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Hanging Out


Hanging Out
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16524)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2001-03
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 1vHS, Canon 24-70 mm f 2,8 L-USM, Fuji Provia 100
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-02-21 10:44
Viewed: 1273
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi everyone.

I took this shot a few years ago in Malaysia - it is a scanned slide. I took the shot at the Semmengoh rehabilitation Centre in Sarawak, Malaysia. I found this a much nice experience than Sepilok in Sabah. The orangutans were living wild and showed up at feeding times if they felt like it. I shall never forget the thrill of seeing the branches moving on the hill opposite as a large male, with cheek pouches, made his way to the feeding area. I was lucky emough to see a wild female and baby later, but although I have some shots, light conditions were very poor.

Orangutans are the most arboreal(tree living)of the great apes, spending nearly all of their time in the trees. Every night they fashion nests, in which they sleep, from branches and foliage. They are more solitary than the other apes, with males and females generally coming together only to mate. Mothers stay with their babies until the offspring reach an age of six or seven years. There is significant sexual dimorphism between females and males: females can grow to around 4 ft 2 in or 127 centimetres and weigh around 100 lbs or 45 kg, while fully mature males can reach 5 ft 9 in or 175 centimetres in height and weigh over 260 lbs or 118 kg. Fully mature males can be distinguished by their prominent cheek flanges and longer hair.

Orangutans eat mostly fruit which makes up 60% of their diet. Fruits with sugary or fatty pulp are favored. The fruit of fig trees are also commonly eaten since it is easy to both harvest and digest. Other food items include: young leaves, shoots, seeds and bark. Insects and bird eggs are also included.

Orangutans are thought to be the sole fruit disperser for some plant species including the climber species Strychnos ignatii which contains the toxic alkaloid strychnine. It does not appear to have any effect on orangutans except for excessive saliva production.
nglen, rousettus, jaycee, joey, Luis52, rcrick, NinaM, Argus, boreocypriensis, albert, angybone, horia has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2926 W: 34 N: 8678] (32334)
  • [2008-02-21 10:47]

Hi James good to see you back. To me the Orangutans always look sad. you have captured a natural looking pose hanging in the tree.with good detail and colours. well done TFS. Nick..

Hello James,
Where were you? Are you still in the Canaries?
Nice to see you again and orangutan capture. You took it in natural biotop with this great shot. Nicely composed. Focus, POV/DOF very nice. notes always great. TFS, well done
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2008-02-21 11:10]

Hi James,

Good to see you back! Great shot of this Orangutan hanging onto the tree. What long arms he has! The details of his face are wonderful - he is not smiling for the camera. Nice natural colors and wonderful seeing him in this setting.

Jane

Hello James Wonderfull shot with nice bokeh and good moody light. I like the composition, very sharp details TFS rgds Necip.

  •      
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2008-02-21 12:42]

Hello James,
great to see you back!
This is a real stunner! Considering this was totally wild as well!
The pose with the long arm holding onto the branch is a classic!
Exceptional detail. The face looks very sad for some reason! I think it's that slightly protuding bottom lip :-)
Great composition and POV.
Superb DOF.
This is one of your best so far!
Thanks for sharing it,
Joe

pts tomorrow

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2008-02-21 15:36]

Hola James.
Nice photo. grat image here. I like the pose hanging on of this Orangutan.
Nice moment.
Luis52.

Hello James,
Very well captured of the Orangutan in the best pose of him!
very good exposure and focus in this shot with a perfect details on him!
well done
greeting
Tony

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 717 W: 38 N: 1560] (5019)
  • [2008-02-21 18:59]

Hi James,
Great shot of this Orangutan, I've been to the rehabilitation centre in Sarawak as well and your right there is nothing like the sound of a big male Orangutan coming though the canopy for a feed, just amazing, excellent framing love the backlight, all the best Cheers Rick :)

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 801 W: 3 N: 2100] (6596)
  • [2008-02-21 20:03]

Hello James, you were close to it! It is a fantastic shot, I love it. With the leaves at the foreground, we have the feeling of spying the orangutan nad it is beautiful. The colour of its fur is superb, I love the green-bluish colour of the background. I can feel in this picture what you describe when you first saw the branches of the trees move. It's so fun to travel through your picture, thank you!

Francine

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3840 W: 190 N: 11430] (35227)
  • [2008-02-22 0:20]

Hello James,
I like the pose of this female Orangutang in her natural environment and the title is very appropriate!
The technical qualities of this shot have not suffered unduly from scanning.
I hope it will continue to be possible to take shots like this.
Thanks for sharing this,
Ivan

Hello James,

A perfect shot of this anthropoides apes:), Orangutan showing its arboreal life style friend! with excelent comp. superb details. Also a lovely capture:)
TFS friend!
Cheers,

Bayram

Hi James,
Great capture of this Orangutan in a natural environnement!
Thanks for sharing
Albert
PS: Is Semmengoh centre near Kutching?
this rehab. centre was not recommended by our travel agency ( Eco-expeditions) who proposed Sepilok instead. I must say that I was a bit disappointed by Sepilok, that looks more or less like a zoo ! and it was not possible to get a picture without a wooden structure.

Hi James,
Malasya is so seemed to Venezuela in a lot of aspects.
I had shot very similar scene last month in a national park near Caracas. But they were not orangutans, instead other specie.
I like a lot the hanging pose got here, it's amazing the way they can move across the trees.
Congratulations and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM

Great vertical composition - - - the height of the tree and the reach of the arm work well as far as composition goes. And of course, the Orangutan is toocute!

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2175 W: 221 N: 4385] (14914)
  • [2008-02-22 10:07]

Hi James and sorry for the delay

Nice to see you back here, my friend! Are you home or posting from abroad?
Either way, this is a splendid shot of an animal we very rarely have the chance to see photographed in the wild.
The pose is a sheer beauty - typical for the orangutans - and it makes you composition.
The details are excellent, the DOF is great and works well in isolating your subject while the exposure is as good as possible. I'm a bit amazed that you used such a short lens for this shot...i would have expected a much larger telephoto one, but i guess you can bring the best with this one as well :) Congrats!

Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-23 20:48]

Hello James

Well composed,this shot has lovely lighting.
The Orangutan creates a sympathetic mood.
Lovely colours.
Nicely done.
TFS

Rob

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