Gallery: when three is better than two
Two’s company, three’s a crowd
Well known idiom
Maybe that’s true, but when taking wildlife photos I’m always happy to have a third animal join the shot! Designers have long recognised that an odd number of items is more effective at capturing your gaze. Odd numbers force your eyes to move around the group and that forced movement is the heart of visual interest.
However, as with people a trawl of my archives revealed that it’s a relatively rare occurrence. I mostly seem to have single animals, couples or large groups. Nevertheless I managed to pull together the following selection for this week’s Thursday Trios.
Lion cubs, Chobe NP, Botswana – my feature image was also taken here
Another shot from Chobe – a baboon family, part of a larger troop
More baboons, this time at Mandina Lodge in the Gambia
A warthog family visiting the water hole at Fathala Lodge in Senegal
Pigs in Phoe Taen Akha, a minority tribe village in northern Laos
Goats in a village on Santiago, one of the Cape Verde Islands
Black camels in the Empty Quarter, Oman
Guanaco in the Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Sheep in the mist near Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland
Sea lions chilling on the beach on Espanola in the Galápagos Islands
And finally, no, I haven’t gone mad!
Look carefully; there are three elephants in this shot from the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
49 Comments
SoyBend
The peaceful sheep photo was my favorite with the lion cubs coming in a close second. Looks like you found lots of “threes.” Great pictures!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Siobhan 🙂 It seems those lion cubs are favourites with almost everyone whereas opinion is more split between the others!
wetanddustyroads
Oh, I love your animal trios Sarah! The lion cubs are just so adorable … but my favourite is definitely the black camels in Oman!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much 🙂 I always like to hear about people’s favourites, it’s so interesting how different shots appeal to different people!
wetanddustyroads
I always like to have a favourite photo after reading a post … but the thing with your photo’s, it’s so difficult to choose a fav, because yours are all beautiful!
Sarah Wilkie
Ah, now I’m blushing ☺☺☺
100 Country Trek
Beautiful images and brings back memories of our travels. Galapagos was a great adventure.
Sarah Wilkie
I agree about the Galapagos completely 😀 In fact, I’m just preparing a post about our trip there for this weekend’s challenges!
Mama Cormier
Absolutely stunning animal trios. I’m so envious that you were able to capture these photos on your travels. You’re right about finding threes….always more interesting but not that easy to find.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much 😊 I’m enjoying the challenge and starting to look out for threes more when taking photos as well as searching the archives!
the eternal traveller
It looks like you’re getting ready for Becky’s Odd Square challenge. 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Ah, because of the odd number? No, I’m planning to focus on odd = strange for that, although I may double up on trios!
Sue
Great selection!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sue!
Sue
You’re welcome, Sarah!
Emille
These captures are amazing, Sarah. That you were able to come so close to the lions! Fear must not be in your dictionary:)
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Emille but it really wasn’t a dangerous situation. For one thing I was using a zoom so not as close as it seems! And for another, if people are in a vehicle, such as a safari jeep, the lions and other animals don’t recognise them as potential prey. If you step out, then it would get dangerous! Actually the last photo with the elephants was potentially a little more scary as we were on foot, but in a part of Botswana where you don’t get big cats. The most dangerous things there are the hippos, but not while in the water, and bull elephants or elephant mothers, but our guide made sure we kept a safe distance at all times 🙂 And carried a rifle just in case!!
Emille
Yeah I heard that about being in a jeep. Thanks for explaining about the animals. Have you heard about hippos killing people?
Still though, you carried a rifle (Ididn’t grow up with that idea or life style):)
Sarah Wilkie
Sorry, you misread me – our GUIDE carried a rifle, something I never could or would do!! And it was to stun the animals if needed, not to kill. This is a national park and important wildlife preserve so no one would ever condone killing them there, and I certainly wouldn’t condone doing so anywhere nor would I go on any trip that allowed such a thing! You can read about our walking safaris there here: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/a-walk-on-palm-island-hippos-hogs-and-crocs/ and here: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/a-walk-on-sausage-island-its-all-about-the-elephants/. The former has lots of hippos, while the latter is the one where that photo of the elephants was taken 🙂
Monkey's Tale
Love these!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😀
salsaworldtraveler
That third elephant is in the tree, right?🤣 Thanks for sharing these great photos from amazing places, Sarah. John
Sarah Wilkie
🤣🤣 That reminds me of a favourite elephant joke 🐘🐘 Q: what did the elephant do when he got stuck up a tree? A: sit on a leaf and wait until autumn!
restlessjo
I’m a bit of a softie so you won’t be surprised that my favourites are the lion cubs and the goats. And the ellies, of course! Fabulous photos all, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Jo, glad you liked the little cubs 🙂 The lions and the elephants are my own favourites!
