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Denali Caribou Silhouette


Denali Caribou Silhouette
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4842] (14380)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 1994-08
Categories: Mammals
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-08-08 6:19
Viewed: 755
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is a scanned slide, taken with Agfa 100asa slide film with a Pentax Z1. I know this may not be to everyone's taste, but I like it. The Caribou is taken from the Ranger Station where most of the tour buses stop for the view of Denali. This caribou had a very nice rack of antlers and I liked the backlight - even though the face is not well lit.

In the wild, most caribou migrate in large herds between their birthing habitat and their winter habitat. Their wide hooves help the animals move through snow and tundra; they also help propel the animal when it swims. About 1 million live in Alaska, and a comparable number live in northern Canada.

There are an estimated 5 million reindeer in Eurasia, mainly semi-domesticated. The last remaining European herds of the genetic wild reindeer (of the subspecies tarandus) are found in central Norway, mainly in the mountainous areas of Rondane, Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella (see Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park), Hardangervidda and Setesdalsheiene. Genetic analysis has shown this, and that the reindeer in Rondane and Dovrefjell is of Beringia origin, other wild Norwegian reindeer are of European origin and have interbred with domesticated reindeer to a various extent, the reindeer in Hardangervidda and Setesdalsheiane only to a limited extent. Some areas, such as Filefjell, have populations of reindeer that have been herded in the past but are now left free. Scandinavian domesticated reindeer are supposed to be a mixture of the two subspecies tarandus and fennicus - mountain and Finnish woodland reindeer.

Males usually split apart from the group and become solitary, while the remaining herd consists mostly of females, usually a matriarchy.

Reindeer have specialized noses featuring nasal turbinate bones that dramatically increase the surface area within the nostrils. Incoming cold air is warmed by the animal's body heat before entering the lungs, and water is condensed from the expired air and captured before the deer's breath is exhaled, used to moisten dry incoming air and possibly absorbed into the blood through the mucous membranes.

Reindeer hooves adapt to the season: in the summer, when the tundra is soft and wet, the footpads become spongy and provide extra traction. In the winter, the pads shrink and tighten, exposing the rim of the hoof which cuts into the ice and crusted snow to keep the animal from slipping. This also enables them to dig down (an activity known as "cratering") through the snow to their favorite food, a lichen known as reindeer moss.

The reindeer coat has two layers of fur, a dense woolly undercoat and longer-haired overcoat consisting of hollow, air-filled hairs. A caribou or reindeer swims easily and fast; migrating herds will not hesitate to swim across a large lake or broad river.
nainnain, PaulH, angybone, fartash, gannu, ridvan, nglen, Evelynn, JPlumb, gracious, Matt-Bird, SelenE, JORAPAVI, Debz has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1032 W: 26 N: 3016] (10874)
  • [2007-08-08 6:27]

Hi James,
well to me this shot is all about the Antlers so the unlit head doesn't really bother me at all. Very impressive rack on show here, they must be exhausting for the Caribou to carry around all day long. Very well seen composition.
Paul

Gorgeous curves - amazing antlers! WOW!!!!
The composition with the curves entering the photo the way they are...wow! ;)

WONDERFUL!

Hello Neighbour
Very nice shot of this Caribou,
Perfect lighting,BG and compo,
Welldone.

Regards
Fartash

Hi James.
Wow. Great capture. I like it too. Good sharpness. You can see all the fur from the velvet on his antlers. Lovely light and vertical composition. Well done.
Regards, Steve.

hi james,
imposing!
like the backlight too and a very nice BG.
fantastic capture and silhouette.
TFS - carole

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 935 W: 4 N: 2335] (10900)
  • [2007-08-08 9:03]

James, Amazing shot and look at their horn wonderful. nature's creation is beyond anyone's imagination. Excellent shot. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 556 W: 0 N: 1138] (5140)
  • [2007-08-08 10:08]

selam james , excellent shot and very good composition of this big cariobu nice pov and bg with splendid colours.great work
Well done !
Regards ridvan

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 5 N: 5602] (21160)
  • [2007-08-08 10:36]

Hi James. As Paul said the picture to me is about the Antlers. what a size, enough to give you a head ache. they have good detail and light on them. they stand out well against the back ground. well done TFS. great notes too.
Nick

wow, striking pic, TFS Ori

This is quite a dramatic composition, James. The dark shapes against the light background is very interesting. I like it.

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-08-08 21:59]

Hello James

An impressive profile of this caribou.I can't imagine walking around the woods with that strapped to my head.The shot is well composed with lovely lighting.The BG is absolutely beautiful.I like how the trees curve opposite to the way the antlers do,creating a circular effect.Well done.TFS

Rob

Awesome silhouette James. Even with this lighting you have excellent detail. Those antlers especially stand out with the fine textured velvet. Great depth of field with that young stand of trees behind him.

Thanks, John

Hello James,
Excellent exposure and focus!
Good sharpness and clarity with details
well done and well seen
cheers
Tony

bonjour
note explicative excellente
belle présentation mais peut etre un peu sombre, mais jolies couleurs malgré tout, bravo, bien vu, merci du partage, amitičs
edith

Hi James,
Great photo, those antlers are impressive. You have really capture there size and shape well and they really fill the frame. great shot,
regards
Matt.
ps, I hope you feel better soon, those chest infection can be harsh here.

Hola James,
Original y bella captura donde se muestran muy bien los detalles de la cabeza y cornamenta, TFS. Saludos
José Ramón

Great clarity and lighting. We can see the texture on the antlers.

Well done,
Reid

Hi James,
WOW! Beautiful animal. Odd, that these horns do not overweigh. Treat nature which knows it acts. Your picture is amazing. I thank after exhausting description also.
I congratulate and greet - Roma

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2358 W: 61 N: 3827] (12286)
  • [2007-08-10 0:40]

Hello James,
His antlers look so beautiful. I liked the POV, composition and colors. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

  • Great 
  • Debz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 0 N: 866] (3283)
  • [2007-08-14 4:20]

A very dramatic and imposing shot James. I think it works really well with the background a bright haze behind the Caribou. The antlers are amazing and they work very well in silouette. Nicely composed.
tfs
debz

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