119- India?, a photo from Pays-de-la-Loire, West

Photographer's Note

In 2005, the company "Royal de Luxe" based in Nantes, built a giant elephant to celebrate Jules Verne's 100th death anniversary. It was very successful in its different shows around the world, so the city of Nantes ordered the building of a new elephant, which would remain in the "Ile de Nantes", occupying the old warehouses of the shipyard, and entertaining the public from February 15th to December 31st. It was completed by the summer of 2007.
You can just go and pay him a visit or take a ride on its back or inside its belly.
It's 12m high and weighs 45 tons (more than 7 times the weight of a real African elephant. 45 passengers can ride it as if they were on the 4th floor of a moving building, enjoying a magnificent view on the Loire and its banks !

On the right of the monster is the refurbished old warehouses, where it sleeps and spends the beginning of the year, while it's being serviced.
If you look at Besnard's photo , also in the theme "L'йlйphant de lоle de Nantes", you will understand better how this mastodont works, with a tractor in front and a tractor at the back, but only one man to manage it all ! Ah ! Should I have said that and taken the magic away ? !
See WS for some more info.

JCG, maltese, adores, gildasjan, pauloog, Clementi, Longroute, cfreire, emjleclercq, gunbud, s_lush, isabela_sor, Juntas, siolaw, josepmarin, jlbrthnn, axiotea, ikeharel, Didi, mcmtanyel has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

pajaran (114891) 2009-10-10 1:47

Dobar dan iz grada sa Velike Morave.
Lepo uradjeno i veliko.
Dobra fotografija, dobre boje i trenutak snimka.
Svidja mi se.
Lep vikend dan, zeli vam Paja.

PixelTerror (0) 2009-10-10 3:17

Bonjour Marie Louise
Je les ai deja vus sur TE ceux la, une image prise d'un pdv bas qui maximise l'elephant, la vapeur qui sort de la trompe ajoute au fantastique, le rendu est tres lumineux
Bonne journee JY

francio64 (39888) 2009-10-10 4:43

Ciao MarieLouise,
questa mi piace davvero tanto, anche perchи l'elefante и il simbolo di Catania :))
Ottimo il POV verticale che mette in mostra l'intero elefante in tutta la sua maestositа.
Ottima gestione della luce e ottimo sharp. Anche le linee prospettiche sono buone. Un passo avanti!
Manca solo una bella cornice! Immagine davvero originale!

Complimenti!
Francesco

P.S.
Verrа utilizzato in sostituzione del Cavallo di Troia? Ahahahahah!

JCG (35153) 2009-10-10 7:13

Bonjour Marie-Louise,

Je l'ai dйjа vu chez notre amie Nicole (besnard)... et vu la date de ta photo tu l'as peut-кtre croisйe, puisque c'est le mкme jour !!! Belle sйrie sur cette mйcanique de prйcision qui fait rкver, c'est tout de mкme impressionnant, en plus y'a la douche gratuite... J'aime bien ta photo de l'intйrieur sur sa trompe. Belle luminositй ici qui donne beaucoup de cachet а cette vue rapprochйe. Merci Marie-Louise.

Avec toutes mes amitiйs et un trиs bon WE,

Jean-Charles

maltese (22909) 2009-10-10 10:04

Bonjour Marie Louise
Toujours surprenant, cet йtonnant pachyderme!!
Et sous cette belle lumiиre, il n'en est que plus spectaculaire
Beau travail
Amicalement
Hervй

UlfE (14641) 2009-10-10 10:25

Hi MarieLouise.

This giant elephant is for sure a marvellous contruction and you have captured it in an excellent way. the inclusion of people and the vertical format gives a very good idea of the enourmous size of it. TFS and have a nice weekend!

Kind regards,

Ulf

adores (46979) 2009-10-10 11:19

Hi Marie Louise!
I've known about this elephant through TE. It seems really huge here. Your photo is great to understand how it works. Good pov, I like to see the people on the balconies and on the ground. The Ws are also very good.

delpeoples (60342) 2009-10-10 18:14

Salut MarieLouise, at first I thought we were indeed in India, but I see we are in France - your country has everything! There is even water spraying from the elephant's trunk. I like this composition and the people in the BG to give a great sense of scale. THe memorial to Jules Verne is an appropriate one in the cisumstances. Thanks for sharing it, Lisa

gildasjan (43826) 2009-10-11 1:50

Bonjour MarieLouise
Le choix de POV rend bien l'йchelle de ce monstre de mйcanique.Une rйalisation parfaitement dйtaillйe.
Bon dimanche
Amicalement
gildas

