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Elvis Have Left The Building - TBN 4


Elvis Have Left The Building - TBN 4
Photo Information
Copyright: Loot Eksteen (loot) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-03-01
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 HZ DG Macro, Digital ISO 100, UV 62mm Kenko
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Southern Africa, Birds / Aves, Birds of Africa, A study in Ornithology (birds) 1, Touched by Nature [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-03-14 15:10
Viewed: 8747
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kenya Crested Guineafowl - Guttera pucherani pucherani

The 4th delivery in the "Touched by Nature" series.

This photo was taken in Durban's Umgeni Bird Park. The 'marsh aviary' is a large walk through area, which contains various aquatic birds such as the Scarlet Ibis', Mandarin Ducks, African Spoonbills, and many others. It was almost noon on a typical Durban summers day, so it was hot and humid and the birds were all enjoying their siesta. Because of this, the viewing was downright awful as all the feathered ornithoids were resting or hiding in the shady cover provided by the reeds.

I realised that it would take quite some time before this lot was going to make any moves to display themselves to me or my camera and decided to leave and search for better hunting grounds. As I approached the exit gate, two Elvis look-alikes came running out of the reeds, cast one look at me, and made a b-line for some saver shelter. I explained to them (obviously in Greek) what bad manners they just displayed and that a bit of social interaction could not have hurt them in any way. However, they were gone. I suppose they had no time to chit-chatter with any unknown, un-introduced stranger yielding a black Canon. The darn thing might just go off.

I turned around to leave the aviary and that was when this guy came out of the reeds. He stood there (about 2 metres away) stared at me then made up his mind that he trust me. He walked straight up to me, came, and stood right in front of me, and in a soft voice, he talked to me saying, "keet-keet-keet". I knew straight away, what he meant. This sound is a contact call made by guineafowls whilst foraging on the forest floor. Translated into human language it means something like, "Now is the time for you and me to spend some quality time together because I trust you to shoot that big Canon at me without hurting me". It is all so simple to understand on the day when nature decides to touch you.

For the next 25 minutes, we visited like age-old friends. Initially I was rather careful in every move I made, as I did not want to alert and cause him to run off. I was even too scared to fire the flash at him, but soon I realised he had no fear. Eventually I sat down on a little wall and continued to shoot him from every possible angle. The only problem was that he did not stop moving for one second. His head kept on bobbing up and down, left and right, then he would stop and stare at me, and by the time I pressed the shutter release button his head was already some place else. This scenario continued while he was right in front of me, at times so close that my lens could not even focus. He gave me the impression that he really loved this Canon. As I said in his first posting 'Elvis is alive' he was not going to leave until I've shot sufficient material to pave his road to fame and make him a celebrity star on Trek Nature.

Post Processing was done with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0.
SkyF, Robbrown, viv, Janice, ramthakur, wkshelton, manyee, wallhalla15, Luc, Dyker, Miss_Piggy, Rehanna, betsie has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Fisher: Softwareloot 1 03-16 12:29
To jossim: Merci Josephloot 1 03-15 22:51
To wkshelton: Thanksloot 1 03-15 08:45
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2234 W: 188 N: 1912] (8073)
  • [2006-03-14 15:16]

Hi Loot,
you right this hairdo is Elvis inspired. Nice shot, good sharp details and excellent colors.
TFS...Sky

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 855 W: 2 N: 617] (2142)
  • [2006-03-14 15:34]

Hello Loot , A Very good shot ,Elvis entirely great ,its a lovely bird ,good colours and sharpnes , Greetings Teunie .
sorry my engels is not so good ,i give smal comments .

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2006-03-14 23:14]

I love these quaint birds Loot, and yes, I give him 10/10 for his Elvis impersonation! His patterns are so sharp and clear, stunning colours too. Well done,
Janice

Cute bird, very well shot.

Hi Loot

Nicly capture photo, Shap and colorful, TFS

Kyle

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2006-03-15 11:13]

Elvis in sequins.
What an incredible plumage!
The colors and markings on this character are just outrageous. Excellent capture in terms of sharpness and exposure. My eyes hurt from those amazing little white dots.
I enjoyed your notes very much. TFS, Loot. : )

Hi Loot.
Great subject. Nice vivid colors and detail. Love the title :)

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2006-03-15 22:44]
  • [+]

Bonsoir Loot!

Pas facile de travailler avec un flashle résultat n'ai jamais aussis bon qu'avec le soleil naturel. Bravo pour les couleurs justes et le contraste causé par l'environnement.

Merci pour l'envoie et merci pour vos commantaire toujours pertinant.


joseph

Hi Loot,

Well done on the capture and an interesting subject.
What software do you use for post processing?

Mike

Loot, this is a very nice picture. Great colours, excellent sharpness and a great note too. This is a very nice composition. Well done. Thank you for posting.
Greetings
Heinz

Hello Loot

Ja, ek het al baie gehoor hulle sę dat Elvis in Suid Afrika gesien is en hier het jy wraggies die fotografies bewys daarvoor. Tag man wat 'n ooreenkoms is dit nie en puik waarneeming deur jou. Ek wonder of die meneertjie sou kon "ruk-en-rol" en sy pelvis so rondgooi soos die oorspronklike Elvis kon :o) Ek moet sę dat ek nogals lekker gegiggel het toe ek lees hoe jy Grieks met die ou se maaitjies gepraat het. Ek glo dit moes nogal hogere Grieks gewees het ;~)

Die foto is "great", net soos al jou ander werk en dit is net jammer dat daardie swaar swart skaduwee van die flits so 'n puik foto moes bederf. Ek hoop nie jy neem aanstoot dat ek dit so stel nie, maar ek het dieselfde probleem met baie van my fotos en ek wens daar was 'n manier dat 'n mens daarvan ontslae kon raak. Dit verander egter nie die feit dat dit nogeens 'n prag stukkie werk van jou is nie.

Groete
Rehanna

Hi Loot
Wonder hoe lank dit geneem het om al sy kolletjies te verf? Baie detail in hierdie voel.
Groete
Betsie

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