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Play Fight


Play Fight
Photo Information
Copyright: Paul Prince (PDP) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11755)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-01-22
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX APO RF, Digital ISO 200, Hoya skylight (1B)
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/800 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-02-02 7:51
Viewed: 1318
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 56
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi all, here is a shot of Grey Seals play fighting in the surf. They look to have so much fun doing this and I guess it is a chance for the young males to practise courtship. This is obvious as something appears from the young male that suggests he is very excited.

Description and ecological characteristics

Grey seals Halichoerus grypus spend most of the year at sea, and may range widely in search of prey. They come ashore in autumn to form breeding colonies on rocky shores, beaches, in caves, occasionally on sandbanks, and on small largely uninhabited islands. In such locations they may spread some distance from the shore and ascend to considerable heights.


European status and distribution

Grey seals Halichoerus grypus are among the rarest seals in the world: the UK population represents about 40% of the world population and 95% of the EU population. Globally, there are three reproductively-isolated stocks of grey seal: a west Atlantic (northern North American) stock; a Baltic stock; and an East Atlantic stock. The latter extends from Iceland and northern Norway southwards to northern France, with the majority breeding around Great Britain and Ireland.


UK status and distribution

At the start of the 2000 breeding season, Great Britain held some 124,000 grey seals Halichoerus grypus (SCOS 2000). A further 300-400 in total are found around the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. There are pupping sites on many coasts between the Isles of Scilly in the south-west, clockwise to Donna Nook in Lincolnshire. These rookeries vary greatly in size with the largest being in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Isle of May, Farne Islands and Donna Nook. Less than 15% of pups are born away from the above areas, but there is an important outlying breeding population on the west Wales coast. Since the late 1970s, no licences have been issued in the UK for commercial hunting or large-scale control measures, and the population has increased markedly since that time.

I hope you like it.

Notes are from here

You can see more notes and my previous post of playing seals here
peter_stoeckl, soccer, Demetrio, metcher, sAner, thistle, Runnerduck, Toni, hummingbird24, scottevers7, chouette, coasties, anavazao, bartove, livios, wallhalla15 has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Runnerduck: Ha haPDP 3 02-02 14:15
To navnith: ThanksPDP 1 02-02 10:26
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Paul.
First glance: Funny picture, very funny indeed. Plus a delightful note.
Second glance, realizing the BG: Not taken in the zoo! My goodness, you are in a position to watch seals from that close in free nature in the UK! And to press the button in the right moment! And to stay dry?
Congratulations!
Peter

Paul,

Once again another great action shot there. The detail is good and the image sharp. I like the Composition and the DOF is good, distancing the BG to make a great pic. TFS, Sheriff

hey Paul seems like you are really have a great time up there... Great detail on these two playful seals. Fantastic work and very good postings of these seals. Love it!

Take care,

Demetrio

Hi Paul
Great notes and grat pix though I felt it a bit underexposed.I never thought one has such a chance for photographing free nature in UK.
Thanks for sharing.
navnith

  • Great 
  • Dando Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 32 N: 790] (3052)
  • [2006-02-02 9:33]

Nice composition Paul, excellent moment captured with good detail and colour. TFS.
Dean.

Hi, Paul.
Actors on work again. Great show. Gentle and beautiful. Well composed with great colors and details.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1654 W: 79 N: 1456] (4742)
  • [2006-02-02 9:50]

Very beautiful Paul. I am at home recovering from a fever, but couldn't resist in critiqueing this shot. Excellent quality, sharpness, dof and POV. Just Wonderful. Well done & TFS.

Regards,
Pieter

Lovely shot Paul!
There really is something in their look that make them resemble dogs. It's strange because they seem to be so different at the first sight.
I love the moment captured here. You did it very well technically. The tight framing works great and the light is perfect.
I like it a lot!

  • Great 
  • tinman Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 242 W: 7 N: 458] (2663)
  • [2006-02-02 10:38]

Super DOF and POV, lovely note and good composition and framing. TFS

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-02-02 12:09]

Hello Paul!
Funny capture.POV,details,sharpness,pose of
seals and composition are excellent.TFS..:-)

I was going to leave feedback for this yesterday, but then it disappeared.
A lovely shot, they are obviously incredibly tactile creatures.
A perfect composition and I love the crashing waves in the bg.
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • Toni Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 403 W: 2 N: 316] (2034)
  • [2006-02-02 13:56]

Hi Paul
Great POV of these very cute seals. I like your low POV, the details - especially on the left-hand one who almost looks made of bronze and the DOF.
Regards Toni

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1552 W: 0 N: 1165] (6442)
  • [2006-02-02 15:11]

Hi Paul,
Very well caught this lovely pose.
Excellent POV and great soft lighting,
nice natural colour and very good framing.
Thanks for sharing!

Hi Paul,
this is a very good picture taken in the open.
Great low POV and good composition. I like the tight crop.
Good details and DOF.
Excellent work.

Hello Paul,

Sorry, no time for a decent comment, but definitely worth a ;-)

Superb!

TFS.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 5 N: 2144] (11878)
  • [2006-02-02 20:58]

L'action est superbe et le moment très joli.

Félicitations et merci Paul!


Joseph

Hi Paul,
outstanding work! The exposure is spot on. Very good colors and sharp detail in a difficult situation. Dark subject against a bright backround. You did it well.
Scott

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3070 W: 231 N: 5861] (19714)
  • [2006-02-02 21:11]

Love the pose of the seal on the right, Paul. Good timing on your part. Focus and exposure excellent, as you captured the wetness on their fur. Congratulations on this fantastic shot. : )

This is a wonderful capture Paul! I like your composition and colors. DOF, POV and sharpness are excellent. Very good work. Thanks for sharing!

Cute pair Paul. Nice interaction captured here. Good timing and POV. As usual, a crisp, clear sharp image. Well done. Thanks.

Sharp and detailed... and what a pose!

Hi,
great fight they seems have fun!
The colours, composition, details are great!
Ana:)

Nice work, superb detail and exposure.

Greg

Nice composition. Excellent POV and great soft lighting,
Regards,
Eyal.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16856)
  • [2006-02-04 11:18]

Paul, excellent and perfect sharpness. I also enjoy pov, composition, lighting and exposure.

A very nice moment, a great photo.

Congratulations.

Very good moment you captured! Excellent shot Paul, great lighting, details and sharpness, nice bg and contrast. Very well done, thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Heinz

Great capture, the one on the right has a strangely narrow muzzle! Excellent POV and sharp detail.

Alli

Very expressive! I love that your subjects made your picture look so strong! Like telling a story. Nice compo, colours, lighting, and clarity. I want to play too! lol

Stephy

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