Disabled_A (0) 2009-10-11 3:26

Bonjour Marie Louise,
this is one of the most curious, unusual and interesting photos I've seen :)) I like this elephant! and I'm very curious about the mechanism which makes it work, and I enjoy studying the parts of which the elephant is made :)
IMHO, an excellent capture which makes one smile, as well :)
Very good POV and composition (maybe a bit too tight crop on the left)
bon dimanche!
warmest greetings from sunny Moscow,
Elena

pauloog (11751) 2009-10-11 9:15

Hello Marie-Louise,
An impressive view of the mechanic animal, stepping into my screen. A pleasure to look and a lot of details to discover.
Regards,
Paul

Clementi (52514) 2009-10-11 10:47

Ciao Marie Louise,
impressionate questa macchina-animale, deve essere una sensazione strana fare un giro nella pancia di questo elefante, talmente и grande che nella foto non c'entra tutto....
Giorgio

Longroute (19600) 2009-10-11 10:57

Accidenti! Dire spettacolare и poco!
questo elefante и cosм imponente che viene paura che ci venga addosso! Una bella replica e un'ottima foto. Inquadratura perfetta e grande realismo.
complimenti e grazie di avercela mostrata.
Cari saluti,
Donato

cfreire (11741) 2009-10-16 16:27

Salut MarieLouise,
Quй toma interesante muy bien compuesta y tambiйn atractiva. Me gustу del alto punto de vista que has aplicado acб, incluso aсadiendo mucho interйs para el gran elefante. Excelente punto de vista y encuadre. Bien hecho. Saludos, Consuelo

emjleclercq (15778) 2009-10-17 1:00

Un photo trйs intйressante. J'avais identifiй l'йlйphant comme l'un des membres mйcaniques de "Royal de Luxe", mais maintenat je pense qu'il est directement inspirй par le livre de Jules Vernes, "la Maison а vapeur", а cause de la petite maison sur le dos de l'йlйphant...

Bien cordialement,

Emmanuel

Waylim (25436) 2009-10-17 15:36

Hi Marie,
Incredible construction of this elephant, and it is a very nice photo with good sharpness and clarity, you manage to capture the whole elephant in such frame. Beautiful day with good light and good weather for such celerbration. Thanks
Way

polpo56 (15146) 2009-10-18 7:54

Ciao Marie Luise,
certo che la fantasia e la tecnica dell'uomo non conoscono limiti... chissа se gli indiano sono invidiosi, visto che i loro pachidermi sono molto piщ piccoli...:-)

Foto molto simpatica ed interessante.

Buona serata
Ludo

gunbud (34066) 2009-10-18 16:39

Hi MarieLouise,
As a child I love the great Jules Verne adventures.
This beauty must really get the attention of young and old alike.
Love the steam coming out of his lovely trunk.
Regards, Tom

s_lush (16602) 2009-10-20 7:57

Hello Marie Louise,
Thanks for so comprehensive presentation of this astonishing miracle of science and technology! What a good way to celebrate Jules Verne's anniversary and to entertain people! In your main picture and WSs you have given so much visual information with excellent compositional and photographic characteristics. Perfectly good job!
Best regards,
Sergiy

yquem46 (38752) 2009-10-20 8:12

Hello Marie Louise
mкme en йtant que (ex-)Rennais, je connaissais bien sыr cette attraction nantaise. Presque aussi cйlиbre maintenant que Cambronne ou les p'tits LU !!
Il faut reconnaоtre que c'est impressionnant et bien fait, tout comme l'image que tu nous proposes. Il fallait rйussir dйjа а avoir toute la bкte dans le viseur!
Bravo Marie Louise
Bien cordialement
Patrick

isabela_sor (47748) 2009-10-20 12:32 [Comment]

Show Comment

Juntas (7960) 2009-10-21 8:48

Hi Marie Louise. Very interesting piece of machinery. People by it, look very amazed. Nice colors and great perspective. Good definition providing us all the details of the beast. Well done. Best regards. Paulo

clic (76) 2009-10-21 16:16

Merci pour votre visite, Marie Louise.
Nous revoilа au temps d'Ulysse et de la ruse du Cheval de Troie!!
Trиs accrocheur, en effet!
Amicalement.
Robert

mlmurray (233) 2009-10-24 9:15

What a super shot Marie Louise. The detail is really sharp and you have captured the overwhelming size of this thing.You've been busy with you photos and we are all enriched by your efforts.
Hope you are well.

stego (24132) 2009-10-25 15:03

Salut Marie Louise,
Une bкte mйcanique impressionnante et curieuse, cela doit кtre faire les dйlices des enfants de toutes ages, de 3 a 93 ans. Tu le prйsente trиs bien, on peux admirer les dйtailles mais aussi le contexte. Avec les WS's, on a une reportage complиte!
Amicalement,
Josй

pablominto (53746) 2009-10-28 9:18

Hello Marie Louise,

Now that is some creation!
Impressive machinery born by a creative mind, just in the right spirit for the men they celebrate...
The size makes it almost scary, hopefully they have full control! The people around gives fine scaling and the close point of view looking up add even more impact...

