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The family... (for Pam)


The family... (for Pam)
Photo Information
Copyright: Gerhard Theron (gerhardt) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1976 W: 259 N: 4103] (11585)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-03-12
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Canon EF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS USM, Digital ISO 100, Hoya UV-Guard (77mm)
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/200 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-05-28 14:34
Viewed: 2037
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 64
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis

I promised Pam to post this photo a while ago and I think she might have though i forgot. I didn't. :)

This is a family of four. the largest one is the bull then the cow and last years calve. The little one is a newborn and still had the "naval" cord attached to the stomach. Its not easy to compose these critters and I enjoyed catching up with them while the sun just came out.

Growing to an impressive height gives giraffes access to a level of foliage beyond reach of all other large browsers, save the elephant. Along with their height, giraffes have an incredible array of adaptations. For example, their skin coloring provides excellent camouflage, as it is several different patches of variable size and color. The skin is thick for protection and insulation. Also, the giraffe's long eyelids keep out ants and sense thorns on the branches of the trees from which they browse. The valves in veins of the neck control a huge rush of blood to the head when leaning over; this prevents unconsciousness. There is also a network of capillaries in the brain called the "wonder-net." It acts a bit like a shock absorber and is another part of the system that prevents unconsciousness.

A giraffe's tongue is over 18 inches (46 cm) long, and the roof of the mouth is grooved to easilly strip leaves off branches. Since giraffes are extremely efficient at processing nutrients and liquids from food, they can survive without water for long periods of time.
Giraffes ruminate at day or night, interspersed with periods of sleeping. They also rest with their eyes open, standing or lying for three to five minutes at a time. Throughout the night, a giraffe may deeply sleep for five to 10 minutes lying down, yet they rarely sleep more than 20 minutes total per day.

A giraffe’s heart can pump 16 gallons (61 l) of blood in one minute! They have the largest eyes of any land mammal and have one of the highest blood pressures of all animals, due to their height and the large size of their heart.

Hope you like it.
naki, cigdom, Ina, Janice, slrnovice2, wideload, AndyB, PDP, scottevers7, ellis49, Luc, TAZ, chiliu, marhowie, Paulosousa, hummingbird24, livios, dew77, Comandante, puffy, extramundi, JeanMichel, LCannon has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To coasties: Thank you for the kind words...gerhardt 1 05-28 18:22
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • naki Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 382 W: 27 N: 5] (40)
  • [2005-05-28 14:47]

Wonderful note and wonderful picture Gerhard. After I read your note looked at the picture again. They are one of the miracles of earth.
Thank you for sharing this great photo.
Very well done.

  • Great 
  • Pedda Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 40 W: 1 N: 246] (1273)
  • [2005-05-28 14:52]

Hi Gerhard,

This is an excellent picture with lovely colours and perfect composition.

Thanks for sharing

  • Great 
  • Ina Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 111 W: 6 N: 101] (767)
  • [2005-05-28 15:59]

Wonderful picture here... Colors and composition is just so very nice and the way the all look in your direction is great... TFS...Ina...

Wow !!! You can dive with your eyes into the picture. Thanks for sharing. Ori

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2005-05-28 17:11]

Oh Gerhard, what a wonderful family portrait you have captured here. And especially at this time with the very, very new addition. You couldn't have posed them any better if you had tried yourself. Just wonderful - they are all loooking at you so trustingly too. Excellent notes too. Thank you.

This is an amazing shot. I've never seen a family of giraffes before. I think your composition is terrific Gerhard, it can't be easy untangling all those legs and necks to get a composition that works as well as this. Your note is fantastic, I just learned more about giraffes in a minute than I learned the previous 40-ish years. TFS :)

  • Great 
  • NINIX Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 161 W: 48 N: 347] (2887)
  • [2005-05-28 17:18]

Hi Gerhardt,

Beautifull picture with nice soft tones and an excelent composition! 4 points.

Thanks,

Hendrik

What a beautifully composed shot this is Gerhard.
Well controlled exposure with good detail and colour. TFS.

