Cape Fur Seal

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi you all,
this time i post more a story than an image with the quality you are used (meanwhile) by me.I hope you forgive me.
The action was happening in Lamberts Bay (SA).In Lamberts Bay are two colonies,one of Cape Fur Seals the other one of Gannets.There is not really a distance between the two.
I think there are some seals ,who are specialized in killing the Gannets to feed on them.It was not possible to get decent clear shots of either one ,when the action was going on.Each time when a seal approached the gannets slowly ,the gannets start to move into my direction (walking).All of a sudden the seal started to run and all the gannets where trying to escape by flying away,if you never have seen how gannets start flying,just for explanation it takes a lot of time before they are up in the air.It is relatively easy for the seal to get one,because the gannets stay very close to each other, not easy to escape.When all the gannets start to flee,it was almost impossible to see or photograph,they live on guano and the guano was only fine bull dust.So may be you can imagine what was going on there!!!! I have plenty of shots with seals killed a gannet,but they all look like a dark ghost with a white towel and some red spots on the towel..

Hope you do not become bored.End of story.and here is the pic.

hope you like it at least a bit.

Cheers Andreas

Canon EOS 1D Mark II
FE 500 IS L + 1,4 TC Tripod
F6,3 / 1/1250 / ISO 100

Tried my best in PS

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[Steve Canuel]

Thanks for the background story on the image, helps explain what's going on here. At first I thought it was a seal lost in the colony looking for a way out. Your explanation shows that he may have been looking for dinner! I like the colors and the OOF gannets in the FG. Minor, but I may try to tone down the single white spot on the right (as viewed).

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Andreas - interesting story and thanks for sharing it. I think I would crop some from the bottom. Sounds like tough conditions to shoot under.

TFS,
Rachel

[Vivaldo Damilano]

Hi Andreas good and interesting story thanks for sharing. I have been thing when to visit the area, would love to witness the animal and bitd life there.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andreas, I would look at getting some blacks into the seal itself, looks a bit washout, not a huge amount, just a hint in Curves, with a fraction more USM on the face. Also perhaps think about dropping the 'yellow' within the seal only. Needs a bit more depth I think.

TFS
Steve

[Ken Watkins]

Andreas,

Sorry for not commenting earlier I took a look and then forgot.:2eyes2:
This is a very interesting result from a difficult situation, seal looks great no colour problems for me, I would go with Rachel's suggestion of cropping some from the bottom as I feel there is too much OOF Gannet.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi guys,thank you for watching and commenting.I tried to make the bad image a bit better,sticking to various suggestions. WDYT?

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[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andreas, overall I think it's better, just watch the seal so it doesn't start to block, perhaps between the two posts for the seal. It just needs a hint, otherwise you will need to look at opening up the shadows.:w3

cheers
Steve :wave:

[Ken Watkins]

Andreas,
Regarding the colour of the seal, I think it may be apt to say that the Cape Fur Seal is just a different name for the Brown fur seal:w3

[Andreas Liedmann]

Thanks Ken:w3

[Ken Watkins]

Andreas,

You are most welcome:w3

I would stick to the original tidied up, but without the additional black!

[Morkel Erasmus]

You made a good image from what sounds like a tricky situation, Andreas.
I like your repost, supporting the need for the adjustments on the seal to be somewhere between the 2. The seal in the repost still looks brown to me, just less yellow. :S3:



I have plenty of shots with seals killed a gannet,but they all look like a dark ghost with a white towel and some red spots on the towel...

PS: Please do post some of those!! :Whoa!:

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Morkel,
thanks for your comment.
Actually they are more brownish than black.
I will look for another one with a killed gannet,that has a half way acceptable IQ.But as i said above,it was very tricky there.I was on eye level with the gannets and when the action started the AF did not lock properly on the seals.
Everything was too quick for me to focus manually. That is just photographers life.
Cheers Andreas