Greetings,
Pablo -

siolaw (38294) 2009-10-29 22:42

Bonjour Marie Louise.
Impressionnant cet йlйphant! Par sa taille, ses formes, sa trompe qui envoie un jet apparemment assez fort.. le tout bien mis en valeur par un bon POV. La lumiиre йtait intense mais elle est bien contrфlйe.
Amitiйs
Laurent

josepmarin (59385) 2009-11-04 3:22

Hola Marie Louise,
este enorme elefante es impresionante, y ademбs de conmemorar el centenario de la muerte de Jules Verne, ahora se puede disfrutar para actividades mбs simpбticas y divertidas.
Su gran altura no impide a la gente subir hasta su cabeza o hasta las terrazas laterales en su enorme cuerpo, lo que debe ser una experiencia muy interesante.
Las fotos complementarias en WS nos ayudan a conocer mejor este gran elefante y sus detalle mecбnicos.
Un gran trabajo.
Con toda mi amistad,
Josep

jlbrthnn (76043) 2009-11-04 7:15

Bonjour Marie-Louise,
J'ai souvent vu des images de ce mastodonte mйcanique et superbe. Ton image est spectaculaire. C'est la premiиre fois que je vois un cornac au volant d'un йlйphant :) Excellente qualitй de ton image. Bravo.
Bonne journйe
Amicalement
Joлl

quillo (11858) 2009-11-04 10:21

♥

Hola Marie Louise ------------>

Impresionante estatua/escultura/robot del paquidermo en movimiento (aunque por el tamaсo de las orejas, mбs bien parece un elefante africano), el encuadre es bueno y los WS adicionales ilustra perfectamente otros detalles del acontecimiento.

Enhorabuena por el reportaje.

Un fuerte abrazo amiga mнa.

♥

axiotea (21651) 2009-11-09 21:10

Bonjour
Un bel йlйphant que tu nous proposes! trиs original et impressionnant! de suite зa m'a fait penser au fameux cheval de Troie ;) Celui en ws est aussi trиs beau et plus colorй. Le cadrage est bien vu йgalement!
Amitiйs
Marilyn

Skimjack (219) 2009-11-28 12:58

J'aime ta sйrie sur Nantes, forcйment :-).
Mais je tiens а souligner particuliиrement cette photo, qui me donne une bonne idйe de l'йlйphant, que je n'ai pas encore йtй voir en vrai.
Bon point de vue qui ne doit pas кtre facile а obtenir en raison de la grandeur du mйcanisme.

manatee (4668) 2009-12-05 23:48

wow que interesante este robot, se ve muy real y ademas nos divierte mucho, me gusto la idea muy intersante en verdad, se apoya en las 4 patas o basicamnete son mas de adorno? se apoya mas en la sllantas traseras y delanteras? para mi gusto paracen dos tractores que lo impulsan pero no se, sinemnbargo esta muy intersante en verdad

Saludos Marie Luoise

ikeharel (112419) 2010-06-26 1:57

That is a fabulous idea of the elephant-built-Robot.
Must be lot's of fun for kids and so-called kids ( myself).
I like the many technical details implied on it - well taken shot : The Elephant eyes looks almost natural...
Ike

Didi (61589) 2012-10-09 10:34

Bonjour Marie Louise
Belle vue sur ce mastondante articulй qui pourrait кtre utilisй pour un film de science fiction.

Si je reviens sur Nantes je n'hйsiterai pas а voyager dessus.
Amitiйs

fabbs99 (17179) 2012-11-23 19:38

Hi Marie Louise,

What an elephant only possible through an extra effort by the technologist.The lighting and colors as well as the capture of movement enhance the sense of spontaneity and naturalness.TFS.

Best Regards
Farhat

Periko (9105) 2013-06-11 23:17

Impressive, interesting and beautiful.
Thanks for sharing

Pedro

mcmtanyel (67635) 2013-07-21 14:06

Hi Marie Louise,
Your photo already gives the magic away, the driver is in clear view! This is a very curious structure, if it transports people, you should also categorize it as transportation.
Regards,
MT