of the tree going over the edge of the frame......uhm? I do not think it takes away much merit to the photo at all. Others would be tempted to simply clone some ski aver the branch and it would take care of it, although some would consider that "cheating" or too much image manipulation since it was not part of the original composition (me included); but I think your image is just amaizing and such a little detail is not important at all.
Congratulation,

Cesar.
alibenn24-Jan-2006 03:32
As you say, a time-less image...I like the light very much, The balanced exposure creates a very ethereal light, probably a little lighter than the original scene, but there is a glow there that makes it somewhat other-worldly..I'd be interested to know how much higher the dead tree goes, did you crop it off on purpose?

The positioning of the two elephants also enhances the flow of this one...Very nice indeed, going well beyond the documentary shot...
Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 03:00
Alister, I knew you would like this one, and I knew you would ask me about the tip of that tree. I cropped it off in the viewfinder because I was so excited by the light and the elephants that I did not carefully watch all of my edges. I wish the tip was there, but for me, it does not diminish either the effect or meaning of the image. I also shot a vertical with the full tree in it, but this horizontal, cropped tip and all, worked much better. And yes, it is other worldly. I could not believe the quality of light at this moment. And as you know, that's what photography is really all about. The nature of light and how it implies meaning.
Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 02:56
Tony, thanks for these thoughts. That's why I post these images. If they can stir your imagination, and lead you to discoveries of your own, they are doing their job.
alibenn24-Jan-2006 00:41
As you say, a time-less image...I like the light very much, The balanced exposure creates a very ethereal light, probably a little lighter than the original scene, but there is a glow there that makes it somewhat other-worldly..I'd be interested to know how much higher the dead tree goes, did you crop it off on purpose?

The positioning of the two elephants also enhances the flow of this one...Very nice indeed, going well beyond the documentary shot...
Macastat23-Jan-2006 20:41
Phil, with each photograph I am enlightened more... my entire being is elated, and my lens a bit more sagacious. Thank you once again.
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