I'll Be Your Mirror

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I'll Be Your Mirror
Photo Information
Copyright: Paul Prince (PDP) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11733)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-11-28
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX APO RF, Digital ISO 200, Hoya skylight (1B)
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/1000 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Photos with titles of songs [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-01-05 5:52
Viewed: 1786
Points: 66
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
These two giraffe I think are adolescents. This was the first day that Gerhard took me to Willem Pretorius NR. It’s funny how these large animals seem to appear from nowhere and vanish just as easily. When we spotted this pair they were engaging in some very friendly activity, they stood side by side and swung their long necks to and fro, sometimes entwining together. It was a very impressive display and we were very fortunate to witness it. We got quite a few shots of this and I may post one with necks entwined at a later date.

Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardis) weigh upward of 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg), among the heaviest mammals of the plains. Their closest relative is the rare okapi. Other relatives include the hippo and pigs, with which it is allied on account of having the same number of toes. Giraffes are long-lived, often reaching twenty-five.

Females are smaller than males but otherwise similar. The coat pattern of the giraffe is netlike patterns of crazy paving defined by narrow, white or cream colored lines which surround squarish chestnut patches that fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Giraffes sport two or three horns, while some subspecies have three to five stubby horns. These are not true horns but tufts of stiff matted hair fused together and covered with skin.

Giraffes inhabit dry thorn-scrub, acacia grasslands, savanna, bush and forest. Key to the giraffe's success as a herbivore is, of course, their height, due to long legs and neck. The neck has seven elongated vertebrae, the same number as humans. Their height allows them to browse on the tops of tall acacia trees and reach shoots and leaves far out of reach from other browsers.

Tallness also helps giraffes spot predators from a great distance and the animals are rarely caught by lions. They have excellent eyesight for this purpose. Think of the giraffe as a sort of early warning system of the savanna because other animals will often respond to a startled giraffe, knowing it can spot danger well before they can. Not only can they detect danger efficiently, giraffes can also run for long distances at a good speed and if threatened will kick vigorously with their long, powerful legs.

The main problem caused by the long neck is when the animal needs to drink. When a thirsty giraffe must splay its front legs wide and lower its head to drink at a water-hole, it is highly vulnerable. Judging from the way it scans the landscape before drinking, a giraffe is acutely conscious of its danger. They occasionally lie down but always keep their heads in the air.

Notes are fromThis site.

I hope you like it.
marhowie, coasties, Janice, gerhardt, liquidsunshine, thistle, red45, scottevers7, mrvdm1, dew77, moemf, Dave, OdetteVN, ellis49, deud, tiobibi, saguzar, LordPotty has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Paul!
Really amazing view! So beautiul and so exotic - making me think about traveling and adventures.

  • Great 
  • Dando Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 32 N: 790] (3052)
  • [2006-01-05 6:03]

Fantastic composition, love the colours and detail. Perfect, TFS.
Dean.

Hi
Very nice shot with great POV.
Colors are good.

Thanks Ana:)

Great post Paul - good title and nicely framed and presented. Lovely animal to watch. TFS

Hi Paul,
Fantastic shot with superb composition, perfect exposure and excellent sharpness.
Very well done and TFS!

Hello Paulo,

Very nice composition,colors.TFS

Hi Paul, Lovely shot of this pair. I like the fact that they are at exactly the same height and spacing. Just the right amount of FG and a great POV. Very well done.
Thank You!

Hi Paul

What a stunning pair. Just beautiful. Good timing to get them both. Well composed with great POV. Nice shot of my favourite wild animal. TFS.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1702 W: 5 N: 2122] (11724)
  • [2006-01-05 13:32]

Superbe duo la composition est trčs jolie et la prise de vue excellente.

Merci Paul!

joseph.