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1391 W: 32 N: 1350] (3982)
  • [2005-05-28 18:16]

A great shot Gerhard,
Excellent composition,great colours.
A very interesting note.
Superb,well done.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2005-05-28 18:43]

Hi Gerhard, this is a very nice shot. Lots of character and the technical aspects are superb. The calves in their various stages of development are very good and the composition is excellent. Very well done.

This is a superb photo. Straight out of a National Geographic Magazine.
I dream about someday being able to see and photograph sights like this.
I am envious of you!

Great shot, Gerhard.
I love the light and colours, amazing. Very well composed,
good POV, and great details.
Excellent work, my friend.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1873 W: 304 N: 4300] (14729)
  • [2005-05-29 1:34]

Hello Gerhard.
Personal assessment of the photo: excellent.
Strong visual impact.
Aptness of the photo for the site: excellent.
Personal assessment of the note: complete.
Thank you very much for sharing these 4 giraffes lookind at you. What a feeling!
YF

Good image, composition is good, colours are good...subjects are co-operative! A pleasing photo, well done Gerhardt.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-05-29 3:54]

Belles girafes bien mises en valeur dans cette composition photographique sauvage. Jolies couleurs, bon point de vue et bonne netteté.
Wonderful, interesting scene & very well done !

Superb shot,wonderful image.TFS!

Ohh, this is a beautifully composed shot of this photogenic family. Yes, I had thought you had forgotten. The Giraffe is my favourite of all the wild beasts. Their movement is so gracfulness for their size. How I wish my eyelashes were as long and thick as theirs. The note is fantastic. I have learnt so much. A huge THANK YOU Gerhard for posting this magnificent portrait.

Superbe photo, la lumière est très bonne et très belle.
bravo !
Nico.

Fantastic work Gerhard! I like the red-brown colortones of these magnificent animals coat and the landscape view they are in..This family shot with all eyes forward is excellent. Great notes and very well done my friend!!

Congratulations on a fine photo, Gerhard!
An excellent composition, all elements working well together, best of all this family of magnificent giraffes. Awesome...
TFS

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2156 W: 322 N: 4258] (16906)
  • [2005-05-30 0:08]

Gerhard, very nice warm colors, and all of them were looking at you.

Great composition, great moment.

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-05-30 2:01]

Wonderful photo Gerhard!
DOF,eye contacts,BG and composition are excellent.Great job!Thanks for sharing.

Wow.. dit is PRAGTIG.. Ek is jaloers, en sal definitief 'n keer terugkom, al is dit net om die diere te sien :D

Lovely family, good details !!

Mooi gedoen :D
groetnis
Elize

Hello Gerhard!
Amazing composition.Colors,DOF,lighting and framing are excellent.Thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • puffy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 291 W: 0 N: 339] (1351)
  • [2005-06-02 6:37]

Superb shot Gerhard, what a wonderful shot, great composition and very well captured. Sharp details and colours are great too. TFS

Only lucky people like you have the chance to view and photograph a scene like this one, but this time I also feel lucky you shared with me. Thanks very much for this poster. Regards.

Beauiful photo, Gerhard! The subject is naturally photogenic, but you've done the best possible composition with this group, all looking at you and all in a different pose. Heads high in the sky form a stunning image. Congratulations my friend!

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-06-11 12:58]

Hi Gerhard,

I missed this because I was on a holiday, but this is great! Superb composition and wonderful colors. Great POV & DOF. Excellent capture my friend. :)

Regards,
Pieter

  • Great 
  • optic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 322 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2005-06-13 13:28]

Wonderfull image of family giraffe, very well composed, nice colours & clear details dof & pov are great,

Thanks for sharing,

This is a truly beautiful family portrait, the warm colors are so lovely. How did you ever get this family to pose so perfectly?? Simply beautiful, masterfully captured.

Absolutely speechless! You captured the color of Africa in this picture! Great POV! I can almost feel how tall the animals really are. Perfectly done in every aspect! Congratulations! Thank you!

Eddie

  • Great 
  • Auoui (7)
  • [2006-08-25 7:39]

This is a perfect shot - composition, colour and setting/subject. There is absolutely nothing to spoil it.
Cheers,
Bogdan

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