A Family Affair

[Norm Dulak]

D7000 w/28-300mm lens @ 300mm, hand held
ISO 400; f/7.1, 1/1000 sec.; MM -0.33
Standard CS6 adjustments, crop, Nik Detail Extractor

This image was captured near Almirante Brown, an Argentine research station on the Antarctic Peninsula mainland. The white spots are fine snowflakes, which were gently falling at the time.

Strong bonding is evident between the Gentoo penguin parent and chicks. One of the chicks is "leucistic", meaning that the normal black coloration has been genetically diluted to a tan color.

Norm

[Randy Stout]

Norm:

Sweet interaction, interesting to have the leucistic chick. I wonder if that effects their long term success, both for life and reproduction (does the odd bird get a mate?)

If circumstances allowed might have tried a couple of frames with larger aperture to improve the isolation from the background.

Cheers

Randy

[Norm Dulak]

Norm:

Sweet interaction, interesting to have the leucistic chick. I wonder if that effects their long term success, both for life and reproduction (does the odd bird get a mate?)

If circumstances allowed might have tried a couple of frames with larger aperture to improve the isolation from the background.

Cheers

Randy

Hi Randy.

My understanding is that leucistic adults get along fine with the normals. They've been observed breeding over a period of many years, and their longevity and reproductive ability are not affected by the mutation.

[Sandy Witvoet]

Oh MY, Norm... this captures my heart. I'm ok with the BG. The family feeling is truly there. Good to know that the little leucistic one has a good chance of survival. Thank you!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Nice family interaction and bonding evident here. You did a good job with the blacks and whites. Lovely habitat, I am OK with it as is, except for the rock at very top left corner - perhaps just toning down the whitish spot within it would work. I'd also work on front junior's eye as it is a bit glassy. A really fine image that has a story to it, I like it!

[Norm Dulak]

There are good comments here, that I really appreciate. Thanks!

Norm