Fantastic duo shot of these amazing looking animals, I love giraffes and find them very fascinating especially when looking at this great shot. I'd give two thumbs up but that would'nt seem good enough, so I'll give 2 necks up. Well done Paul. :)

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3337 W: 144 N: 5637] (16707)
  • [2006-01-05 14:34]

Paul, what a great shot - the 2 giraffe look so good, like sentinels at the entrance to their land, welcoming you. Just fantastic! I look forward to seeing more shots of them. TFS.
Janice

Hi Paul,
I love this shot together with the good headline. Excellent motive and colours I like it very much, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaurda

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 881 W: 19 N: 923] (4953)
  • [2006-01-05 15:06]

Hello Paul, excellent composition!! Beautiful colors too. I like these two giraffes looking at you!! Congratulations Didier.

Nice one Paul, Makes me want to go back there. I haven't been there since 16th December. Great compo and colors.

A fantastic capture Paul,
This trip must have been a really great experience.
Good detail and colours. Great POV and sharpness.
Nicely composed and good exposure.
Thanks for posting. Enjoy the rest of the week.

This is a lovely picture Paul!
Great to see two of them posing so nicely.
I love the beautiful warm colours and the amazing depth this picture has.
It is perfect and I like it a lot!
VERY WELL DONE!

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2765 W: 75 N: 7513] (25121)
  • [2006-01-05 18:16]

Two headed dragon or two factory chimneys ;-) [you know - I live in city of chimneys] ? Fantastic shot Paul! They must be twins.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2309 W: 324 N: 4312] (16848)
  • [2006-01-05 20:03]

Paul, excellent composition, pov and title.

Great exposure and contrast - their necks really show off against the blue sky.

Perfect symmetry.

Hi Paul,
The warm soft light here is very beautiful. This has rendered perfect colors. Exposure looks to be dead on. The composition and framing look great. Good detail and DOF. Remarkable clarity! I can't wait to see the other shots. This is a remarkable sight to witness first hand. I am very envious...
Scott

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3082 W: 231 N: 5811] (19540)
  • [2006-01-06 3:10]

I saw the thumbnail and cracked up laughing.
Sure enough, when I opened the picture, it was just what I thought it was. This is just too funny and too cute.
Excellent POV, Paul. Cannot ask for a better one.
A wonderful shot that I enjoyed very much. TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-01-06 4:12]

Hello Paul!
Excellent capture.Yes it must be a mirror between them;)POV,crisp clear details,colors,warm lighting,DOF you managed and composition are perfect.
TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • moemf Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 117 W: 0 N: 160] (699)
  • [2006-01-06 11:56]

Hi Paul

I think these two must be shaving buddies. It is truly incredible how nature can so perfectly mimic behaviour. Excellent shot!!

Reinier

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 517 W: 47 N: 663] (2127)
  • [2006-01-06 23:08]

Excellent note Paul! And, very nice picture!
Someone could make custom quotation marks from this shot...;-)
Very nice!
Thanks,
Dave

Very nice, Paul. Great shot and I find your notes very informative. Thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • klemmg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 302 W: 40 N: 484] (1719)
  • [2006-01-07 16:04]

GREAT EXCEPTIONAL pose, excellently captured.
Gabi

LOL, excellent pose...they look like book ends!

Hi, Paul.
It's nice pair. Very good sharpness and colors. I'm thinking about the blurred part at the bottom. It's a little bit distracting. At the same time foreground space is needed. Difficult to suggest something. Maybe to crop out about 40% of this blurred foreground?

This is a nice shot. The colours, POV and sharpness are excellent. Very well done.

Regards

Hi Paul, I don't know how I had missed this.
The pose and POV are great. Lovy colours and very good details. I like the composition and the title too.
As always a very good note.
Excellent work, my friend.

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 486 W: 2 N: 454] (2055)
  • [2006-01-10 8:26]

i'm always not indifferent about those beautiful animals with "head between clouds"! this pair is wonderful! perfect dof, colors and focus on subject!

happy new year!

Marvellous! How did you manage to make them pose like this? Well done!!!

Hi Paul
Lovely twins, seems two tower in the savanna, colors and light are well, composition: 10 points
Cheers
Hernán

Hi Paul,
Another great shot.
You are so lucky to have Gerhardt as a guide.
I love the title too. I presume its from Nico and The Velvet Underground song.
I was learning to play it on the guitar just ast night, then I saw this today.
Great stuff!

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