I saw the entire series and perhaps I know why you decided to post this one here , remember Ganshi I keep on telling you that creative approach is more closer to Natural History than Photo documentation. There is a difference between showing how a Draco looks or it's habitat and THE DRACO's WORLD. Outstanding series would be an understatement. Life time work man...Proud of you, even like you am 100% certain that either intentionally or due to lack of maturity some of the images in the series will remain unappreciated. There are some 4-5 images which I think are just unique. The same reason why I used my 800 mm to make some perspectives of the elephant in the grassland. I was never interested to show even how an elephant looks, just trampled grass, chaos, element of fear and well not many did connect to it , not that it made me unhappy, it assured me that I was on the right track, I felt like seeing those elephants as a small being who belongs to the grassland and then what would be the visuals as well as the emotions for me. Many spoke of lack of sharp eyes, not well defined trunks or tusks etc. I think the future of nature photography lies in these kind of creations, to hell with which magazine publishes what or awards what kind of images. Most of it is done from a business point of view, nothing to do with creativity.

Ganshi, actually if you really see it in depth then you might see that there is a cryptic part attached to life itself. No matter what form we decide to show, the cryptic part perhaps expresses the true character more than the visible aspect. I can feel this for humans, for big animals and even for those life forms we do not care much as nature photographers even. Trying to see through the cryptic aspect can only make a person understand LIFE more.

not that it made me unhappy, it assured me that I was on the right track,

Exactly !!

I felt like seeing those elephants as a small being who belongs to the grassland and then what would be the visuals as well as the emotions for me.

Yes, Nilanjan, we all connect differently with different images. The extent to which we can connect with an image also depends on how much time we have spent with the subject and how we relate them. With your deep work on elephants you may better relate/respond to their emotions compared to us. I am sure you will have *your* subject to photograph in the next trip !

On a lighter note, after filling two 16gb cards with images like these any protruding part of the bark of a tree now appears like draco to me I am sure Kiran can relate to it (who was with me making images for a few days).

the cryptic part perhaps expresses the true character more than the visible aspect.

A fine observation !

i'm speechless, ganesh. absolutely genial series made around draco, having deep artistic feel 'n incredibly expressive.

tfs. regards.

Sensi,

what I felt was frankly this frame in isolation did not work for me.
But, seen in context of the rest of the images on the blog, makes good sense. Then it kind of grows on you.
I think the context or exposure or understanding on part of the viewer is mandatory for consumption of such images.

Five years ago I still wouldn't have been able to appreciate this regardless of the blog

Probably one of the best "Animals in their environment" series i have ever FELT. i will not say "seen," for you FEEL this series, Ganesh. the sense of place, of its environment, of its true nature are all there in such depth that it grabbed me and took me to that bark where it sat. It dangled me there and showed me the Draco's world. One can ask nothing more from an image, than to make one FEEL.

You have done that, and how. WHat a series.

Sensei, is the right term for you I bow deeply.
Thank you so much.
A

A great series. We have often seen images, movies, documentaries to show the 'world' - but more than 99% of them are the physical structure depiction of the world. Some images in this series show beyond the world and more into 'life'. Remaining cryptic is part of life. Draco has remained cryptic, a series of cryptic images, how many of us really connecto to them ?
-RD

Just read Nilanjan's comments, after adding mine, indeed, he spelt better than me
-RD

Difficult to pick a favorite image out of the lot Ganesh! I would however have to say the OOF images are my pick. Funny how despite the subject not being in complete focus can deliver as much impact or probably even more as an in focus image. Why is it? Is it because we are seeing this image with the prior knowledge of it being a Draco? How would a viewer who is totally unaware of the context respond? Would love to know what you think? I ask this question as a part of understanding how much impact the context of an image places in determining its aesthetics.

OOps! Outstanding series! Each image is unique and the series is ultra unique.

Funny how despite the subject not being in complete focus can deliver as much impact or probably even more as an in focus image. Why is it? Is it because we are seeing this image with the prior knowledge of it being a Draco? How would a viewer who is totally unaware of the context respond? Would love to know what you think?

It is a long answer (rather a long opinion, I would say) Harsha. After I made all these images another task was to arrange them in a series. If you observe there is an order there. First, I tried to show those which are in focus, then slowly introduced more cryptic images and then the (cryptic) blurs, which are followed by mix of the cryptic images in focus and the blurred ones to break the monotony. Connection to blurred ones needed a context, without which it was difficult to relate to those. For example, showing this particular image above as a first image may not be very effective. I tried to prepare the viewers to slowly receive more and more cryptic and cryptic blurred ones. By the time you reach this particular image above you know what that extended bark is. However, in isolation here (without seeing the series) you can't connect with that.

Another thought about why blurred images appeal more in some context - Blurred images quickly moves from eyes to mind. It eases seeing the image with closed eyes. Sharper ones make eyes decipher them for long and delays the engagement of the right brain. But then there is an important aspect which we as a photographer need to take care of in the blurred images. We need to subtly carve a feeble emotive path (not a highway, which would be boring) for the viewers to start. Without that I think the image becomes 'emperor with no clothes'. In fact there is a thin definitive line between meaningful and meaningless blurs.

Hope that makes some sense !!

It makes sense Ganesh and the answer is super sharp and right in focus. And I cannot agree more with "Blurred images quickly moves from eyes to mind. It eases seeing the image with closed eyes. Sharper ones make eyes decipher them for long and delays the engagement of the right brain." And I guess we all agree how important it is to engage the brain when showcasing art. This is pure art!!!
I have so much to learn

completely out of the world images....i liked most of the images made by you in this series.... for the first time, i am making sense of the intentional blurred images and as you rightly said, these are moving quickly from eyes to mind.....these are the WOW images for me....i am completely spellbound
Thanks a lot for sharing the images and your views...

The most Fascinating Series by any one i have seen so far.... (Serious Shortage of words as of now to comment any further Ganesh).
Absolutely fits into the series.

To be very honest, I could not connect with this image at first. But after seeing the whole series, I must say, it is the best series of nature photographs I've seen till now...