I’m slowly making my way through all our Thailand photos, and I don’t think I ever showed you the elephants! Is that possible!
When Brian and I went to Thailand last year, we came home with lots of elephant stories. A seed was planted in Blaze and ever since he has dreamed of riding elephants in the jungle. Doesn’t his face say it all?
The elephants at this spot were all treated with such care. Each elephant is connected to one trainer. Our trainer had been with his elephant for over twenty years.
They spend all day with their elephants whether they are hanging out and talking with friends,
bathing them (Yep, he rides the elephant into the river. The elephant goes under and then back up and back under and back up. It’s something else to watch. The trainer stays dry the whole time!),
or feeding them.
This is a favorite one that Brian shot. Part of our trek was through a rubber tree plantation. Talk about homeschool topics that day! I love how Brian framed the image of us girls on the elephant with the rubber trees swaying around us.
Have you ever done an elephant trek? One hour was plenty for us. Man, talk about whiplash. But my favorite part was when the elephant stopped and lifted his trunk to the tree branches. I thought, ‘Oh, this guy is hungry. He’s going to snack on some leaves.’ And then KABOOM! The elephant wraps his trunk around the whole stinking branch and rips it right of the rubber tree! The WHOLE BRANCH! chew, chew, chew…speechless, we were perched on his back and totally speechless.
And for those of you who need to sit it to believe it…check out the legs on this spider! This bad boy was on the ceiling at the elephant trek. Yuck, yuck, YUCK!!
It still gives me the creeps!
Question for all of you…would it be helpful if I took pictures of what we brought in our camera bag to pull these shots off? We used certain lenses for some shots and not for others. Would a blog post about the reasoning behind our camera gear be good?
And thanks for all the feedback on a Seattle June Workshop! We will keep you updated as the details unfold! So excited! And feel free to tell us what cities you’d like us to come to in 2009! It’s always helpful!
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Yes, please show us your gear bag for your trip. We have dreams of doing such adventures with our family – more of the hiking/backpacking variety – and I’d love to get starting thinking about the gear I might need to take awesome photos.
I rode an elephant for 5 minutes and got whiplash, 30 minutes through the jungle is a looong trip! Its an awesome feeling though to be on such a massive animal, so fun you did that!
The camera gear post is a great idea!
I would LOVE a post on your camera gear!!
Also, SAN DIEGO WORKSHOP….PLEASE!!! ๐
You won’t get rid of me, I will keep asking until I see you here..LOL
Oh yes please! I would LOVE to know how you make those shots!
Thank you!
Keilah
Yes… what’s in your bag?? ๐
I would love a peek into you camera bag!
Would definitely love to know what was in your bag and how you used it!
I said it before and I will say it again… back to Atlanta! Or better yet, Charlotte! (a girl can dream, can’t she?)
Would definitely love a post on your gear–especially since you were trying to pack light!
here’s a movie you need to watch to sort of see how the Thai people are when it comes to elephants! It’s actually a martial arts movie (which I usually don’t care for but my husband does), but to see how they care for their elephants was cool! I even wanted to go back and see it a 2nd time. My grandson is half Laotian, so first thing I thought of was “oh crap, he’s going to want an elephant in the backyard!” It’s called “Ong Bak” and it’s has a guy named Tony Jaa as the star. I was confused at first…his elephant gets stolen from Thailand, taken to China Town, which all you see are Laos people there! It’s martial arts, so you might want to watch it without the kiddos first, just so you know what’s in it, but it’s not bad. And I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to know what it’s your bag, what equipment you used, just any info you could pass on since the photos were so awesome!
That first shot is breathtaking!
And yes, I would LOVE to hear any behind the scenes info on your gear and lenses!
Your pictures are so amazing, as are the stories that go with them. How truly remarkable to hear a trainer is bonded to the Elephant for 20 years! Special.
I would love to know what is in your camera bag, and how you choose what to take what photo with. ๐
yes! please please, that would be so helpful.
In your first photo, I love how Brian is freaking out and Blaze seems clueless to the inherent danger of riding bareback.
Though riding the bench isn’t much more comforting.
We visited the Elephant Sanctuary in Bali. Rough ride, as you describe. But then, with the ending in sight, our elephant freaking runs off the course – his trainer yelling at him – with my wife screaming (as I try to remain calm and not panic). He had spotted some greens/hay/grass and went for it. Then he kept moving up and down, and we felt like we were going to be thrown off!
Ugh. But what a memory!
Yes please! Any and all camera info would be great.
I would love to know what gear was in your bag. I really wanted to attend your workshop this weekend-i’ve been a little bummed! Maybe next time! If you ever come to Texas-count me in.
I would love to see your camera gear bag! I am so very excited for a Seattle workshop!
Yes, please, on the camera gear post. It would be a great help. And I love the elephant shots! The elephants were some of my favorite memories in India too. Although we didn’t get the opportunity to ride any, I would have done it in a heart-beat if I could have. I’m tickled pink for you all that you did!
—“I meant what I said and I said what I meant, an elephant’s faithful one hundred percent!” — “Horton” ๐
ok…i second the what’s in the camera bag and what did you take with you to thailand questions!!!! also, if you were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring ONE lens–which one would it be???
also…charlotte sounds like a great place for a workshop too!!!
I would love to know what you brought along! Please share ๐
Yes, please. (As if I need one more photographic implement to covet.. I’m a glutton for punishment!)
Me Rah, these are fantastic photos! Love the look on Blaze’s face. What a wonderful experience (except for the spider – eek!). Yes, please do show a photo of the gear you took with you. Thank you!
Oops, sorry I spelled your name wrong! That’s what happens when I’m in a hurry. ๐
Yes!!! Please! These are amazing as always!
You read my mind, I would love to see the gear you used to take those awesome pictures. These pictures are so wonderful, what a great way to trasport yourselves back to Thailand anytime you look at them!
MeRa,
My husband got the Tony Jaa movies mixed up….the one you need to watch with the elephants in it is called The Protector.
Black and white was a perfect choice on these pictures! Fabulous! I would LOVE to see a post on your camera bag contents.
This photos are great..LOVE the first one!!
I would love to see what is in your camera bag and what also know why you decided to take the lenses you did.
you should have that first one made into a large canvas!
All of these pictures (as all of yours always are!) have been incredible!! Such a nice break during the day when I visit your blog. :o)
I have an unrelated question…how do we contact you if we have a question about a technique from the Beyond the Green Box DVD? I’m not sure if the customer support emails are the right ones…
crazy – I love that first one
Yes yes Yes, on the camera bag….and PLEASE COME TO DENVER… I would say La Junta but you’d just laugh!
Camera info would be very helpful for me, a beginning photographer. ๐
Also, not sure where you’ve had workshops in the past but I live in Nebraska, so having one in the Midwest area would be great…like Denver which is recommended above ^^
beautiful elephant shots
I’m kind of late in posting, but I have a request about the workshops you’re scheduling… Is there any chance that you can give us some tentative info about what you’re thinking for the rest of the year? I’m dying to come to a workshop, but would be kicking myself if I come all the way out to Seattle, only to have you schedule your next one on the east coast in July… I realize you guys are probably iffy on all the details, but it would really help with planning and budgeting for us. For what it’s worth I’ll also throw in my two cents on a request for the DC area… ๐ I love your work and hope that someday I’ll get to finally meet you in person.
I’m just curious what your favorite lens is that you have on your camera most of the time. Lenses serve different purposes, but usually there’s that one lens that hits the sweet spot and does a little of everything.
Boise, Idaho would be a fun location for a conference. Or Salt Lake City. ๐
LOVE the second shot of the elephants!
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