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Thread: Portrait of a Mother - Orangutan (C)

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    Default Portrait of a Mother - Orangutan (C)

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    I spent a few overcast days at the local zoo this winter. Thought I'd share one of my images which is definitely outside of my comfort zone. Made the conscious decision to think outside the box. This poor orangutan mom was being pulled every which way by it's now 6yo daughter. (It's actually the same mom as Cheryl's Nature's Best Orangutan photo posted below, but hers was taken 4 yrs ago.)

    I really liked the lines of the arm/hand and felt the image conveyed a tired mom. Thank you in advance for your opinions/comments/critiques.

    Canon 1D4, 500L
    F5, 1/250sec, ISO 800, manual mode
    Fill flash
    Feisol tripod, Jobu head
    Marina Scarr
    Florida Master Naturalist
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    Marina, what an excellent, and unorthodox composition here. The cuves, shadows, and lines keep the eye from escaping the frame. Pleasing soft light, texture in PP.

    The calloused hand, and wrist balanced by her overused breast speak volumes on the weary dedication of this Orangutan mom. Great job in finding the composition TFS

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    BPN Viewer Steve Canuel's Avatar
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    Excellent IQ and spot on colors here Marina. Although it would give you the dreaded square crop, I think cropping to just below the nipple would work better for me. The brightness and lack of fur ( or is it hair?) draws the eye away from the curved hand. I guess one could also say that it provides a nice opposing balance to hand too. Be interesting to see how this one gets received.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Marina - great detail and color here. I love experimenting with these types of shots at the zoo too. To me this shot is all about the lines and the hand so I find myself agreeing with Steve on the comp. Also, to me it looks like the AF point was probably on the wrist rather than the hand as the hand looks a little softer though it might be movement in the fingers (and that also may have been the way you intended it but I probably would have composed with the AF point on the hand ). I hope you have more experiments like this to share with us.


    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Before reading other comments I was cropping square for just the hand. The nipple (yes very exhausted) helps tell the story that it is a mom so doing without it is an entirely different image and not what you were going for though. I really like the curve of the wrist and the dry chapped hand. Had you gone for that I would have preferred more dof on the entire hand though. I think it would have been very cool by itself. I keep looking it over and the inclusion of the upper body is creating a distraction for me.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Marina, not sure if this is wise to post after a very long 12hrs in the field, sitting and waiting, but...

    My first reaction was identical to Steve's, however I think it need's more DOF for the fingers and that to me is where the eyes are drawn too. I think this is an image with so many possibilities and an image everyone interprets differently. Just a thought but have you tried going B/W or even adding some colour. Not sure what this will look like as it's on the laptop, never ideal, but perhaps a seed?

    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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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Great OOTB thinking here, Marina.
    Steve did exactly what I would have suggested immediately - B&W. I would have kept the n-i-p-L though
    Morkel Erasmus

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    BPN Member Anette Mossbacher's Avatar
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    Hi Marina,

    very nice image. All suggestions have been done already. The B&W RP from Steve looks great. I would as well go in that direction.

    Have a great day

    Ciao
    Anette

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    My vote is with the group that would crop to just show the arm and hand. Mostly for me the breast is without enough detail and the brightness draws my eye away from the deeply expressive hand. I prefer the color version and like all the reds in the hair. Very, very well seen.

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    Forum Participant christopher galeski's Avatar
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    very nice Marina,different but I can see were you are coming from,I also think Steve version is the way to go.

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