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Thread: Chimp - Captive

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    Default Chimp - Captive

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    This chimp is from the "Lowery Park Zoo" in Tampa, FL. My family and I were visiting, we used to live there for 27 years. I meet my good friend Craig Carreno and we had a nice time photographing the primates. After he left, my wife and I went back for some more images. This chimp posed for us for about 1 hour. I probably will not get to go to Africa, so this is a nice visit for me. I love the Lowery Park Zoo's displays. they take as good a care as one could of the animals. An annual pass is under $100, a great deal. I believe this is a slight crop of about 20%, which leaves 80% and a 8x10 print. I choose to go B&W to inhance the chimp's features. To me it makes the tones a stronger draw to the eye. I realize the whites on the forehead are a bit warm, but could not do much about it.

    The technicals: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, Shooting Date/Time 11/1/2012 3:49:32 PM, Aperture-Priority AE, Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/400, Av( Aperture Value ) 2.8, Evaluative Metering, Exposure Compensation -1/3, ISO Speed 400, Lens EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM, Image Quality RAW, White Balance Mode Auto, AF Mode AI Servo AF.

    Please leave a comment, all are welcome to express their thoughts. And thanks for looking.


    Last edited by Peter Kes; 11-21-2012 at 06:06 PM.

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    Really nice portrait, Grady. Your chimp looks very calm and relaxed as if she was engaged in casual conversation with you. A real classic pose - she's obviously a professional!

    The B&W conversion looks good to me - though I am no expert in that area - nice range of tones.

    Thanks for sharing,

    Gerald

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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    Good call on the B &W conversion.
    I like the starburst effect of the foliage in the BG.
    Because the image feels like a conversation (and I talk with my mouth and hands, a good french canadian I am) I would like to see the chimps left hand.
    A bit more DOF would have sharpened the nose as well.
    A lovely portrait,
    Gail

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Grady, you like your portraits and this is a good one.

    Really like the almost zoom effect BKG and framing/tones in the B/W, they are nicely balanced IMHO. My only comment would be a few more rounds of USM just tightens this up and brings more definition out, plus a slight lightening under the eyes, just to 'sculpt' the form. Although you have the sharpness in the eyes & chin, but it drift off on the nose I think?

    Overall, very nice, can we have more please?

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Grady - I too really like the bg and the conversion. Good choice to go b&w. I agree with Gail on the hand and with Steve on the sharpening of the nose area. I might have tried for a bit more dof to get the whole fact in focus. I too would like to see more.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Grady,
    very cool portrait of this very intelligent animal and in real life , almost behaving like us, specially when you see them in a group.
    Worked with them during my time in the human monkey section for 4 years, and never forget the time there.This is now more than 25 years ago, from time to time i visit and some of the specimen, still recognize me amongst a bunch of other people.

    Like this simple portrait with a good BG, like the tones overall and there is room for improvement like others stated above, but i would leave as is. But i am not a big B/W specialist.

    TFS Andreas

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    Thank you all for your kind and insightful thoughts. I will post an alternate crop.

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    Grady,
    Thanks for bringing back memories. Lowery Park Zoo is where I started photographing animals for the first time with my own camera.
    Very nice b&w conversion. Excellent color tones.

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