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"I'm innocent"


Photo Information
Copyright: Reina Heuven (reina) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 260 W: 1 N: 328] (2024)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-03-07
Categories: Mammals
Exposure: f/5.3, 1/40 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2006-03-07 15:46
Viewed: 1530
Points: 29
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Otters are very agile swimmers and are one of the few animals that seem to spend much of their time actually playing. Their long, supple bodies enable them to quickly twist, turn, roll, and dive as they seem to glide effortlessly through the water. River otters can be found in a variety of freshwater habitats including streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes. They are most active at night but may be encountered at any time. Otters feed on fish, snakes, turtles, frogs, crayfish and almost anything else they can catch. They are sometimes blamed for decimating gamefish populations, but research shows that otters feed more on slow-moving fish species such as suckers and catfish. Otter dens are often dug into the bank of a stream or they may utilize an old beaver lodge, muskrat house, or even a hollow tree. They give birth to 2 to 4 young in early spring. Mating takes place soon after the young are born, but because of the otter's delayed implantation of the fertilized egg, the actual gestation period ( about 63 days) begins months later.

Otters have declined in many areas where they were once common. Uncontrolled trapping, water pollution, and other forms of habitat destruction have contributed to this decline. In North Carolina, River Otters are still common in the eastern coastal plain, with much fewer found in the Piedmont region and almost none in the western mountains. A reintroduction project to restore River Otter populations in the mountains was recently begun by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Otters from eastern North Carolina were trapped and later released along major rivers including the Catawba and the French Broad. These new populations seem to be faring well and there is evidence that they have spread far from the original release sites. Another reintroduction project of River Otters has taken place in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Many of the streams and rivers in western North Carolina are actually much cleaner now than they were some decades ago, when the otter population first began declining here. If successful, reintroduction projects like these will hopefully restore a breeding nucleus of river otters that will eventually expand and reoccupy their former range.


Picture was taken at a snowy day, while everybody was in traffic jams and trains didnt function anymore. I decide to take a break for a few ours and practice with my camera. With this funny guy as a result. Sorry for my absent comments on the work of others these days.Just a posting. Have to do lots of work because of new government rules, before I can enjoy some free time.

Will make it up in the weekend. But I couldnt resist to post a work with new equipment.
Enjoy the evening Reina
liquidsunshine, aido, loot, marhowie, blue-velvet29, scottevers7, ellis49, Robespierre, metcher has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To fotobram: workshopreina 1 04-30 15:41
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Critiques [Translate]

Nicely captured Reina,
Good detail, colours and sharpness.
Composition and lighting are good. Good POV, DOF and eye contact. nice BG with the second otter nicely blurred out.
Thanks for posting, have a great week. Don't work to hard, remember your holiday isn't long away ;)

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-03-07 18:39]

Hi Reina,
These little fellows are born actors so I'm not fooled by the look of innocence :) Nice shot, excellent detail and nice DOF.
Regards
Adrian

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5452 W: 594 N: 3662] (10065)
  • [2006-03-07 20:58]

Hi Reina
Great capture with that slow shutter speed, making full use of the soft light provided by the overcast conditions. This guy was obviously not perturbed by you at all and was sitting very still, watching you at work. A real actor/model.
Good composition, natural colours, and exposure levels. The DOF & BG is excellent.
Very well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

Hi Reina,
You have shown the very soul of the otter in this closeup. This is the kind of shot that makes photography addictive..You've done an excellent job with the available light @ 1/40th..I like like it & Very well done!

Hi Reina,
Very cute!
Great capture with excellent details and sharpness,
Thanks for sharing!

Hello Reina!
Great details and composition. Nice colors. Well done!
TFS;-)
regards
Dorota

Hi Reina,

I love the frame filling composition and crop on this portrait shot. Very good exposure with the nice colors and sharp detail. Great eye contact on this expressive pose.
Scott

  • Great 
  • Aramok Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 886 W: 101 N: 1431] (4954)
  • [2006-03-08 11:10]

I love otters and pictures like this remind me of the last occasion I saw one in the wild.

I love the detail in this picture especially the whiskers...

well done.

Hi Reins,
a very fine portrait with nice light and the small colour scale is also nice. Good POV and detials.
Well done.

Me encanta esa carita, una mezcla de inocencia y travesura, has sabido captar el momento. Lastima no se aprecien todos los detalles, quizás con un ajuste de los niveles. Enhorabuena

Saludos
Tomas

Hoi Reina,
Wat een goed geslaagd portret van deze otter.
Hij heeft echt een prachtige, ondeugende blik in z'n ogen. De scherpte ligt mooi in het gezicht, goede compositie. Ik neem aan dat je dit met je nieuwe aanwinst hebt gemaakt?
Groetjes Ruud.

Hi Reina,

Sweety :)
I like it.
Well done!!!

TFS
Malgosia

Very nice, but lacks contrast. Tried to fix that in a WS.

Wat vind je ervan ?

BdM

  • Great 
  • dkaved Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 266 W: 18 N: 433] (2106)
  • [2006-04-30 16:10]

Hi Reina,
I have a bit of a softspot for these beautiful playful creatures so this image in your gallery immediately attracted me.What a beautiful expression and pose you have captured!Amazing detail with everything clear and sharp.Well composed...I admire your patience.TFS.
Regards, David

Hi, Reina.
What a cute guy! I like this compo/crop. Good exposure, eye contact and sharpness

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