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Common Frog


Common Frog
Photo Information
Copyright: Joe Kellard (joey) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1692 W: 242 N: 5589] (19849)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07-08
Categories: Amphibians
Camera: Canon Powershot S3 IS
Exposure: f/3.5, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-07-11 1:49
Viewed: 335
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans. There is debate regarding its status as a native of Ireland. One theory suggests it may have reached Ireland via a land bridge prior to the end of the last ice age. Another school of thought suggests it was deliberately introduced to Ireland.

The Common Frog can be distinguished from the Common toad by the skin which is smoother and is moist, the rear legs are longer and the feet more prominently webbed. Frogs move by hopping whereas toads more often crawl.

The adult common frog eats insects and small invertebrates such as earthworms and slugs which they catch with a long sticky tongue. Common frogs are active almost all of the year, only hibernating when it gets very cold and the water and earth are consistently frozen. In the British Isles, common frogs typically hibernate from late October to January.[1] They will re-emerge as early as February if conditions are favourable, and migrate to bodies of water such as garden ponds.[2] Where conditions are harsher, such as in the Alps, they emerge as late as early June [3] Common frogs hibernate in running waters, muddy burrows and can hibernate in layers of decaying leaves and mud at the bottom of ponds. The fact that they can breathe through their skins allows them to stay underwater for much longer periods of time when they are hibernating.[4] [5], [6]

Common frogs breed in shallow, still, fresh water such as ponds, with breeding commencing in March. The adults congregate in the ponds, where the males compete for females(movie with sound). The courtship ritual involves croaking, and a successful male grasps the female under the forelegs. During the mating season the males can be recognised by a darkened swelling, the nuptial pad on their 'thumbs'. The females, which are generally larger than the males, lay up to 4000 eggs which float in large clusters.
CENT-TRETZE, Kathleen, haraprasan, angybone, eqshannon, jmirah, Jamesp, uleko, jaycee, ramthakur, marhowie, Silvio2006, nglen has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 923 W: 4 N: 2310] (10776)
  • [2007-07-11 1:54]

Joe, nice take but i would like to have this more on closeup and different pov. Ganesh

Hello Joe:

Very nice the photo of the common frog that you us present as well as the documented information that you accompany.

Not as(like) a frog does for fotografíar, when I approach to the pool, raft or river, chap, chap ... they hide in the water. It(he,she) is that my zoom performs little scope. I will have to disguise as toad.

He(She) excuses the joke.

A cordial greeting friend.

Josep.

wow!very beautiful exposure!!!!!!nice composed too!
really thank you for sharing this.
caroline

Hi Joe.
The lighting on the frog makes him really stand out against the dark background, great DOF. Slight lack of fine detail in the frog but a good view of him

Kathleen
New Zealand

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2611 W: 133 N: 7494] (23373)
  • [2007-07-11 3:10]

Hello Joe (we are neighbours!)
Nice presentation of the Common Frog with excellent lighting, POV and BG. Good catchlight in the eye.
TFS and best wishes, Ivan

Hi Joe,
An excellent capture of this wonderful frog. Very good details POV and composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

I love this one...I like the way the frog is alone in the big space. It creates an interesting image. Good light and colors and focus.

A textbook shot well done Joey.

Bob

Really like the composition, the frog really stands out...Interesting POV makes for a fine photo...TFS
Jim

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4842] (14380)
  • [2007-07-11 7:21]

Hi Joey

I like the POV and lighting here very much - the frog seems to grow.

The decline of frogs has been quite startling - it is thought that because of their thin, porous skin, they are vulnerable to the poisons we pump into the atmosphere.

James

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2466 W: 168 N: 7458] (23564)
  • [2007-07-11 7:26]

Hello Joe,
Very nice capture of the Common Frog from a low POV. Excellent sharp details and fine colours. I like the light and the "wet look" too. Well done - I find frogs hard to photograph!
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1786 W: 8 N: 4638] (14987)
  • [2007-07-11 8:02]

Hi Joe,

Nice shot of this Frog and excellent notes. He looks great with the black background and lots of space in front of him - really makes him stand out. Nice colors and good details.

Jane

Your subject looks like a character under the spotlights on a stage, Joe :-)!
Very good perspective and a fine presentation.
TFS

Hi Joe,
Excellent POV, and the wide comp works well here. I like the warm color and detail, the frog stands out nicely from this dark, uniform BG also.
Well done!
Howard

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1471 W: 18 N: 2981] (10944)
  • [2007-07-11 11:35]

Hi Joe

Perfect shot, the POV is perfect and I like the framing. The dark BG really sets him off.

TFS

Karan

Hi Joe, lovely frog with wonderful details, splendid composition with great sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1991 W: 5 N: 5557] (20998)
  • [2007-07-11 12:56]

Hi Joe. common by name but a great picture.good deatil and colour. with a nice POV/DOF. very well done TFS good notes too.
Nick..

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