FOREVER FRIENDS

[kingfisher]

sony A700
SAL 70-200 SSM

cheers
gustav

[Dr. Harout]

Forever friends... you mean the elephant and the grass?
Every time I look at pictures taken with the 70-400... I get depressed
I desperately need that 70-400

[aster]

Lovely set Gustav, with fine details and bokeh.

The composition inddeed has a sweet, sentimental message....

And Dr. Harout, I think this is the Sal 70-200 and not the 70-400 G on the camera as Gustav mentions at the bottom of the images. But it's forgivable, since the G lens is a magnificent one which goes into many lens-shopping lists!

Yildiz

[Dusty]

Forever friends... you mean the elephant and the grass?

Elephants truly never forget! An act of kindness they will always remember, as well as any feeling of hatred.

I once dated a former circus performer who told me that one elephant always hated her for no other reason than that she was married to the handler. (Yes, elephant jealousy!) 10 years after the divorce and her leaving the circus, she went to see her ex. One look and the elephant went into a rage!

This old grey gal will remember that kid, you can be sure.

Dusty

[01af]

Every time I look at pictures taken with the 70-400 ... I get depressed. I desperately need that 70-400 ...

Except that Gustav used a 70-200 mm lens here, not 70-400 mm. That said, the SAL-70400G definitely is worth a depression indeed when not owning it

Regarding Gustav's triptych---it's fascinating, it's heart-warming, and you can clearly see how anxiously the elephant wants to avoid any irritation of the feeding hand ... how carefully he takes the grass and doesn't want to hurt the person.

-- Olaf

[kingfisher]

thanks olaf and the rest for your comment

greetings

gustav

[Elisha]

Absolutely beautiful.

[Dr. Harout]

And Dr. Harout, I think this is the Sal 70-200 and not the 70-400 G on the camera as Gustav mentions at the bottom of the images. But it's forgivable, since the G lens is a magnificent one which goes into many lens-shopping lists!
Yildiz

Except that Gustav used a 70-200 mm lens here, not 70-400 mm. That said, the SAL-70400G definitely is worth a depression indeed when not owning it
-- Olaf

Darn... I was reading without my glasses on...

[david antony]

At treat for the Elephant and us, thanks for posting Gustav

I’m not going soft Gustav, but sometimes I like these heartwarming stories, and this one truly is amazing. Enjoy





In 1986, Dan Harrison ( see picture above ) was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University


On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Dan approached it very carefully.


He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it.


As carefully and as gently as he could, Dan worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.


The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments.


Dan stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.


Dan never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.


Twenty years later, Dan was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son.


As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Dan and his son Dan Jr. were standing.


The large bull elephant stared at Dan, lifted its front foot off the ground, and then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.




Remembering the encounter in 1986, Dan couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.


Dan summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Dan's legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.