Babirusa (C)

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi all,
hope i post something that is posted very seldom. Not easy to find even in Zoos .
We have a pair of them in our, in the past we bred them once .
I spent today two hours with these guys sitting in their enclosure trying to get a decent shot, for various reasons not easy to get.
First they are very tame , too tame for the most part. They checked me out for the first 1/2 hour by sniffing ,gently biting and searching for food in all of my pockets .Tried to climb me while i was sitting in the dirt………..!
Other problem was the light at the location , the area is shaded by large trees and there is only light coming through like beams of sunlight , so high contrast all over.
All the time they were moving and looking for food.

Finally i managed to get some acceptable portraits , really like their personality.

Canon EOS 1Dx
EF 100-400 IS L at 135 mm
HH

Processed in PhotoNinja and PS CC ; cropped for comp

C&C welcome

Cheers Andreas

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Andreas - I don't think I have ever seen one of these before and certainly not on BPN. You handled the harsh contrasting light well. You forgot to post the EXIF data. It looks like there is a little movement in the snout area. You've brought out nice detail and texture in the skin. Those teeth poking through look menacing. (Google seemed to indicate that they are actually teeth piercing the skin rather than tusks or horns growing externally).

TFS,
Rachel

[Andre Pretorius]

Hi Andreas

What a strangle animal!?

Love the Velvia look with the texture to mach.

What is the exudate from the eye?

Andre

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Andreas,

What an amazing, strange, ancient looking creature! Those protruding teeth! How come you did not photograph this before? Had to Google to find out more about him. Very interesting image and I like all that detail you brought out during processing, the wet eye, that "tear" which reminds me of an elephant in musth, those skin folds - brilliant stuff, well done!!!

Kind regards,

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andreas, a real creature from the 'dark ages' although someone must love him.

You handled the harsh light well, just a thought, and easy to do, but how about a black BKG?

TFS
Steve

[Andreas Liedmann]

Thanks folks for your thoughts and comments, not much i can do at the moment i am away for shooting on Helgoland Island .
I hope i will get two seal species this afternoon, will see.......

Cheers Andreas