Easymalc
Wonderful shots Sarah – and with a twist as always. I’m tempted to quote Meatloaf today, but it wouldn’t sit right with your post, but I suspect you know where I’m coming from 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Malcolm 🙂 It was sad news about Meatloaf, I like to play his ‘anthems’ when driving up to Newcastle, great road songs!
Gradmama2011
All are lovely. I couldn’t locate the third elephant, until a sidebar selection popped up and there is a photo of a little elephant with two others, maybe the same shot in other orientation. The baby is so much smaller its hard to see it over the tall grass. great photos!
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you found the third elephant although I’m not sure I understand how. The elephant photo in my sidebar was taken in the same place but it is only of two of the adults in the herd!
Gradmama2011
I’m not sure either, but a series of photos with elephants popped up, and a different angle shot showed more of the little guy. I hadn’t expected the baby to be so small compared to adults. The grass along the path is taller than he is. Another possibility is that my brain supplied info that isn’t actually there. 🙂
Gradmama2011
OK, here’s what I think. The “sidebar” I mentioned is actually a Pinterest collection of shots, yours at the top, and several other photographers’ elephant pics. The baby elephants stand upright underneath an adult, so in your shot where the three are walking, the baby’s top (back) is barely visible…his eye isn’t visible, and he just blends in with the adult. Extrapolation, I suppose. If you had not stated that there were three elephants, I would have assumed there were only two. I love elephants, especially the young ones. Great shots of the “Threes” of all of the species. 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
That explains it but I’m not sure how my photo ended up in someone’s Pinterest collection – I guess they just liked it! Yes, ‘my’ baby is well hidden in the long grass and I expect that’s how his Mum likes it – safer that way 😀
Gradmama2011
I don’t know how Pinterest works. I look at a lot of sites of beaded jewelry, especially earrings. (especially Native American designs) . I do know this…I like to examine photos after enlarging them, and the little thing in the corner might look for similar photos. (sometimes it zooms in, other times it leads to the sidebar.) I also look at Daylily photos…and if I click on a given shot it will bring up oodles (lots) of similar images. For instance a yellow flower…examination leads to countless similar yellow flowers.
Sarah Wilkie
That sounds interesting. I used Pinterest a bit when it first came out but I find I can only get involved with a limited number of sites so I’ve let others drift, that included.
Gradmama2011
Originally I was trying to find instructions for certain beading stitches, namely seed bead earrings and I like Native American designs, so that’s the search term I used. So now anything evenly remotely to do with indigenous people or countries, or designs, or pyramids…on and on. I am also interested in Daylilies…and if someone posts a yellow daylily Pinterest immediately finds a zillion yellow daylilies…and variations of terms. I think how the elephant pics originated is that I was looking at your photo for the third elephant, and I used the enlarge thingy in the corner of the photo and half of the world’s elephant populations immediately appeared…with ID for all of the photos. At first I thought it was a sidebar of YOUR photos. Its really kind of spooky…
Sarah Wilkie
Sometimes the virtual world is just TOO clever!
Gradmama2011
I agree, and I’m not sure I like it. 🙂
Manja Maksimovič
They all look so relaxed and pleased. A lovely selection.
Sarah Wilkie
Ha, I hadn’t thought of them like that but you’re right, they do look relaxed! They’re all in their own environment and comfortable there 🙂 Thanks Manja!
Annie Berger
Love the photos, Sarah, ALMOST as much as the fact they were taken in all four corners of the world! Oh, the places you’ve been …
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Annie 😀 Yes, I’m fortunate to have been to so many places – and still so many more to see!
margaret21
Just … fabulous.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Margaret, much appreciated 😊
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
Stunning, as always.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Suzanne, I appreciate you taking the time to check in on my post, and of course the compliment!
ThingsHelenLoves
Amazing shots, as always. I did have to go back and look again to spot the third elephant!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂 I thought it would be fun to include that one and challenge people a bit!
Alison
Amazing Sarah, around the world with three animals
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Alison, glad you enjoyed the tour!