Shooting big game in London

[KentGardener]

Yesterday I spent my lunch hour big game hunting in London and managed to shoot quite a few elephants. I managed to shoot 26 in one hour - here are a few of the photos I shot!   

There are 258 of them in total that will be there for the next two months at which time they are being auctioned to raise money for elephant preservation.

http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/

[Maggi Young]

Fantastic, John!  I had read about this project and thought it would be a  fun spectacle as well as a good fund-raiser. I think some of the elephants have been decorated by famous people, is that right?

Who wouldn't like to see a city full of flowery coloured elephants?  

[Gail]

Wonderful John!    That's a trip for half term sorted...

[KentGardener]

Gail  -  the kids will love them.  I was up in London again today, to see 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' on stage, and shot another 16 Elephants while I was in town.  There were children stroking and enjoying the elephants where ever we found them.

[Lesley Cox]

John, these are fantastic! Thanks for showing them. Take as many more pictures as you can and post them all. You too Gail, or anyone who is able to see them. I can imagine everyone will have favourites. I really like the tulipelephant and the little brown cave guy and I think the elephant'stooth check number is very special. Love them all! Wonder what Gerry would think of them.

[KentGardener]

John, these are fantastic! Thanks for showing them. Take as many more pictures as you can and post them all. You too Gail, or anyone who is able to see them.

I won't post them all Lesley - but as you asked so nicely here are my favourite five from yesterday.

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks agian John. I think they;re just incredible. I really like the one with trees on his backside, but they're all wonderful. PLEASE post some more, a welcome diversion from the political rubbish going on at present on the UK. We get it every election.

[KentGardener]

A few of my favourites from yesterday lunchtime.

[angie]

Thanks for showing us these, they are all amazing but I do like Mrs Stripe.
Angie

[Lesley Cox]

Every one is a delight. How close to life size are they John and what are they made from. It looks like ceramic?

Has almost no-one else seen this thread? I can't believe they are not thrilling everyone as much as they are me.

[KentGardener]

How close to life size are they John and what are they made from. It looks like ceramic?

Hi Lesley - A few of the pictures have people in the background so you can see that with their plinths they are slightly taller than head height.  So probably the size of a young elephant?  The vast majority are made of fibre glass - but I have seen a couple from a bus window that are different and will try to get to see them close up one day.

The really good thing about this exhibition is that it is getting me away from my desk and outside during lunch times - it is so easy to sit at the computer and not actually leave the desk from morning to the end of the working day. 

Here are a few shots from yesterday.  The first is "The Emerald Elephant" which is the most expensive in the Elephant Parade.  It's got a 678 carrot diamond in her headdress and emerald dust on her toenails.  It didn't really impress me.  This one is in a place called 'The Wonder Room' in Selfridges, which in itself was an eye opener - I guess its the kind of place that David Beckham would go shopping - can you believe I saw a mobile phone in there that was priced at £54,000.00?!

It took me a while to work out that the second elephant was covered in 'collectable spoons' (well the handles of them) - all from Australia I think?  Strange.....

The third has a fantastic cover woven from silver and gold thread.

[arillady]

John these elephants remind me of my visit to Portland, Oregon in 2002 when there were decorated fibreglass cows everywhere.
Lovely to see colourful elephants though that will make people happy and forget their woes.

[KentGardener]

Hi Pat

I remember the cows - there are a couple on display near my place of work in London that were purchased at a similar charity auction a few years ago.

If anyone else is interested I have placed all the Elephants I have shot in the last week here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19969730@N03/sets/72157624046119994/

[Maggi Young]

Thanks for the ones you have shown us, John.... and for the link.... they are delightful... the whole herd is superb.... just somehow very cheering. 

[Lesley Cox]

They're superb John. Thanks for the whole parade. I'd like to print out every one.