Postcard or jumbo size

Geologist, press officer, novelist. We always knew that Ted Nield, late of the Committee of Vice Chancellors and now science and communications officer of the Geological Society, was a man of many parts, and now he appears to have added photography to his bulging portfolio.

This month, for the second time, one of Dr Nield's holiday snaps has made the front cover of the Geological Society's journal Geoscientist. And not content with the tripods preferred by most snappers, the caption for his picture of Sigiriya Rock, Sri Lanka, is credited "from elephant" - did he or the beast press the button?